What a 2/5 rating means
On the comedogenic scale, a 2 is still within the non-comedogenic range that dermatologists generally consider low-risk. That places Olive Oil 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 Olive Oil near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Olive Oil
It is a plant- or seed-derived oil, valued for the emollient, conditioning feel it gives a formula. Rich in oleic acid, which can disrupt the skin barrier in some people. Rated around 2 but its high oleic content makes it a common trigger for congestion.
On a label it can read as Olive Oil, Olive, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea — worth knowing when you scan an ingredient deck.
Olive Oil in makeup and skincare
In makeup it turns up in cream blushes, tinted balms, and hydrating foundations; in skincare, in face oils and cleansing balms. 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 Olive Oil 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.
Olive Oil comedogenic FAQ
Is Olive Oil comedogenic?
Not usually. Olive Oil is rated 2/5, 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 Olive Oil?
Olive Oil has a comedogenic rating of 2/5 (low risk). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 93 rate higher than Olive Oil, 58 rate lower, and 38 others share its 2/5. Among the 38 rated oils, 17 rate higher and 7 lower. The figure is drawn from 2 cited sources, listed on this page.
Is Olive Oil pore-clogging?
It is unlikely to be. At 2/5, Olive Oil 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.