The Top 5 Products or Ingredients that Are Actually Comedogenic (Pore-Clogging) - The Answ

In this post I will be channeling my inner scientist. Yes, I have my lab coat, microscope, and loop ready to go. For a lot of us, when we started our healthy hair journey, what was the hair product that we are always told that causes clogged pores on our scalp?

Hair grease right? Good ole’ petroleum. But let me let you guys in on a secret, according to the list of comedogenic (pore clogging) ratings of products, mineral oil* and petrolatum had a rating of ‘O’. This means that mineral oil*, petroleum jelly*, etc. do not clog pores. Surprised?

Well you haven’t seen nothing yet, below we have listed 5 products or ingredients that can actually clog your scalp. So before we begin let me break down what comedogenic is. Comedogenic basically is a term for something that is pore clogging. This includes your skin and scalp pores.

There is a Comedogenic Rating chart that shows the ratings of various oils*, waxes, detergents, etc. This was created through the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology.

The rating goes from 0 being non-comedogenic to 5 being highly comedogenic. The ingredients below are some of the highest rated ingredients on the chart.

1. Coconut Oil*/ Comedogenic rating: 4 

GASP. Y’all when I saw this I almost died. I am a lover of coconut oil*. I use it on my strands and sometimes even my scalp to relieve itchiness. I mean, come on, for most of us coconut* oil is our holy grail.

It makes our hair shiny, moisturizes our strands internally like our number one love, water, and it prevents hydral fatigue. And on top of that, it is an anti-bacterial and antifungal. But did you know that it is 4 on the comedogenic chart? That means that it is at high risk of clogging your pores.

2. Algae Extracts/ Comedogenic rating: 5

Even though we may not use algae extract as a solitary ingredient, it can be found in many products. Most of us know it for being the main product in Aubrey’s Blue Green Algae Rescue Conditioning Mask.

Algae has been touted as an extract that is full of minerals and vitamins*. The minerals and vitamins* that this extract contains strengthens, smoothes, and add shine to our hair.

Algae is also known to have high amounts of amino acids that are always great for keeping our hair strands fortifies. However the comedogenic rating for algae extracts is the highest rating which is 5. This means that without a doubt, algae has major pore clogging properties.

3. Wheat Germ Oil/ Comedogenic rating: 5

Noo…! Not our precious wheat germ oil*. Yes, wheat germ oil* is on the ranks too. Known as one of the products that provides our hair with ceramides.

For those who are not familiar with ceramides, ceramides are lipids that are used to replenish lost lipids in the hair cuticle.

This is extremely important for ladies with chemically treated hair because it increases breakage resistance and replenish the internal lipids that were lost during the chemical processes.

But guess what? Wheat germ oil has a comedogenic rating of 5, this means that wheat germ oil is actually the most pore clogging oil on the list.

4. Cocoa Butter*/ Comedogenic rating: 4

Besides making our skin glow and ethereal, cocoa butter can give us made slip when detangling our hair. Cocoa butter* is used in many of hair hair products, especially in butters*, pomades, and clay conditioners.

It provides not only great detangling properties to our hair, but also, shine, softness and not to mention that creamy chocolate smell that is just oh so intoxicating. But in addition to all those things it is also one of the most comedogenic products around. The comedogenic rating of cocoa butter is 4.

5.  Sodium Chloride (Salt)/ Comedogenic rating: 5

I know what some of y’all may be saying, “SALT? Really?” That is not a hair product. But, for some of you guys that may not know, it may not be a hair product per say but it is a major ingredient in most of them. You can find salt in may conditioners and cleansers.

Many ladies actually add salt to their conditioners to increase moisturizing and hydrating properties. Some natural ladies also use salt to help with defining curls by making a sea salt spray or adding to deep conditioners.

Unfortunately, you might want to keep salt away from your scalp. According to the comedogenic rating, salt has a rating of 5. Yes, that small little granule can cause major pore clogging.

So to the big question, “Is it still okay for me to use these products?”

Yes! Just try to avoid the scalp as much as possible when using them. As far as cleansers go, avoid them if they have these ingredients high on their ingredient list.

However, if they are closer to the bottom then it is completely safe. Now, there may be a small portion of folks that may not have had adverse affects from using these items on their scalp. If this is true for you, then keep on doing what works.