“Acne Safe” Beauty Products Are A Scam — Here’s Why

Everyone’s skin is different. For example, moisturizing shea butter is considered pore-clogging for some, but highly beneficial for others. Dr. Mahto says that looking for products with “oil-free” or “matte” labels could also help you narrow down which products might work for your acne-prone skin. Another tip, which might sound fairly basic, is to seek out a store sample and to feel the texture of the product before committing to buying it. “If it feels thick and heavy on your skin, and you’re acne-prone, your skin is probably not going to like it. But if it is a gel-like texture or it’s super light on the skin, you’ll probably handle it a lot more.” If you’re at a loss, looking for a non-comedogenic label — in the context of all of those other things, like what you’re layering it with, and the concentration of the ingredient deemed to be pore clogging — can also be helpful, says Dr. Mahto.