Ingredient
Palm Kernel Oil
Plant oil · INCI: Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil
Reviewed by Elysiana, licensed esthetician
How we read it
Known to clog pores. If you break out easily, this is the one to skip.
Is Palm Kernel Oil comedogenic?
Yes. Palm Kernel Oil is a known pore-clogging ingredient, and we read it as highly comedogenic. If you're acne-prone, it's worth avoiding, especially when it sits near the top of an ingredient list.
Why we read it this way
Palm kernel oil is very high in lauric acid, the same short saturated fat that makes coconut oil a problem for acne-prone skin. It appears consistently on the pore-clogging references we curate against, and we read it as one of the higher-risk plant oils to leave on the face.
It is not the same as palm oil, which is pressed from the fruit rather than the seed, though we flag both. Rinse-off and body use is a far smaller concern than a leave-on facial product.
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. Run the whole label and see everything in the product at once.