Laureth-7
Emulsifier / solubilizer · INCI: Laureth-7
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Laureth-7 comedogenic?
No. Laureth-7 isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Laureth-7 is a nonionic surfactant made from lauryl alcohol and a mid-length water-loving chain. On a label it usually sits beside polyacrylamide and C13-14 isoparaffin, a ready-made thickening blend that gives gel creams their cushiony texture. We read it as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
The number matters in this family. We read laureth-4 and laureth-23 with caution, and laureth-7 is a separate call. It is also a different ingredient from sodium laureth sulfate, the foaming agent in many cleansers, despite the shared name.
Where it shows up
Gel creams, lightweight moisturizers, serums, eye gels and after-sun gels carry it as part of their thickener, low on the label.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.