Tamanu Oil
Plant oil · INCI: Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Tamanu Oil comedogenic?
No. Tamanu Oil 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
Tamanu oil is a thick, dark green oil pressed from the seed kernels of the tamanu tree, used as a rich emollient, often in small amounts, in products aimed at blemishes and marks. Its scent is strong and earthy. Heavy as it feels, our reading is not pore-clogging.
The nuance
Some lists do flag tamanu oil, so our reading differs from what people may have seen elsewhere. It can also provoke a reaction on sensitive skin, and irritation is a different question from pore-clogging.
Where it shows up
Blemish balms, spot oils and scar-care blends, often diluted into lighter carrier oils, along with salves and after-sun products.
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.