Acne is very complex, and there are many things that can result in a breakout. As someone who’s acne prone, I really needed to change my diet and lifestyle to limit these triggers. This included certain products I put on my face. Becoming an aesthetician and acne specialist really gave me the knowledge as to which ingredients to look out for in skincare and makeup that can elicit a breakout.
Fortunately, not everyone is acne-prone. Those who are prone tend to shed dead skin cells much faster than those who are not. Normal pores shed about one layer of dead skin cells daily compared to the acne-prone pore that sheds up to five layers of dead skin cells daily. The body can’t keep up with this amount of shedding and forms a microcomedone, the beginning of acne. Comedogenic ingredients are ingredients that can clog our pores and cause breakouts. Many makeup products on the market are formulated with several of these ingredients. These ingredients can increase the shedding process, and thus those who are acne prone must really be on the lookout to avoid such products.
Some comedogenic ingredients commonly found in makeup include: algin, bismuth, beeswax, carrageenan, ethylhexyl palmitate, isopropyl isostearate, isostearyl neopentanoate, laureth-4, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, seaweed, shea butter, soybean, and talc just to name a few. I always advise my clients to download the Acne-Safe App found in the App Store. With this app, you can copy and paste ingredient decks to see if any potential makeup purchases include pore-clogging ingredients.
Some of my favorite noncomedogenic foundations include...
1. Forever Skin Glow Foundation SPF 15 by Dior
2. Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation by Giorgio Armani
3. Tinted Moisturizer Light Revealer Natural Skin Illuminator SPF 25
4. Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation by Narsissist
5. Turn Up the Base Blurring Foundation by Onezine (by Patrick Starrr)
6. CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation Glow Serum with SPF 40 and Niacinamide by IT Cosmetics
Keep in mind all these tips and tricks next time you’re out shopping for makeup.
Stay (acne) safe out there!