Is olive oil comedogenic?

In Fulton’s rabbit-ear test, olive oil scored 2 out of 5 for comedogenicity, and 0 out of 5 for irritation. A more refined grade of 1 appears in parentheses in the source. On Fulton’s own scale, 0–1 is not significant, 2–3 borderline, and 4–5 positive.

These grades come from rabbit ears: the ingredient applied daily, five days a week for two weeks, usually diluted to 10% in propylene glycol. The grade also shifts with the vehicle and the raw-material source, so one number isn’t the whole story.

SourceFulton JE Jr. Comedogenicity and irritancy of commonly used ingredients in skin care products. J Soc Cosmet Chem. 1989;40(6):321-333.

A 2013 study put olive oil on the forearms of 19 adults, some with a history of eczema, twice a day for four to five weeks. Olive oil significantly weakened the outer layer of the skin and caused mild redness. On the other arm, sunflower seed oil kept that layer intact, caused no redness and improved hydration. The authors advised against olive oil for dry skin and for baby massage.

A 2018 review explains why: olive oil is mostly oleic acid, and oleic acid, applied over and over, can disrupt the skin barrier.

SourcesDanby SG, et al. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013;30(1):42-50.Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(1):70 (review).

Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist says olive oil doesn’t work on stretch marks. It also isn’t among the ingredients the American Academy of Dermatology lists for soothing dry skin: that list includes jojoba oil, mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin and shea butter.

SourcesCleveland Clinic: Cocoa Butter Won’t Help Stretch Marks, but These Options Can (dermatologist John Anthony, MD, February 2023).American Academy of Dermatology: Dermatologists’ top tips for relieving dry skin (updated January 2026).

A human-skin model found the rabbit ear more sensitive than human skin: weak rabbit comedogens were judged probably safe, except perhaps for acne-prone people. When finished products were patch-tested on acne-prone backs, products containing comedogenic ingredients were not necessarily comedogenic. Morris & Kwan’s lab graded olive oil 0, where Fulton graded it 2 — labs disagree.

Comedogenic risk also depends on concentration. Ingredients that clog pores when applied neat showed no effect at the under-15% levels typical of face products, and you cannot tell from an ingredient list whether a product will cause acne — only testing the finished product can.

SourcesMills OH Jr, Kligman AM. A human model for assessing comedogenic substances. Arch Dermatol. 1982;118(11):903-905 (abstract).Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(3):507-512 (abstract).Kligman AM. Petrolatum is not comedogenic in rabbits or humans: a critical reappraisal of the rabbit ear assay and the concept of 'acne cosmetica'. J Soc Cosmet Chem. 1996;47(1):41-48.Morris WE, Kwan SC. Use of the rabbit ear model in evaluating the comedogenic potential of cosmetic ingredients. J Soc Cosmet Chem. 1983;34(5):215-225.

The AAD tells acne-prone people to look for products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores.” But “non-comedogenic” has no FDA definition, so a brand can use the label without any standard test behind it. The honest takeaway: a single comedogenicity number — high or low — is a weak guide. If a product breaks you out, that is the real test.

SourcesAmerican Academy of Dermatology: Acne: Tips for managing.Starzyk T, Aust N, Schur N, Miller R. Comedogenicity in cosmeceuticals: a review of clinical relevance, regulatory gaps, and future directions. JAAD Reviews. 2025;6:78-83 (open access).U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Cosmetics Labeling Claims.