Oh dear, let’s talk about comedogenicity – the pesky ability of some beauty products to turn our faces into a pimple party! Who needs that? Let’s make sure to pick out products that won’t clog up our pores and keep us looking fresh and flawless instead. Let’s keep those blackheads and pimples at bay and focus on products that will make us radiate with confidence.

COMEDOGENIC SCALE OF OILS AND BUTTERS

Name
Comedogenic Rating
Skin Type(s)
Composition
Abyssinian Seed Oil
0
Most Skin Types
High in Erucic Acid and Moderate in Oleic Acid
Acai Berry Oil
2
Dry, Mature, Irritated
High in Oleic Acid and Moderate in Linoleic Acid
Almond Oil, Sweet
2
Dry, Sensitive, Acne-Prone
High in Oleic Acid
Andiroba Seed Oil
2
Dry, Acne-Prone 
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Linoleic Acid
Apricot Kernel Oil
2
Combination, Dry
High in Oleic Acid
Argan Oil
0
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid
Avocado Oil
3
Dry, Acne-Prone
High in Oleic Acid
Babassu Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types
High in Lauric, Myristic and Oleic Acid
Baobob Seed Oil
2
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate Linoleic
Black Currant Seed Oil
0-1
Dry, Sensitive
High in Linoleic Acid + GLA and ALA
Blackberry Seed Oil
0-1
Oily
High in Linoleic, Moderate Linolenic Acid
Black Cumin Seed Oil
2
Combination
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate Oleic
Black Raspberry Seed Oil
1-2
Dry, Combination, Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate Linolenic
Blueberry Seed Oil
0-1
Most Skin Types, especially Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate Linolenic & Oleic
Borage Oil
2
Combination, Oily, Sensitive
High in Linoleic Acid and GLA
Brazil Nut Oil
2
Dry, Mature
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate Linoleic
Broccoli Seed Oil
1
Dry, Best for Night/Hair
High in Erucic Acid and Oleic Acid
Buriti Oil
2
Dry, Mature
High in Oleic Acid
Camellia Seed Oil
1
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic Acid
Carrot Seed Oil
3-4
Dry, Mature
High in Oleic Acid
Castor Oil
1
Most Skin Types, including Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Ricinoleic Acid
Cherry Kernel Oil
2
Most Skin Types, especially Dry/Irritated
High in Oleic and Linoleic Acid
Chia Seed Oil
3
Best for Body Use
High in Linolenic
Cloudberry Seed Oil
1
Oily, Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic and Linolenic Acid
Cocoa Butter
4
Ideal for Body/Eye Area, not for Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Oleic and Stearic Acid
Coconut Butter
4
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Oleic, Stearic and Palmitic Acid
Coconut Oil
4
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Lauric Acid
Coconut Oil, Fractionated
2-3
Most Skin Types
High in Caprylic and Capric Acid
Cottonseed Oil
3
Best for Hair or Body
High in Linoleic Acid
Cranberry Seed Oil
2
Dry, Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Oleic and Linolenic Acid
Cucumber Seed Oil
1
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Date Seed Oil
3
Dry
High in Oleic Acid
Elderberry Seed Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoelic and Linolenic Acid
Emu Oil
1
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Palmitic Acid
Evening Primrose Oil
2-3
Oily, Acne-Prone, Combination
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in GLA
Flax Seed Oil (Linseed)
4
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Alpha Linolenic Acid
Guava Seed Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Goji Berry Seed Oil
0-1
Oily
High in Linoleic Acid
Grapeseed Oil
1
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Hazelnut Oil
1
Most Skin Types, especially Sensitive, Acne-Prone
High in Oleic Acid
Hemp Seed Oil
0
Most Skin Types, including Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Linolenic Acid
Jojoba Oil
2
Most Skin Types, including Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Eicosenoic Acid
Karanja Oil
2
Dry, Hair Use
High in Oleic Acid
Kiwi Seed Oil
1
Dry, Flaky, Hair Use
High in Linolenic Acid
Kukui Nut Oil
2
Dry, Flaky, Hair Use
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Oleic and Linolenic Acid
Lanolin Oil
2
Very Dry
NA
Macadamia Nut Oil
2-3
Dry
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Palmitoleic Acid
Mango Butter
2
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Stearic Acid
Mango Seed Oil
2
Most Skin Types, particularly Dry
High in Oleic and Stearic Acid
Marula Oil
3-4
Very Dry, Sensitive
High in Oleic Acid
Meadowfoam Seed Oil
1
Oily, Acne-Prone, Sensitive
High in Eicosenoic Acid
Milk Thistle Seed Oil
1
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Mineral Oil
0
Most Skin Types
NA
Mink Oil
3
Dry
High in Oleic Acid
Moringa Oil
3-4
Dry, Combination
High in Oleic Acid
Mowrah Butter
na
Most Skin Types, especially Dry/Damaged
High in Oleic and Palmitic Acid
Neem Oil
1-2
Dry, Acne-Prone
High in Oleic Acid
Olive Oil
2
Dry, Acne-Prone
High in Oleic Acid
Papaya Seed Oil
2-3
Dry, Acne-Prone, Sensitive
High in Oleic Acid
Palm Oil
4
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Lauric Acid
Palm Oil, Red
4
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Palmitic Acid
Passionfruit (Maracuja) Seed Oil
1-2
Oily, Irritated, Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid
Peach Kernel Oil
2
Dry, Sensitive
High in Oleic Acid
Peanut Oil
2
Most Skin Types
High in Oleic and Palmitic Acid
Pecan Oil
2
Dry, Combination
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Linoleic Acid
Perilla Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types, especially Dry
High in ALA
Pistachio Oil
na
Most Skin Types, especially Dry/Damaged
High in Oleic and Palmitic Acid
Plum Kernel Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types, especially Mature
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Linoleic Acid
Pomegranate Seed Oil
1
Most Skin Types, especially Mature
High in Punicic Acid
Prickly Pear Seed Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types, especially Oily/Combination
High in Linoleic Acid
Pumpkin Seed Oil
2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Oleic Acid
Red Raspberry Seed Oil
0-1
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Linolenic Acid
Rice Bran Oil
2
Most Skin Types, especially Mature/Combination
High in Oleic and Linoleic Acid
Rosehip Seed Oil
1
Oily, Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Linolenic Acid
Safflower Oil (High Linoliec)
0
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Sal Seed Butter
 
