Is Laureth-4 comedogenic?

Yes. This is one of the most pore-clogging ingredients on record.

Comedogenic rating: 5/5; Severely comedogenic
Evidence confidence: high; Published lists agree on this rating.
Also appears as: No common label aliases

What is Laureth-4?

An ethoxylated lauryl alcohol used as an emulsifier and mild cleansing agent. It appears in hair styling products, cleansers, and creams, and sits at the top of nearly every published comedogenicity list.

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. Both source lineages agree on this ingredient's rating.

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

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Related pore-clogging ingredients

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.