Is Oleth-3 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 Oleth-3?

An ethoxylated oleyl alcohol used as an emulsifier that helps oil and water mix in lotions and cleansing products. Like laureth-4, it rates at the top of published lists.

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.