Are you prone to acne? A litany of factors can influence the development of pimples, and surprisingly, your makeup may be to blame.

Makeup Ingredients and Acne

Acne occurs as a result of pores on your skin getting clogged. Your skin produces an oil called sebum, which can trap dirt, bacteria, and other debris in your pores. 

Over time, inflammation develops, and the result is a raised, red bump. And while you may turn to makeup to cover up such blemishes, you may actually be doing more harm than good.

Makeup Ingredients Causing Acne

Numerous ingredients in makeup can increase your risk of acne. Here are some to watch out for. 

10. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a comedogenic substance. This means it stays on your skin and can potentially clog your pores. 

Additionally, some people are allergic to coconut oil, so that can further exacerbate blemishes.

9. Almond Oil

Eating almonds is great for your skin, but you should be mindful about applying it to your face. Similar to coconut oil, it’s comedogenic, which means it can block your pores if you’re not careful. 

Many people swear that almond oil is great for dry skin. To see how it impacts you, apply a small amount to the skin to see if an irritation develops.

8. Benzaldehyde

Benzaldehyde is an artificial fragrance. In general, it’s a good idea to avoid artificial fragrances regardless of how your skin looks, but you definitely want to beware if you’re prone to acne. 

7. Algae Oil

Algae oil can trigger a breakout due to the high levels of iodine present in the substance. Iodine is an essential mineral everyone needs to live. 

However, in large quantities, it can clog and highly irritate pores.

6. Acetylated Lanolin

Acetylated lanolin is a big ingredient to avoid if you tend to get pimples. Lanolin is the sebum of sheep. It’s also extremely comedogenic, which means you’re more likely to get a breakout. 

Unfortunately, this material goes by many names, so you need to watch out. Some other names it goes by include:

• Solulan 16
• PEG 16 lanolin
• Ethoxylated lanolin
• Acetylated lanolin alcohol

5. Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride is the scientific name for regular salt. It’s often added to makeup as a thickening agent, but if you’re prone to breakouts, you need to steer clear. 

Similar to how too much salty food can clog your pores, applying salt to your face can increase the likelihood of pimples. This is especially true when it’s applied around the mouth and on the chin.

4. Butter Oil

Like all of the other oils on this list, butter oil can clog your pores. This includes the famed shea butter that’s become so trendy to include in various makeup and skincare products.

3. Lauric Acid

Lauric acid is a fatty acid you really don’t need in your makeup. It’s likely to cause pimples even if you don’t tend to breakout easily. 

2. D & C Red

D & C Red is often added to cosmetics to give them color. It’s often found in blush, but it’s comedogenic, so it will clog your pores in high enough quantities.

You’ll find D & C Red on the label with a number that follows. The worst you can find are D & C Red #27 and #40, but there are plenty of others you generally can do without. Good makeup products should find ways to naturally incorporate color. 

1. Stearic Acid

Higher-end foundations often include stearic acid. You’ll save money and headaches by avoiding it. 

Stearic acid can clog your pores, especially if you have sensitive skin. In general, you want to make sure the makeup you use doesn’t contain any pore-clogging ingredients. Many products are now labeled as such to make it easy. 

If you’re unsure which ingredient irritates your skin, then experiment. You may find something else entirely causes you to break out in pimples. 

References:

Begum, Jabeen MD. “Makeup and Skin Care for Acne.” WebMD, 24 Sep. 2021. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/acne-skin-care-makeup

Ghahremani, Tanya. “7 Makeup Ingredients to Avoid If You Have Acne-Prone Skin.” Byrdie, 3 Mar. 2022. https://www.byrdie.com/makeup-to-avoid-for-acne-prone-skin-4777095