What a 1/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 1 sits at the safe end of the scale — clogging is unlikely for most people. That places Lithium Stearate 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 Lithium Stearate near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Lithium Stearate
It is a thickener that controls how a product flows and feels. A metallic stearate soap used as a thickener and gellant in anhydrous sticks and pencils. Rated 1, in line with the other stearate salts such as magnesium stearate.
Lithium Stearate in makeup and skincare
It sets the consistency of gels, liquid foundations, and serums. Its irritancy is rated separately at 0/5, which is low.
If you deal with fungal acne (malassezia folliculitis) rather than ordinary clogged pores, note that Lithium Stearate is among the fatty-acid or ester-type ingredients that community sources commonly avoid — a separate concern from its comedogenic score, and one with weaker evidence behind it.
Lithium Stearate comedogenic FAQ
Is Lithium Stearate comedogenic?
Not usually. Lithium Stearate is rated 1/5, which is low risk 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 Lithium Stearate?
Lithium Stearate has a comedogenic rating of 1/5 (low risk). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 132 rate higher than Lithium Stearate, 28 rate lower, and 29 others share its 1/5. Among the 5 rated thickeners, 2 rate higher and 2 lower. The figure is drawn from 1 cited source, listed on this page.
Is Lithium Stearate pore-clogging?
It is unlikely to be. At 1/5, Lithium Stearate 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.