Glyceryl Stearate SE
Self-emulsifying emulsifier · INCI: Glyceryl Stearate SE
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Clogs pores for some people. Fine for many, worth watching if you're mid-breakout.
Is Glyceryl Stearate SE comedogenic?
Sometimes. Glyceryl Stearate SE is potentially pore-clogging, so we read it as one to use with caution. Plenty of people use it without trouble; if you're actively treating acne, it's worth watching.
Why we read it this way
Glyceryl stearate SE is glyceryl stearate with a small amount of soap added, which lets it bind oil and water into a cream without help from a second emulsifier. We read this self-emulsifying grade as Use with caution.
The nuance
The letters SE are the whole distinction. Plain glyceryl stearate has no added soap, and we read it as not pore-clogging. One on a label says nothing about the other, and as an emulsifier either is a small share of the formula.
Where it shows up
Glyceryl stearate SE is a workhorse of creams and lotions, found in face moisturizers, body butters, sunscreens, cream cleansers and hand creams.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, the pore-clogging ingredients list has the rest of what we flag, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.