So what exactly makes an ingredient comedogenic? The short answer: we don’t fully know. “Comedogenicity isn’t completely understood,” says Yadav. “In some cases, ingredients might interact poorly with sebum, making it thicker, while other ingredients are simply too dense for oil to pass through.” At this point, pore-clogging ingredients are usually occlusive, adds board-certified dermatologist Dr. Melanie Palm. They sit on the skin’s surface, forming a seal that ends up trapping oil—especially for those with already oily skin. Palm also notes that some pore-clogging ingredients add more oil to the skin, causing cells to stick together more tightly instead of shedding normally from the pore lining.
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