Dry
High in Stearic and Oleic Acid
Sea Buckthorn Oil
1
Most Skin Types, especially Mature/Dry
High in Palmitic, Palmitoleic and Oleic Acid
Sesame Seed Oil
3
Dry, Irritated
High in Linoleic and Oleic Acid
Shea Butter
0-2
Normal, Dry
High in Oleic and Stearic Acid
Shea Oil
0-2
Very Dry
High in Oleic Acid, Moderate in Stearic Acid
Soybean Oil
4-5
Very Dry, Best for Body Use
High in Linoleic Acid
Squalane Oil
0-1
Most Skin Types
High in Omega-2
Strawberry Seed Oil
1
Most Skin Types, especially Oily/Acne-Prone
High in Linoleic and Linolenic Acid
Sunflower Seed Oil
0-2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid
Tallow
2
Dry
High in Oleic Acid
Tamanu Oil
2
Most Skin Types, especially Scarred/Sensitive
High in Oleic and Linoleic Acid
Tomato Seed Oil
0-2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Oleic Acid
Walnut Seed Oil
1-2
Most Skin Types
High in Linoleic Acid, Moderate in Oleic Acid
Watermelon Seed OIl
0-1
Most Skin Types, especially Oily/Acne-Prone/Sensitive
High in Linoleic Acid
Wheat Germ Oil
5
Very Dry/Damaged, Spot Treatment
High in Linolenic Acid