What a 0/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 0 means it will not clog pores for essentially anyone, including very acne-prone skin. That places Ascorbic Acid in the range most people, including many with acne-prone skin, tolerate well.
One thing the number cannot tell you is concentration. Ingredients are listed in descending order, so Ascorbic Acid near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Ascorbic Acid
It is an active ingredient included for a specific skin benefit. Pure vitamin C, rated 0/5 for clogging. Can sting at high strengths but does not block pores.
On a label it can read as Ascorbic Acid, L-Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C — worth knowing when you scan an ingredient deck.
Ascorbic Acid in makeup and skincare
It is formulated into targeted treatments and some makeup-skincare hybrids. Its irritancy is rated separately at 0/5, which is low.
Ascorbic Acid comedogenic FAQ
Is Ascorbic Acid comedogenic?
No. Ascorbic Acid is rated 0/5, which is non-comedogenic on the 0–5 comedogenic scale, so it is unlikely to clog pores for most people, including many with acne-prone skin.
What is the comedogenic rating of Ascorbic Acid?
Ascorbic Acid has a comedogenic rating of 0/5 (non-comedogenic). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 162 rate higher than Ascorbic Acid, none rate lower, and 27 others share its 0/5. Among the 8 rated actives, 4 rate higher and none lower. The figure is drawn from 1 cited source, listed on this page.
Is Ascorbic Acid pore-clogging?
It is unlikely to be. At 0/5, Ascorbic Acid sits in the range generally treated as non-comedogenic. Concentration still matters: an ingredient near the top of a label makes up far more of the product than one near the end. Comedogenic ratings come mostly from rabbit-ear assays and small human patch tests of the pure ingredient at high concentration, so they are a screening guide, not a prediction for your skin or a medical claim.