Pore-clogging ingredients / Ethylhexyl Stearate
Is Ethylhexyl Stearate comedogenic?
Yes. This is one of the most pore-clogging ingredients on record.
- Comedogenic rating
- 5/5
- Severely comedogenic
- Evidence confidence
- moderate
- Most published lists include this ingredient, with ratings that vary by about one point.
- Also appears as
- octyl stearate
What is Ethylhexyl Stearate?
Also labeled octyl stearate, a stearic-acid ester used to add glide and a soft after-feel. It shows up in creams, sunscreens, and makeup.
What to do if you're acne-prone
Avoid it in any product if you're acne-prone, including rinse-off products and haircare that touches your face. At this rating, concentration rarely saves a formula.
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.
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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.