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 Phenoxyethanol 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 Phenoxyethanol near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Phenoxyethanol
It is a preservative that keeps a water-based product safe from microbes. A broad-spectrum preservative rated 0/5 for clogging, mildly irritating for a few.
Phenoxyethanol in makeup and skincare
It sits near the end of the list in most water-containing makeup and skincare. Its irritancy is rated separately at 1/5, which is low.
Phenoxyethanol comedogenic FAQ
Is Phenoxyethanol comedogenic?
No. Phenoxyethanol 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 Phenoxyethanol?
Phenoxyethanol has a comedogenic rating of 0/5 (non-comedogenic). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 162 rate higher than Phenoxyethanol, none rate lower, and 27 others share its 0/5. Among the 5 rated preservatives, 1 rates higher and none lower. The figure is drawn from 1 cited source, listed on this page.
Is Phenoxyethanol pore-clogging?
It is unlikely to be. At 0/5, Phenoxyethanol 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.