But, I will say, there’s good reason the advice stuck around for so long. And that’s because not all oils are created equal: Some oil options out there certainly do contribute to clogged pores. It’s a concept we know in the beauty industry as “comedogenic and noncomedogenic.” And that’s why if you do have acne-prone skin, you should always look for noncomedogenic oils when adding them to your routine. “Spectrum” is an important word in that last sentence. This should be seen as a sliding scale with a whole lot of gray room (we explain some of the nuance in detail at the end of this article); labeling something as one or the other is not black and white. However, there are many oils that we generally consider safe for acne-prone individuals. Here, our faves: Additionally, it’s known to be pretty good at balancing acne-triggering bacteria on the skin. So it’s reducing your chances of breakouts in two ways. This is thanks to the high levels of iodine: “A benefit of jojoba, which usually gets missed is that it is a natural repellent for microbes and helps prevent any bacterial growth on the skin,” says Lucy Xu, a London-based skin care specialist. “This means if applied onto the skin, it will protect against developing skin conditions such as acne.” Additionally, it has many brightening properties—which is great for acne-prone folks as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is a common problem among this set. So not only will the oil keep you from breaking out in the future, but it can help heal some of the residue of breakouts past. This is due to the high content of vitamin C and vitamin A via carotenoids. Now that we have that covered, let’s talk skin: The oil has pretty significant anti-inflammatory properties and thus can help calm acne (an inflammatory skin condition by nature). The oil is also high in linoleic acid1, which is good for acne sufferers. Additionally, it’s a fairly light and fast-absorbing oil. But remember, as an essential oil, this always needs to be mixed with a carrier oil as it will be irritating for the skin if applied directly. We recommend using jojoba oil, as that’s noncomedogenic too. Or you can find it formulated into a plethora of products, such as face washes, which do the blending for you. Derms note that not only is it noncomedogenic, but there’s also data suggesting that it can balance acne-causing bacteria. “It has some antibacterial activity against P. acnes3, the bacteria associated with acne, so it is a safe moisturizing oil to use on acneic skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare. To understand how we got here, it’s important to understand this history of the concept. The comedogenic scale (ranking from 0 to 5) was first established in the ’70s by dermatologist Albert Kligman, M.D., who actually helped pioneer Retin-A. In it, the researchers used the rabbit ear model5. This is enough to give pause for a few reasons, says cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline. The first is that rabbit ears are far more sensitive than human skin, and thus what might trigger acne on the animal might be just fine for human use. The second reason is that no modern literature has been done to confirm this test’s efficacy of use. Finally, it’s always worth noting that everyone is unique. We can make informed guesses about what might work for a certain skin type, but ultimately we can never fully know how skin is going to react to something. “Even if two people are predisposed to acne, what is noncomedogenic to one person might be so for another,” says board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D. One of the main factors is skin sensitivity. Those with easily irritable and acne-prone skin might be triggered by more products than those with just oily skin. But there’s a whole breadth of other issues, including how easily your pores clog, pore size, and how quickly your skin self-exfoliates.
