Although they provide incredible benefits in terms of strengthening hydration, restoring elasticity and a healthy glow, oils are unfortunately still avoided in facial care. Is the comedogenicity of the oil really something to be afraid of?
In order to partially deconstruct this myth, it is necessary to define comedogenicity itself. It is about the possibility that a certain ingredient in cosmetics, or the product itself, causes comedones. In other words, it is a potential that may or may not be realized. Comedones represent the initial form of acne that is caused by clogging of pores. They are divided into two types, open and closed. While the open type of comedones - the well-known black dots on the nose and cheeks can be regulated by deep cleansing, peelings, quality cosmetics and mechanical cleanings, closed comedones can present a greater difficulty in the form of an inflammatory process.
The concentration and the formulation itself are important
In order to know the comedogenicity of a product, it is necessary to determine the comedogenicity of its ingredients. In order to determine the comedogenicity of certain ingredients, various tests were conducted. Based on them, the so-called comedogenicity scale with marks from 0 (non-comedogenic) to 5 (very comedogenic), which numerically expresses the potential for a certain ingredient, in this case natural oils, to cause clogging of pores, and thus skin irregularities. However, this scale does not take into account several key factors. They are in order:
- the percentage of potentially comedogenic oil in the product itself
- form, or method of oil processing
- the rest of the oils and ingredients in the formulation, i.e. their individual comedogenic potential
- skin type (and sensitivity to the comedogenicity of an individual ingredient)
So, one highly comedogenic oil incorporated into a complex of less comedogenic oils will most likely not cause pore clogging, that is, the smallest percentage of people with the most sensitive skin will react to it. However, if the percentage of such oil is the highest compared to oils of low comedogenic potential, the possibility of such a product clogging the pores is greater.
A scientific consensus about which oil will suit a certain skin in this sense, and especially with regard to other products in the routine that can also balance potentially comedogenic oil, has not yet been reached. This is partly because all the tests, both on animals and later on humans, were flawed, since the ingredients were applied to skin that was not so similar to human skin, but also to different areas of the skin that were not necessarily similar to the skin on the face. For this reason, it is extremely important to choose products according to the type and condition of the skin, introduce products one by one, monitor their effect and simply - test it over a certain period of time.
Balanced oil complexes are a good solution
If you want to introduce oils into your care routine, it is safer to choose oil components with low to medium comedogenicity. Avoid oils such as coconut, marula, macadamia, flax, soy, wheat germ, but also lanolin. Give preference to natural oils and their "lighter" derivatives, such as squalane, which are proven to suit the largest percentage of skin types. Oil complexes with a good ratio of various oils are the optimal choice. Omega elixir from the Professional line contains completely non-comedogenic squalane in the highest percentage, along with chia seed, blackberry seed, avocado and evening primrose oil in proportions that will nourish and protect any skin type. This oil complex will restore fullness and freshness to the face, all without the feeling of heaviness and consequences in the form of irregularities.
