Polysorbate 20
Solubilizer / emulsifier · INCI: Polysorbate 20
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Polysorbate 20 comedogenic?
No. Polysorbate 20 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
Polysorbate 20 is a solubilizer, the ingredient that lets a small amount of oil or fragrance dissolve into a watery base. It is highly water-soluble and used at low levels, so it behaves nothing like the heavy esters and oils our references flag.
The nuance
It is the most common carrier for fragrance in a water-based product. If something containing it breaks you out, the fragrance it is carrying is the more likely explanation.
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.