Cetaphil Pro Urea 10%

When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.

Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.

This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 4 and irritancy rating of 2 based on early studies.

Just know these numbers have some caveats; comedogenic rating studies used ingredients at high concentations in pure form and not how they behave in a finished product (where they're used in lower percentages and balanced by other ingredients).

Comedogenic ratings also don't account for individual skin or how a product is actually used.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.

The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.

Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.

Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.

However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.

Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.

Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.

As an emulsifier and cleansing agent, it helps stabilize oil-in-water formulations. This also allows oils and other impurities to be easily rinsed away.

Arachidic acid is a natural component of human sebum and research has found that patients with papulopustular rosacea show reduced levels of these fatty acids compared to healthy control groups.

This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne because it falls within the carbon chain that Malassezia can metabolize.