Ingredient decoder

Wheat germ glycerides: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Wheat Germ Glycerides

Acne verdict Moderate clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic3 / 5
  • Irritancy2 / 5

What it does

Wheat germ oil derivative that softens skin and may clog pores.

  • Emollient
  • Refatting
  • Skin conditioning

Wheat germ glycerides in plain English

Wheat germ glycerides are an emollient made from wheat germ oil, used to soften skin. They are flagged because wheat germ oil rates high on classic 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 wheat germ glycerides bad for acne?

It can be. Wheat germ glycerides 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: Derived from wheat germ oil, which rates high.

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

Also called

  • Wheat Germ Glycerides
  • Triticum vulgare germ glycerides

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Frequently asked questions

Is wheat germ glycerides comedogenic?

Wheat germ glycerides 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 wheat germ glycerides do in skincare?

In short: wheat germ oil derivative that softens skin and may clog pores. In formulas it is used for emollient, refatting and skin conditioning.

What else is wheat germ glycerides called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, wheat germ glycerides can also appear as Triticum vulgare germ glycerides.

Sources