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 Simethicone 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 Simethicone near the end of a label is present in tiny amounts and matters far less than the same ingredient near the top.
About Simethicone
It is a silicone, used to smooth, blur, and give a soft-focus finish. A silica-modified silicone rated 1/5, fungal-acne safe.
Simethicone in makeup and skincare
It is everywhere in primers, foundations, and 'blurring' complexion products, and in serums and moisturisers. Its irritancy is rated separately at 0/5, which is low.
Simethicone comedogenic FAQ
Is Simethicone comedogenic?
Not usually. Simethicone 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 Simethicone?
Simethicone has a comedogenic rating of 1/5 (low risk). Of the 190 ingredients in our dataset with a published rating, 132 rate higher than Simethicone, 28 rate lower, and 29 others share its 1/5. Among the 3 rated silicones, none rate higher and none lower. The figure is drawn from 1 cited source, listed on this page.
Is Simethicone pore-clogging?
It is unlikely to be. At 1/5, Simethicone 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.