Pores are tiny, but very important openings in your skin. They help keep your skin, and honestly, your whole body, working the way it should. When pores get clogged, your skin tends to react in a not-so-pleasant way.
Why do we have pores
Your pores help your skin take in water and other fluids, and they are also one of the ways your body gets rid of sweat, sebum (skin oil), and dead skin cells.
The water your skin takes in through these openings supports healthy cell function, so your skin can look fresh and stay in good condition. It also helps keep a healthy balance between oil and moisture, which can reduce the chance of your skin overproducing sebum.
Pores also play a role in cooling the skin, helping your body maintain a comfortable temperature.
Because when your body overheats, your skin suffers. In the best-case scenario, high body temperature leads to excessive sweating and skin dehydration. And then, classic vicious circle, too much sweat can contribute to clogged pores, which often turns into breakouts. In the worst scenario, overheated skin can react with irritation, itching, and in extreme cases, even heatstroke.
And yes, pores also allow a bit of oxygen absorption through the skin.
Oxygen matters for a healthy-looking complexion, but it is also involved in collagen production and helps your body deal with free radicals, which damage cells. That is why it plays a role in slowing down visible skin ageing.
Of course, oxygen absorbed through the skin is not anywhere near as significant as breathing, but it is still one of the pathways oxygen can enter your bloodstream.
If your pores keep clogging, the cause might be in your skincare ingredients
Whether your pores are more visible or less visible, they are important for your skin’s natural, healthy function. So it makes sense to pay attention if you suddenly start getting unexpected breakouts.
Breakouts can happen for lots of reasons, but most commonly, it is because pores are clogged.
And if you are confident you are cleansing properly, you are not going through a high-stress period, and nothing major has changed in your environment, it can help to check the ingredients in your skincare and makeup.
Genetics can play a role, as some people naturally produce more sebum. But very often, it is a sensitivity to certain ingredients in products. These are called comedogenic ingredients, meaning pore-clogging. What clogs pores for one woman might be totally fine for another. And unfortunately, it is possible to train your skin into becoming sensitive to pore-clogging ingredients over time.
“It’s the silicones and preservatives!”
This is the most common blame. It is partly true, but silicones definitely are not the number 1 cause of clogged pores. There are even silicones that are classified as non-comedogenic, meaning they do not clog pores or worsen the skin.
Silicones probably got their bad reputation because they can create a kind of sealed layer on the skin, so people assumed they must be clogging pores and stopping the skin from breathing.
In reality, silicones do not usually clog pores on their own. What matters is how you use them, which mainly means applying them to clean skin.
Silicones can help carry skincare ingredients and keep them sitting nicely on the skin, which can be a good thing. The less great part is that they can also press dirt and grime into the skin, exactly the kind of environment bacteria love. I probably do not need to remind you that silicones are best removed before bed, and also after sweating or working out.
If your skin is more breakout-prone, it can be sensible to avoid silicones like Dimethicone, Methicone and Cyclopentasiloxane.
In an INCI list (the ingredient list), silicones are often easy to spot by endings like -one and -xane.
Some natural ingredients can clog pores, too
Even innocent-sounding natural ingredients can earn a bad reputation. For example, it was not that long ago that coconut oil was heavily promoted in skincare, and for clog-prone skin, it can be an absolute disaster.
But coconut oil is not the only one. Cocoa butter and oils like marula, avocado, palm, or evening primrose are not always a great match for skin that clogs easily.
Not every skin reacts the same way. If clogged pores are your issue, it is worth checking your makeup too, because these natural oils and butters are often used in foundation and other makeup products.
Alcohols in skincare
Alcohol in cosmetics can be genuinely useful. It can dissolve ingredients, extend shelf life, help kill bacteria, and yes, some types, so-called fatty alcohols, can actually support hydration.
But there are also alcohols that are not a great fit for skin and can contribute to clogged pores.
A simple way to tell the “better” from the “worse” alcohols is to check the INCI list:
- Alcohols ending in “-yl” are generally fine (for example, Cetearyl alcohol).
- But if you see alcohols ending in “-ol” (for example, methanol), it is worth paying attention. How many there are, and how high they appear in the ingredient list.
Even though “-yl” alcohols are usually okay, for skin that clogs easily, there are a few “-yl” exceptions you may want to watch. These include Hexadecyl alcohol, Oleyl alcohol and Socetyl alcohol. This is not a hard rule, but it is worth noticing how your skin responds.
And even though fatty alcohols can be helpful, skin that needs truly non-clogging skincare may want to avoid Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, often rated as highly comedogenic.
What else?
The list of potentially pore-clogging ingredients is long. Along with the ones above, here are a few of the most common ones:
- Laureth-4
- Cetyl acetate
- Isopropyl isostearate
- Isocetyl stearate
- Lauric acid
- Stearic acid
- Lanolin
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
One important note at the end
Just because a product contains ingredients labelled as comedogenic does not automatically mean it will clog your pores. Sometimes the ingredient is present only in a small amount, often in the second half of the INCI list, and it is also mixed into a formula where it is diluted by the rest of the ingredients.
And that is usually the explanation for why a product marketed as non-comedogenic can still contain an ingredient that has a reputation for clogging pores and still claim it will not clog the skin.
Still, it is always worth keeping an eye on how your skin reacts.
