Do you know how in commercials they show you how face washes work?
The solution removes the dirt, dead cells, and impurities from your pores, the water washes it off and your skin is left clean.
Non-Comedogenic Face Wash Products
What if I told you that not all face wash products work the same?
They have the same purpose, to clean your skin, but they can also clog your pores.
These cleaning products are divided into two categories: comedogenic and non-comedogenic face wash products.
A comedogenic face wash contains ingredients that clog pores, while a non-comedogenic face wash does not. These ingredients can irritate the skin or make it secrete excess sebum.
Avoiding such ingredients can help you keep your skin clean, with no surprise breakouts, blackheads, or whiteheads. If you’re having problems with whiteheads, you may want to take a look at whiteheads on chin removal.
Going for a non-comedogenic face wash can be a really beneficial option for your skin.
Benefits of using a non-comedogenic face wash
Does not clog your pores and lets your skin breathe
This is the main reasons you go for a non-comedogenic face wash. You want a skin cleaning product that does not clog pores and lets your skin breathe, while still doing its job.
Non-comedogenic products, including the non-comedogenic face wash, is made using ingredients that do not negatively interfere with your skin.
You can imagine things like this. Comedogenic ingredients do their job, but they don’t really care about your skin’s needs.
They may eliminate the dirt and impurities, but they may also take away the essential nutrients your skin needs. This can lead to excess sebum, as the skin secretes it to protect itself.
Non-comedogenic ingredients work together with your skin. They clean it and do not strip it down of its essential nutrients.
These products are usually marked as non-comedogenic, but to be completely sure of what you’re buying, here’s an extra tip. Always check the ingredients list and make sure it does not contain any comedogenic ingredients. I’ll tell you more about these ingredients a bit later.
Is really helpful for oily and acne-prone skin
When dealing with oily skin and being prone to breakouts and acne, clogged pores are the last thing you may want to experience after using a face wash product.
Clogged pores are one of the factors that lead to pimples and breakouts.
Plus, if you already have oily skin, you’re probably looking for products that can eliminate the excess sebum, not cause more secretions.
A non-comedogenic face wash is a product that can work really well with oily and acne-prone skin.
Because it helps you maintain a normal healthy level of sebum on your skin, it does not create a more favorable terrain for additional acne and pimples.
When dealing with such skin problems, visiting a dermatologist may be something you want to do. Doing a little research on your own can be very useful, but a specialist may be able to prescribe you a more suitable treatment.
Removes impurities, excess sebum, and bacteria
At the end of the day, you want a product that does a great job at cleaning your skin face. This means removing all impurities, bacteria, and the excess sebum.
Non-comedogenic face wash products help you keep your face clean and fresh.
Depending on the company you’re buying from, you can find products made with different scents (look for natural ones) or that are unscented.
What’s more, some face wash products are made using ingredients that are antifungal and anti-bacterial.
Take the antifungal face wash as an example. This product is created using components that eliminate bacteria and fungi and may prevent them from coming back.
You should be able to find different non-comedogenic face wash products on the market suitable for your needs.
Everything you need to know about the comedogenic and non-comedogenic attributes
What do comedogenic and non-comedogenic mean?
The simple definitions for these two terms go like this.
Comedogenic stands for products and ingredients that can clog pores. Non-comedogenic refers to ingredients and products that do not clog pores and let your skin breathe.
For a better understanding, learning about the word itself can be really useful.
The comedo is a type of pimple which can appear on the skin. It forms as a result of clogged pores.
You’re probably wondering how many types of pimples there are. The whitehead is another type of pimple. The difference between this one and a simple comedo is that the top of a whitehead (at the skin surface) is closed.
Blackheads have their top from the skin surface open. This leads to the oxidation of the top and it becomes black. What’s inside is in fact white.
Comedogenic ratings tell you how much products can affect you
Before going into any further detail about comedogenic and non-comedogenic ingredients, it’s essential you understand the comedogenic ratings of products and ingredients.
Comedogenic ratings tell you how much a product or an ingredient can affect your skin and clog your pores. They go from 0 to 5, with 0 being a non-comedogenic indicator and 5 being a clear sign of a comedogenic item.
A product which has a comedogenic rating of 0 is considered to be non-comedogenic. Such a product will not clog your pores.
The 1 rating in the comedogenic chart indicates a low probability of your pores getting clogged, while the rating of 2 shows a moderately low chance of this happening.
A comedogenic rating of 3 means there is a moderate chance of the product to clog your pores (fifty-fifty chances).
The comedogenic rating 4 represents an increased risk of your skin getting blocked, and the rating of 5 is the highest chances, almost sure this will happen.
The ratings from 0 to 2, or even 3, may represent rather safe and OK products. Products with a rating of 4 and 5 present increase chances of clogging your pores.
Comedogenic ingredients you want to avoid
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is used in different cleansers and face wash products as an active ingredient. It plays an important role in removing dirt and impurities.
