Polysorbate 40
Emulsifier · INCI: Polysorbate 40
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Polysorbate 40 comedogenic?
No. Polysorbate 40 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 40 is the same family of nonionic emulsifier as Polysorbate 20 and 60, differing only in which fatty acid it carries. It is water-dispersible and there to stabilize an emulsion, not to condition skin, and our references do not flag it.
The nuance
The polysorbates get grouped with the fatty acids in their names, which is where the clogging reputation comes from. We read the whole family the same way.
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.