Steareth-20
Emulsifier / solubilizer · INCI: Steareth-20
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Steareth-20 comedogenic?
No. Steareth-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
Steareth-20 is the water-friendly half of a common emulsifier pair, stearyl alcohol carrying a long water-loving chain. It keeps the oil droplets in a lotion evenly suspended, often alongside steareth-2. We read it as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
Other sources flag several of the steareths, and the stearyl alcohol it starts from adds to the suspicion. We do not flag stearyl alcohol either. With a chain this long, steareth-20 dissolves in water and behaves like a surfactant, not a fat.
Where it shows up
Light lotions and facial moisturizers, eye creams, sunscreen lotions, and hair conditioners or styling creams are its usual homes.
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 causes acne.