Limonene
Fragrance allergen · INCI: Limonene
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Limonene comedogenic?
No. Limonene 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
Limonene is the main scent compound in citrus peel oil, and it reaches a formula through orange, lemon or other citrus oils or as part of a perfume blend. It is a thin, volatile liquid, not a fat or a wax. We read it as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
Fragrance ingredients are often blamed for breakouts, and what they are known for is irritation and allergy. We keep those apart from pore-clogging, so a citrus scent compound at the end of a label does not change a product's reading here.
Where it shows up
Citrus-scented cleansers, body washes, shampoos, hand soaps and deodorants often list it, as do many face products made with orange, lemon or bergamot oil.
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: What acne actually is.