Ingredient decoder

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

INCI name: Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Oil

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic3 / 5
  • Irritancy2 / 5

What it does

Plant oil that softens skin and may clog pores.

  • Skin conditioning

Cottonseed oil in plain English

Cottonseed oil is a plant oil used as an emollient in creams and soaps. 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 cottonseed oil bad for acne?

It can be. Cottonseed 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 2 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

  • Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Oil
  • Cotton seed oil
  • Gossypium herbaceum seed oil

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Frequently asked questions

Is cottonseed oil comedogenic?

Cottonseed 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 cottonseed oil do in skincare?

In short: plant oil that softens skin and may clog pores. In formulas it is used for skin conditioning.

What else is cottonseed oil called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, cottonseed oil can also appear as Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Oil, Cotton seed oil or Gossypium herbaceum seed oil.

Sources