At Total Skin Care Clinic, we believe that understanding your specific skin problems will bring you the results for which you are looking. Certain ingredients found in cosmetics and skin care products often bring on acne because they clog your pores. Much of what caused the damaging effects, known as “acne cosmetica”, is due to these comedogenic, (pore clogging) ingredients. This condition can be identified by tiny whiteheads which cluster over the cheeks, chin, and forehead.
Cosmetic acne does not result in the latent scarring caused by cystic acne but it is both unsightly and substantive, that is, it will almost certainly persist if the person continues to use cosmetics which contain acne causing or “comedogenic” ingredients.
Sebum (natural oils of the skin) is a beneficial component and chemists have set out to replicate this substance. In doing so, substances such as stearic acid and isopropyl myristate have been commonly used in cosmetics. These chemical substances can be even more potent than an excess of natural sebum in causing acne.
What Ingredients in Cosmetics tend to be Acne Causing?
LANOLIN:
One of the most common and well-known ingredients in cosmetics is lanolin. It is derived from sheep wool and is in fact oil from the skin of the sheep. These oils are similar to the fatty acids already found in human skin. These fatty acids can cause acne in those individuals who have a natural affinity to the disease.
ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE:
This ingredient is a penetrating serious offender to the skin and can be found in many cosmetics. Its purpose is to apply “slip” allowing it to go on more smoothly, thereby appearing to have a slick sheer feel. The number of chemicals similar to isopropyl myristate is legion, isopropyl palmitate and isostearate, butyl stearate, octyl stearate, and isocetyl stearate, myristate myristate to name just a few.
STEARIC ACID AND CETYL ALCOHOL:
Very common in skin care products. They create a sludging in the pore whereby the cells stick creating a whitehead, blackhead or pustule.
SODIUM LAUREL SULFATE:
Found in skin care products and hair products. It is a detergent and stripper. It leaves a film on the skin and penetrates into the pore, clogging and creating whiteheads and blackheads.
D & C PIGMENTS:
Some of the approved D & C red dyes which are derived from coal tars are known to be comedogenic. Certain of these red pigments such as D&C Red #9 and D&C Red #40 have been tested for comedogenicity and found to be the more troublesome of the various red pigments.
Are your cosmetics really oil free?
Many cosmetics and toiletry products make claims of being “oil free” and in the classic legal sense that is true. This “oil free” claim is very misleading in that the oil substitutes are synthetic and are often more harmful than the excess sebum found in the skin that can block up the pores. To be sure a product is “oil free”, put a pea size drop on a piece of typing paper and leave for an hour to overnight. If a ring forms around the drop it is not oil free.
Which type of cosmetics are most offensive to the skin?
Generally speaking, foundations, makeup, pressed powders, thick creams, and blusher tend to cause problems.
Check the ingredient list on your cosmetics since acne causing ingredients are not limited to these classes of cosmetics. Comedogenic ingredients can even be found in suntan lotions and creams.
Moisturizers can also be a source of acne producing substances. In order to make these moisturizing products smooth onto the skin easily they are often manufactured with ingredients such as acetylated lanolin, stearic acid and cetyl alcohol that are considered to be comedogenic.
Acne can be extremely troublesome from both a physiological as well as psychological standpoint. Our aestheticians have been trained to analyze your skin, and counsel you on the proper home care program. Whether you have active acne, cosmetic acne, or simply want to avoid the problem and wish to keep your skin clear and healthy, our trained staff can help you. Feel free to e-mail us with your questions on how to achieve a healthier, youthful appearance.
A wide range of proven, "non-comedogenic", skin care products are available to you from Total Skin Care Clinic, even custom formulated foundations to match your color and texture.
Feel free to email questions about ingredients or your specific skin problems
List of Cosmetic Irritants:
Scale of Comedogenic & Irritant Potential of Cosmetic Ingredients
(0 = Least; 5 = Most)
| Ingredients Grade (0-5) |
Comedogenic |
LANOLINS |
|
PEG 16 Lanolin
Acetylated Lanolin
Ethoxylated
Anhydrous Lanolin
Lanolin Alcohol
Lanolin Oil |
4
4
3
2
2
1 |
ACIDS, ESTERS, & ETHERS |
|
Stearic acid
Isopropyl Myristate
Myristyl Myristate
Myristyl Lactate
Isopropyl Isostearate
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Butyl stearate
Decyl Oleate
Isodecyl Oleate
2- Ethyl Hexyl Plamitate
PPG2 Myristyl Propionate
Diocetyl Succinate
Glycerin 3 disotearate
Ascorbyl palmitate
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 400
PEG 75 lanolin
PEG 5 Soya Sterol
PEG 8 Stearate
PEG 100 Stearate
PEG 100 Distearate
PEG 150 Distearate
PEG 200 Distearate
Disodium Monoleamido PEG 2-sulfosuccinate
Laureth 4
Laureth 23
Steareth 2
Steareth 10
Steareth 20
Steareth 100 |
4
5
5
4
5
3
4
3
3
4
4
4
3
4
2
1
3
3
3
1
2
2
3
4
5
3
2
4
2
0 |
ALCOHOLS, GLYCOLS, SUGARS
|
|
SD Alcohol 40
Isopropyl Alcohol
Cetyl Alcohol
Oleyl Alcohol
Hexadecyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol + Cetearth 20
Propylene Glycol
Hexylene Glycol
PG Dipelargonate
PG Monostearate
Sorbitan sesquinoleate
Glycerin
Glyceryl Stearate NSE
Glyceryl Stearate SE |
0
0
3
4
5
4
0
2
2
3
3
0
1
3 |
WAXES |
|
Candelilla Wax
Carnauba Wax
Beeswax
Lanolin Wax
Jojoba Oil
Sulfated Jojoba Oil |
1
1
2*
1
0
3 |
THICKENERS |
|
Carboxymethylcellulose
Carboxypropylcellulose
Carbomer 940 |
1
1
0 |
NATURAL OILS* |
|
Cocoa Butter
Coconut Butter
Crisco
Sesame Oil
Corn Oil
Avocado Oil
Mink Oil
Soybean Oil
Wheat Germ Glyceride
Sulfated Castor Oil
Cotton Seed Oil
Peanut Oil
Olive Oil
Sandalwood Sees Oil
Almond Oil
Apricot Kernal Oil
Castor Oil
Saflower Oil
Squalane
Sunflower Oil
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Evening Primrose Oil
Shark Liver Oil
Babassu Oil |
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
3
3
3
1 |
PIGMENTS |
|
D & C Red #3
D & C Red #4
D & C Red #6
D & C Red #7
D & C Red #9
D & C Red #17
D & C Red #19
D & C Red #21
D & C Red #27
D & C Red #30
D & C Red #33
D & C Red #36
D & C Red #40 |
3
2
1
1
1
3
2
2
2
3
1
3
2 |
DETERGENTS & SURFACTANTS |
|
Sodium Laurel Sulfate
Polysorbate 20
Simethicone
Dimethicone |
4
0
1
1 |
VITAMINS & HERBS |
|
Tocopherol*
Tocopherol Acetate |
3
0 |
|
|
|