What a 3/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 3 is the moderate midpoint: tolerated by many, a possible trigger for congestion-prone skin. That puts Myristic Acid squarely in the judgement-call zone, where your skin type and the product's formula decide the outcome.
One thing the number cannot tell you is concentration. Ingredients are listed in descending order, so Myristic Acid near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Myristic Acid
It is a fatty acid, one of the building blocks of oils and a common texture and cleansing agent. A C14 fatty acid used in cleansers and cream bases, rated 3/5. Within the chain-length range that feeds fungal acne.
On a label it can read as Myristic Acid, Tetradecanoic Acid — worth knowing when you scan an ingredient deck.
Myristic Acid in makeup and skincare
It shows up in cleansing balms, cream cleansers, and the base of many creams and pressed powders. 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 Myristic Acid 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.
Lower-rated alternatives to Myristic Acid
If you want a similar role with a friendlier comedogenic score, consider:
Myristic Acid comedogenic FAQ
Is Myristic Acid comedogenic?
Moderately. Myristic Acid is rated 3/5 (moderate), the middle of the 0–5 scale: many people tolerate it, but it can contribute to breakouts on congestion-prone skin.
What is the comedogenic rating of Myristic Acid?
Myristic Acid has a comedogenic rating of 3/5 (moderate). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 39 rate higher than Myristic Acid, 97 rate lower, and 53 others share its 3/5. Among the 8 rated fatty acids, 1 rates higher and 4 lower. The figure is drawn from 1 cited source, listed on this page.
Is Myristic Acid pore-clogging?
It can be for some people. At 3/5, Myristic Acid is in the moderate band. How much it matters depends on concentration: near the top of an ingredient list it is a bigger factor than 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.