Ingredient decoder

Corn oil: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Zea Mays (Corn) Oil

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic3 / 5
  • Irritancy0 / 5

What it does

Plant oil that softens skin and may clog pores.

  • Emulsifying
  • Hair conditioning
  • Masking
  • Perfuming
  • Skin conditioning

Corn oil in plain English

Corn oil is a plant oil used to soften and condition skin. It rates moderate to high on older comedogenic lists. Keep in mind these ratings come from old rabbit-ear tests of the raw ingredient, which can overstate the risk of a small amount in a finished product.

Is corn oil bad for acne?

It can be. Corn oil has a moderate clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 3 out of 5 for clogging pores and 0 out of 5 for irritation. That test used the raw ingredient, so a small amount in a finished product may behave differently. If you break out easily, check where it sits on the ingredient list: the higher it appears, the more of it the product usually contains.

Why it is flagged: Rates moderate to high on older lists.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
  • Zea mays oil
  • Zea mays germ oil
  • Corn germ oil
  • Zea mays (corn) germ oil

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Frequently asked questions

Is corn oil comedogenic?

Corn oil scored 3 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a moderate rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does corn oil do in skincare?

In short: plant oil that softens skin and may clog pores. In formulas it is used for emulsifying, hair conditioning, masking, perfuming and skin conditioning.

What else is corn oil called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, corn oil can also appear as Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Zea mays oil, Zea mays germ oil, Corn germ oil or Zea mays (corn) germ oil.

Sources