Ingredient decoder

Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic4 / 5
  • Irritancy0 / 5

What it does

Emulsifier that helps hold water-in-oil creams together.

  • Emulsifying

Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate in plain English

Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate is an emulsifier often used in rich water-in-oil creams and makeup. It rates fairly high on some older comedogenic lists. Its rating comes from old rabbit-ear tests of the raw ingredient, which can overstate what happens with a finished product on human skin.

Is polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate bad for acne?

It can be. Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate has a moderate clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 4 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: An emulsifier that rates fairly high on some older lists.

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

Also called

  • Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

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Frequently asked questions

Is polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate comedogenic?

Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate scored 4 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a high rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate do in skincare?

In short: emulsifier that helps hold water-in-oil creams together. In formulas it is used for emulsifying.

How can I check if a product with polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate is acne-safe?

Paste the product's full ingredient list into the free breakoutLabs acne-safe checker. It decodes every ingredient, flags commonly cited pore-cloggers and irritants, and points out acne fighters.

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