Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant (vitamin E) · INCI: Tocopheryl Acetate
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Tocopheryl Acetate comedogenic?
No. Tocopheryl Acetate 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
Tocopheryl acetate is vitamin E bonded to acetic acid, a form that holds up better against air and light than plain tocopherol. Formulators use it as a skin conditioner and a stable source of vitamin E. Like the vitamin it comes from, we read the acetate as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
It is easy to mix up with tocopherol, the plain vitamin E it is made from, and we read both the same way. A small number of people react to it, which is a separate question from whether it clogs pores.
Where it shows up
Sunscreens, daily moisturizers, foundations, hand creams and body lotions, where a vitamin E that survives a long shelf life is the practical choice.
Names we read the same way
- Vitamin E Acetate
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.