This ingredient can be really harsh. If you have an acne prone-skin or you are already dealing with acne, it can lead to more dry skin, red spots, and inflammation.
If you have sensitive skin, you should also stay away from products that contain salicylic acid because it may cause skin irritations.
Non-comedogenic face wash products use other ingredients as active ingredients. They remove dead cells and other impurities, without clogging skin pores.
Alcohol
Alcohol is another common ingredient used in face washes, cleansers, and toners.
Its role is to remove the excess sebum from your skin. The problem starts when it removes too much sebum, even the one that your skin needs.
Excess sebum is not beneficial. The same goes with absolutely no sebum. Your skin is left naked and feels the need to produce more sebum to protect itself. This leads to excessive sebum secretions and very oily skin.
Because there are different types of alcohol used in face wash products, their comedogenic ratings differ. Look up the exact ingredient and see what rating it has.
Alcohol is not beneficial in other products as well. Take the shampoo and conditioner without alcohol and sulfates as an example. Although there are types of alcohol that do not harm your hair, there are others which can make it really dry and give you an itchy scalp.
Fragrances
Fragrances are added to face wash products because they can cover the smell of some chemicals and give products a nice scent.
Fragrances are a mix of chemicals which differ from one product to another. What you will most likely find in common, though, is that almost all products list them as fragrance or perfume on the ingredients list.
Companies are not obliged to disclose the exact chemicals that are used to create those scents. It’s difficult to guess what it’s been used in these products.
This brings up the following problem. You can’t find the comedogenic rating of these ingredients, therefore, you can’t determine what exactly is clogging your pores (if the case).
You could be dealing with 2 chemicals or a little over 10.
What’s more, fragrances are known for being endocrine disruptors. They have the ability to mimic human hormones, leading to mixed signals sent to the body and internal disbalances.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a common ingredient used in the beauty industry. It’s used in creams, lotions, moisturizers, masks.
This oil has a comedogenic rating of 4, meaning it poses a high risk for clogged pores.
Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids. They are the reason why this is a comedogenic product.
Shea butter
Shea butter is rich in oleic fatty acids and stearic acid. Oleic fatty acids clog pores and do not let your skin breathe.
Shea butter has a comedogenic rating of around 2. This means that it may not make people breakout, but it can pose some kind of risk because of its oleic fatty acids.
Non-comedogenic ingredients that are safe for your skin
Sweet almond oil
Sweet almond oil has a comedogenic rating of 2, just like shea butter.
What’s different about this oil is that its nutrients remove excess sebum, along with impurities, dead cells, and bacteria. Basically, it removes all the factors that contribute to clogged pores and breakouts.
It’s also used to lighten the skin tone and it can be used for improving your dark circles area and your overall face complexion.
If you’re not sure of how it will react on your skin, you should apply it in small amounts and see how it reacts. The same goes for any ingredient or product with a low-medium comedogenic rating.
Argan oil
Argan oil has a comedogenic rating of 0, meaning it’s considered a non-comedogenic product.
It’s an excellent oil for improving skin tissue and healing acne scars, stretch marks, and dry skin, as it is rich in vitamin E.
Its nutrients help it balance your sebum levels, decreasing the chances of clogged pores and breakouts.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is an ingredient used in face wash products, cleansers, and toners.
It has a comedogenic rating of 0 and does an amazing job of healing sunburns, acne, even psoriasis, and eczema.
Aloe vera contains Auxin and Gibberellins, two hormones that have anti-inflammatory properties. They reduce skin inflammations and stimulate new cells to develop and grow.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is another type of oil with a comedogenic rating of 0.
It has components that are antioxidants (vitamin E) and they help the skin stay healthy and beautiful. Besides this, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
How to make your own non-comedogenic face wash
To have a non-comedogenic face wash in your home, there are two things you can do. You can buy one or you can make one using a few ingredients.
Making your own products can be a wonderful hobby and it may help you save some money. You are sure that the product is exactly what you expected it to be; in this case, a non-comedogenic face wash.
All you will need is:
- 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel
- 2 tablespoons of sweet almond oil
- 2 tablespoons of rosewater
- 1 tablespoon of soapwort extract
- 10 drops of essential lavender oil
- 1 capsule of vitamin E oil
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you obtain a homogeneous liquid.
After this, place the mixture in a container that’s easy to use.
When you want to use it, wet your skin face a little. Apply the non-comedogenic face wash, massage gently for a few seconds, and then just rinse with lukewarm or warm water.
You may see that the composition starts to separate. It’s a normal thing to happen as the product contains a few oils. Just give it a nice shake before you use it.
Another tip you may want to take into account is related to the type of oils you’re using. Going for organic oils may increase your chances of using a high-quality product.
Just make sure you check that the product is certified as organic.
If you’re interested in how to make your own non-comedogenic face wash, you may also want to take a look at laundry detergent without fillers.