Are Online Pore-clogging Ingredients Checker Accurate?
What you'll learn: Whether you can rely on automated pore-clogging ingredient-checking tools, and how to tell which ones are accurate
3-minute read
Do you use online pore-clogging ingredient checkers to see if your products are acne-safe? If you're still breaking out despite using "approved" products, this blog is a must-read.
There's a trend happening. Everyone is using online pore-clogging ingredient checking tools to see if their products are acne-safe, and many are wondering why they're still breaking out, even when all of their products are “approved.”
After scouring product ingredients manually for years (my brain is an automatic pore-clogging ingredient radar!), I've learned how complicated pore-clogging ingredients are.
Here's how you can make sure you can trust yours:
Why This Matters to You:
Different Standards: Every company has its own list and opinion of pore-clogging ingredients, and this inconsistency can lead to misinterpretations by these automated, online tools. Make sure you choose to use an ingredient checking tool from a company with a proven track record (lots of great before and after photos - proof)!
Label Mismatch: Sometimes, the ingredients listed online don't match what's in the actual product. Always check the ingredients on the bottle itself. One of my clients recently learned this the hard way with a new product that passed the online test, but caused a bad breakout. The ingredients on her bottle were different from those online.
Hidden Irritants: Ingredients that aren't technically pore-clogging can still cause breakouts by irritating your pores and causing an inflammatory reaction. Common culprits include lauroyl lysine, bismuth oxychloride, talc, dimethicone, and some natural oils.
My Proven Method:
Clear Your Skin First: Use products with a proven track record to clear your skin before trying anything new. Don't try to clear your skin by running products through an online pore clogging ingredient checker - that will most likely not work.
Introduce New Products Slowly: Once your skin is clear, introduce new products, one at a time.
Monitor Closely: If your skin skin starts to break out, you'll be able to easily trace the breakout to the new product, which you'll want to stop using immediately.
Pro Tip: Even if a product looks great on paper, trust your skin's reaction above all else, and always start from a clean slate.
