Face oil guide
Non-comedogenic oils for your face
Every popular face oil, butter and wax ranked from least to most pore-clogging, with fungal-acne status. Scroll down for the ones to avoid.
| Oil / butter | Pores | Fungal acne | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral Oil Paraffinum Liquidum |
0/5 | Safe | All skin types, including oily |
| Petrolatum Petrolatum |
0/5 | Safe | All skin types, including oily |
| Squalane Squalane |
0/5 | Safe | All skin types, including oily |
| Argan Oil Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil |
0/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Hemp Seed Oil Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil |
0/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Safflower Oil Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil |
0/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Sunflower Oil Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil |
0/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride |
1/5 | Safe | All skin types, including oily |
| Carnauba Wax Copernicia Cerifera Cera |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Kokum Butter Garcinia Indica Seed Butter |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Neem Oil Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Castor Oil Ricinus Communis Seed Oil |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Rosehip Oil Rosa Canina Fruit Oil |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Grapeseed Oil Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil |
1/5 | Trigger | All skin types, including oily |
| Jojoba Oil Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil |
2/5 | Safe | Normal to dry skin |
| Shea Butter Butyrospermum Parkii Butter |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Tamanu Oil Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Beeswax Cera Alba |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Mango Butter Mangifera Indica Seed Butter |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Olive Oil Olea Europaea Fruit Oil |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Almond Oil Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Apricot Kernel Oil Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil |
2/5 | Trigger | Normal to dry skin |
| Soybean Oil Glycine Soja Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Evening Primrose Oil Oenothera Biennis Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Avocado Oil Persea Gratissima Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Marula Oil Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Sesame Oil Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Corn Oil Zea Mays Oil |
3/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Coconut Oil Cocos Nucifera Oil |
4/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Palm Oil Elaeis Guineensis Oil |
4/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Flaxseed Oil Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil |
4/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Cocoa Butter Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter |
4/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
| Wheat Germ Oil Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil |
5/5 | Trigger | Body & hair; dry skin only on the face |
How to use face oils without breaking out
- Use 2–3 drops pressed into damp skin at night, or mixed into your moisturiser.
- Oily or acne-prone skin should stay at 0–1 ratings. Squalane is the safest pick.
- Rich oils such as coconut, cocoa butter and wheat germ are great for body, hair and cuticles, but risky on the face.
- If you get itchy, uniform bumps, that's likely fungal acne. Switch to squalane or MCT oil. See our fungal-acne guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which oils are non-comedogenic?
Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Squalane, Argan Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carnauba Wax and Kokum Butter are rated 0–1 on the comedogenic scale.
What is the best face oil for acne-prone skin?
Squalane is the safest all-rounder: rated 0 and fungal-acne safe. Argan, hemp seed, sunflower and safflower oil are also rated 0, but like most plant oils they can feed fungal acne.
Is coconut oil good for the face?
Not if you are acne-prone. Coconut oil is rated 4/5 comedogenic and feeds fungal acne. It is fine for body and hair.
Which oils are safe for fungal acne?
Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Squalane and Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride are generally considered fungal-acne safe. Most plant oils are not.
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