Comédogénicité potentielle des huiles végétales.

Are vegetable oils comedogenic?

Rich in vitamins and fatty acids, vegetable oils support skin health. However, they are sometimes blamed for blocking pores and causing spots and blackheads. What is the evidence? Does this apply to all vegetable oils and every skin type? Here is what to know about the potential comedogenic effect of vegetable oils in skincare.

Comedogenicity of vegetable oils: what does it mean?

A comedogenic vegetable oil is prone to causing comedones.

This is an important factor to check before using a vegetable oil, especially on combination or oily skin. These so-called comedogenic oils have an oily texture and can form a semi-occlusive film on the skin’s surface. While this film helps prevent transepidermal water loss, it can impede normal sebum release by blocking the skin’s pores, which leads to the appearance of blackheads or whiteheads. Not all vegetable oils are equal in terms of comedogenicity. Several factors influence their pore-blocking potential, including:

  • Sensitivity to oxidation and freshness of vegetable oil.

    Some vegetable oils are more prone to oxidation than others. Oils rich in antioxidants and containing a majority of saturated fatty acids—meaning they have no double bonds liable to react with an oxidant—are more stable than oils low in antioxidants with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. However, when a vegetable oil oxidises, its organoleptic properties change : it becomes thicker and more comedogenic. Several factors can cause this oxidation, such as exposure to oxygen in air, light, heat, or interactions with the container.

  • The quality of plant oil.

    A vegetable oil obtained by cold-press extraction is often less comedogenic. This process requires no chemical treatment or exposure to high temperatures, which can degrade certain fatty acids and generate new compounds not necessarily beneficial for the skin.

  • Rate of plant oil penetration into the epidermis.

    A thick, fatty vegetable oil is poorly absorbed by skin, which may increase its occlusive nature. Conversely, the greater an oil’s affinity with skin, the higher its penetration. These oils are classed as dry and are mainly composed of omega-3s, such as alpha-linolenic acid, and omega-6s, such as linoleic acid. Fatty oils, by contrast, contain mainly omega-9s, such as oleic acid.

Every plant oil has a comedogenic index, determined by analysis of freshness, oxidation level and rate of skin penetration.

Comedogenicity of vegetable oils is traditionally measured on a scale of zero to five.

Combination and oily skin types should select vegetable oils with a low comedogenicity rating (0 to 2). Normal to dry skin types may use oils rated between 0 and 5. Contrary to common belief, skin prone to blemishes does not need to avoid vegetable oils: it simply needs to choose the most suitable ones. A comedogenic vegetable oil in a product does not necessarily cause blemishes. Its concentration, the formula’s delivery system, synergy with other ingredients, and the user’s skin type are key factors.

4 minutes to understand your skin. Our dermatological diagnostic guides you toward the ideal skincare for your specific needs. Simple, quick, personalized.

How can you determine if a vegetable oil is comedogenic?

Determining whether a vegetable oil is comedogenic based on texture can be difficult. If you are uncertain, we suggest referring to the table below, which lists the main vegetable oils used in skincare and their comedogenicity.

Index 0 (non-comedogenic)Index 1 (low comedogenicity)Comedogenic index 2 (low comedogenicity)Index 3 (moderately comedogenic)Index 4 (comedogenic)Index 5 (highly comedogenic)
Argan oilBaobab oilApricot kernel oilCottonseed oilCoconut oilWheat germ oil
Camellia oilDaucus carota sativa root oilPrunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oilRosehip oilFlaxseed oil
Hemp seed oilNigella sativa oilBorage oilSoybean oilPalm oil
Prickly pear seed oilGrape seed oilMacadamia oil
Jojoba oilPrune oilOlive (Olea europaea) oil
Hazelnut oilCastor oil
Sunflower seed oilSesamum indicum seed oil
Comedogenicity index of the main vegetable oils used in cosmetics.

Sources

Diagnostic

Understand your skin
and its complex needs.