Pore-clogging ingredients / Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth-20

Is Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth-20 comedogenic?

Yes. This ingredient clogs pores for many people.

Comedogenic rating

4/5

Highly comedogenic

Evidence confidence

moderate

Most published lists include this ingredient, with ratings that vary by about one point.

Also appears as

cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth-20, cetearyl alcohol ceteareth-20

What is Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth-20?

A pre-blended emulsifying wax pairing cetearyl alcohol with its ethoxylated surfactant. The combination self-emulsifies oil and water, which is why it's a workhorse base for lotions, creams, and hair conditioners; the pairing rates higher than cetearyl alcohol alone on published lists.

What to do if you're acne-prone

Skip it in leave-on products like moisturizers, sunscreens, and foundations if you're acne-prone. In rinse-off products the risk is lower but not zero.

Where this rating comes from

Our ratings consolidate two lineages: the original rabbit-ear comedogenicity assays published by James Fulton and colleagues (Fulton, Pay & Fulton, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1984; Fulton, Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, 1989), and the pore-clogger lists maintained by acne-specialist estheticians in the Face Reality lineage that refine those assays with decades of client observation. This ingredient appears across both lineages with ratings that vary by about one point; we show the consensus value.

Last reviewed 2026-08-15 by the PorePass editorial team.

Related pore-clogging ingredients

• Isopropyl Palmitate · 4/5
• Isocetyl Alcohol · 4/5
• Isodecyl Oleate · 4/5
• Isostearyl Isostearate · 4/5
• Myristyl Lactate · 4/5
• Cetyl Acetate · 4/5

Comedogenicity ratings come from published ingredient studies and esthetician-compiled lists. They are imperfect and formulation-dependent, and this page isn't medical advice. Reactions vary by skin, concentration, and the rest of the formula.