Ingredient decoder

Wakame extract: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Undaria Pinnatifida Extract

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • ComedogenicNo published rating
  • IrritancyNo published rating

What it does

Brown seaweed extract that hydrates and may clog pores.

  • Skin conditioning
  • Skin protecting

Wakame extract in plain English

Wakame extract comes from a brown seaweed and is used to hydrate and condition skin. Algae as a group rate high on classic comedogenic lists, based on old rabbit-ear tests of raw extracts. This species has little data of its own, and the small amounts in skincare may behave differently.

Is wakame extract bad for acne?

It can be. Wakame extract has a moderate clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. It has no score of its own in Fulton's 1989 table and is flagged on classic comedogenic lists, often because of its chemical family. 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: A brown seaweed extract. Algae as a group rate high, though this one has less data.

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

Also called

  • Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
  • Undaria pinnatifida
  • Wakame

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Frequently asked questions

Is wakame extract comedogenic?

Wakame extract has no score of its own in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear table, but it is flagged as a pore-clogger on classic comedogenic lists. A brown seaweed extract. Algae as a group rate high, though this one has less data.

What does wakame extract do in skincare?

In short: brown seaweed extract that hydrates and may clog pores. In formulas it is used for skin conditioning and skin protecting.

What else is wakame extract called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, wakame extract can also appear as Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Undaria pinnatifida or Wakame.

Sources