Willow Bark Extract
Botanical extract · INCI: Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Willow Bark Extract comedogenic?
No. Willow Bark Extract 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
Willow bark extract is taken from the bark of the willow tree and used as a mild astringent and skin conditioner, often in products made for oily skin. It contains salicin, a natural relative of salicylic acid. Willow bark is a light extract, which is why we read it as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
It is often presented as natural salicylic acid, and the two are not the same ingredient. Salicin is a related compound, not the acid itself, so a label listing willow bark is not listing salicylic acid. Our willow bark reading is only about pore-clogging.
Where it shows up
Toners, clarifying serums, cleansers, exfoliating pads and clay masks aimed at oily and blemish-prone skin, as well as scalp treatments and some shampoos.
Names we read the same way
- Salix Alba Bark Extract
- Salix Nigra Bark Extract
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.