1 hour ago, Garrettryan said:

Hey!

I finally found a moisturiser that my skin can actually tolerate without getting red and making me feel like my face is going to burn off. I have seriously bad allergic skin. The only issue is, the 6th ingredient on the list is the dreaded "Isopropyl Isostearate" which ranks at a whopping 5 on the comedogenic scale. I probably wouldn't have got the product or used it on my face if I read the list first. But I haven't used it long and my face really seems to like it.

I suppose my question is, will something this comedogenic be guaranteed to eventually break me out? Or since its 6 ingredients down should it be fine? I never paid too much attention to the lists, but I'm just curious if this is something I should immediately discontinue use of the product over, or wait and see.

I tried something like that, a moisturizer called Complex 15 which has isopropyl mystrate(sorry if I didn't spell well) which also has 5 on the comedogenic scale. I should have read the list first too. I used it for about a week and my skin liked it at first, then this night I noticed a pimple which has not come to the surface yet but feels huge on my chin. I know it's what made me have the pimple because that was the only thing i changed in my routine.

It's "Olay moisturising cream for sensitive skin" I was looking at like 140 reviews on amazon for the lotion (which also has that as the 6th ingredient) and out of the entire 140 reviews not one said it broke them out, and there was like a good 40 or so that said it didn't break them out and it actually helped their skin look better and less broken out. So I think this is one of those things that I'm going to have to wait it out and see for myself!

I think its also important to note that there hasn't ever been actually large scale studies to test the comedogenic rating of chemicals like this. It was a series of small tests a long time ago on rabbit ears ahahah, so I guess that's another reasons for some trial as error to see how it goes. At least I'm aware this might break me out in the future so I can stay alert to my skin and discontinue it immediately if things start getting pretty bad!

47 minutes ago, Garrettryan said:

It's "Olay moisturising cream for sensitive skin" I was looking at like 140 reviews on amazon for the lotion (which also has that as the 6th ingredient) and out of the entire 140 reviews not one said it broke them out, and there was like a good 40 or so that said it didn't break them out and it actually helped their skin look better and less broken out. So I think this is one of those things that I'm going to have to wait it out and see for myself!

I think its also important to note that there hasn't ever been actually large scale studies to test the comedogenic rating of chemicals like this. It was a series of small tests a long time ago on rabbit ears ahahah, so I guess that's another reasons for some trial as error to see how it goes. At least I'm aware this might break me out in the future so I can stay alert to my skin and discontinue it immediately if things start getting pretty bad!

Then I think you should go for it then. To find the perfect product for skin, you always have to have a trial and error.

Trial and error and making mistakes is how we learn to be our own best skin experts. A derm can make educated guesses but we know our skin best. At worst, you'll be no better off than before if it doesn't work so I say go for it.

So Dan's moisturizer doesn't work for you?? Is it the licorice root extract?? I've seen a lot of people who don't like this ingredient.

I use that moisturizer and have had no problems. I think that comedogenic ratings have to be taken with a grain of salt. The way they did those tests is nothing close to how people are actually using those ingredients. If you are worried though I would suggest using the moisturizer on a small part of your face for a while to see what the reaction is. Also, don't overdo it. My personal opinion is that if you use too much of something whatever it may be it can be problematic.

1 hour ago, DeLovely said:

Trial and error and making mistakes is how we learn to be our own best skin experts. A derm can make educated guesses but we know our skin best. At worst, you'll be no better off than before if it doesn't work so I say go for it.

So Dan's moisturizer doesn't work for you?? Is it the licorice root extract?? I've seen a lot of people who don't like this ingredient.

I'll give it a couple weeks and access how everything looks after that, since its down in the list of ingredients I'm hoping it will all work out!

Also for Dan's moisturiser I think it might have been that. I have really sensitive skin I just know it didn't cope well with it! I hope a new moisturiser gets formulated in the future, I would definitely try that!

8 minutes ago, strongbadia5000 said:

I use that moisturizer and have had no problems. I think that comedogenic ratings have to be taken with a grain of salt. The way they did those tests is nothing close to how people are actually using those ingredients. If you are worried though I would suggest using the moisturizer on a small part of your face for a while to see what the reaction is. Also, don't overdo it. My personal opinion is that if you use too much of something whatever it may be it can be problematic.

How long have you been using it? And I know, most of those tests were done with the pure ingredient on the rabbits ear, which I'm sure has a different pore size than a human face. Though I will keep a close eye on it. Right now I'm using a pea sized amount or less for my face and forehead, morning and night. Just because my face is crazy dry from not having used a moisturiser in awhile. When it gets a little better that way I will probably just stick to using it before bed.

Probably a few years now. I like it.

2 hours ago, strongbadia5000 said:

I use that moisturizer and have had no problems. I think that comedogenic ratings have to be taken with a grain of salt. The way they did those tests is nothing close to how people are actually using those ingredients. If you are worried though I would suggest using the moisturizer on a small part of your face for a while to see what the reaction is. Also, don't overdo it. My personal opinion is that if you use too much of something whatever it may be it can be problematic. 

I definitely agree here about comedogenic ratings, because...

Comedogenicity is such a tricky thing to pin down due to many factors ...single ingredients perform differently than formulations ...most comedogenicity tests have used rabbit ear skin to determine their results (which will differ from human skin) ...the amount of product applied/frequency of use varies ...and the acne-prone nature of skin in particular individuals and areas of the skin applied may vary the comedogenic rating as well.

That's where so much of the variance in reviews of a product can come from. Also because of another very important factor which I'll explain in a bit.

Sometimes, only high concentrations of a substance produce comedones and lower concentrations are completely non-comedogenic. (If anyone wants to read the study for this let me know! It's interesting) Currently there is no standardized test for comedogenic ingredients and results can definitely vary. Some products seem to have slightly comedogenic ingredients that are œbalanced-out by other ingredients that help to break down comedones, such as skin cleansers containing salicylic acid... just to further complicate things for ya.

Another thing to keep in mind is the œnon-comedogenic labeling isn't thoroughly regulated yet (not sure if it EVER could be since acne formation also depends on a whole host of other internal factors -meaning you could have the greatest, most NON-comedogenic skin care routine EVER and still get breakouts ...) 

BTW, I also use that exact moisturizer and LOVE it. I've had no issues with it whatsoever and appreciate that it has SPF. My two cents