How to Find the Best Non-Comedogenic Moisturizer and Make Clogged Pores a Thing of the Past
Moisturizers are a skincare product staple. But what about skin types like oily and acne-prone skin that crave moisture but also balk at the idea of a pore-clogging moisturizer that also causes breakouts? Yes, the two tend to coexist and pose a bigger issue than most of us realize. And that’s where a non-comedogenic moisturizer comes in handy. While it may sound like a complex way to describe a product, in simple terms, non-comedogenic means that the formula is free of pore-clogging ingredients. And who doesn’t want that? Especially since heavy creams can clog pores and cause a range of unwanted skin issues, including pimples, redness, uneven tone and texture, sensitivities, and more.
Rather than play a guessing game about whether a moisturizer is non-comedogenic, we did the work for you. Keep reading for the best non-comedogenic moisturizers that hydrate without compromising your skin's health.
Our Top Picks:
Best for Overall: Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty Bowe Glowe Microbiome Nourishing Cream Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer Best for Anti-Aging: Neocutis BIO Cream Firm Best Lightweight: Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream Best for Compromised Skin: Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm Best for Acne-Prone Skin: facile Barely There Moisturizer Best for Oily Skin: Oxygenetix Oxygenating Hydro-Matrix Best Oil-Free: SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment Lightweight Moisturizer Best Fragrance-Free: SkinMedica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer
What Does Non-Comedogenic Mean?
Non-comedogenic moisturizers are designed to be free of any and all ingredients, fillers, preservatives, and stabilizers that can potentially clog pores and disrupt the skin. Oily and acne-prone skin tends to benefit the most from non-comedogenic skincare products, but any skin type can use them.
Most non-comedogenic moisturizers are stated as such on the package, but there are a few other ways to tell if a product is void of potentially harmful ingredients. For starters, any product that contains oils and butters, like shea butter and coconut oil, can clog pores. On the flip side, ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera, and even vitamin C are considered safe and won’t clog pores.
Best Non-Comedogenic Moisturizers
Best Overall: Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty Bowe Glowe Microbiome Nourishing Cream
$95.00
From dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe comes this award-winning, glow-inducing moisturizer proven to deeply hydrate for more radiant skin. Whether you use it day or night or both, the non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, gluten-free formula helps strengthen the skin barrier while balancing the skin for a healthy glow that lasts all day.
Key Ingredients: Ceramide, squalane, hyaluronic acid, prebiotics, postbiotics
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Hydrates and smoothes, strengthens the skin barrier, visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines, deeply hydrates to balance the skin microbiome
Beauty Insider Tip: The cream comes in a sustainable, eco-friendly tube that is refillable.
Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
$24.99
Consider this lightweight hydrator a must-have for sensitive skin. Formulated with a blend of skin-safe ingredients, including ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin, that won’t cause clogged pores or irritation, the quick-to-absorb cream provides up to 48 hours of hydration while repairing the skin’s protective barrier. Plus, it feels oh-so-good when applied.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, glycerin, niacinamide, La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water
Skin Type: Sensitive
Skin Benefits(s): Repairs the skin’s protective barrier after one hour, provides up to 48-hour hydration, produces a unique prebiotic action on the skin microbiome, restores healthy-looking skin, immediately comforts even sensitive skin
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply the moisturizer to the face and neck in gentle circular motions for the best results.
Best for Anti-Aging: Neocutis BIO Cream Firm
$188.00
Turn back the hands of time without worrying about clogged pores or breakouts with this time-tested, cult-classic anti-aging moisturizer. Formulated with proprietary peptides to support healthy collagen and elastin production, the cream helps improve skin tone and texture, as well as reduce wrinkles, in as little as 14 days.
Key Ingredients: Growth factors, peptides, glycerin, argan oil, borage seed oil
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles, enhances skin tone and texture for smoother skin, helps firm and tighten the skin, helps support collagen and elastin production, increases skin hydration, helps support skin after cosmetic or dermatological treatments
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply the cream in the morning and/or evening to the face, neck, and décolleté, and follow up with sunscreen during the day.
Best Lightweight: Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream
$49.00
Slather on this does-it-all moisturizer and watch dry, thirsty skin drink up the cream’s hydrating, instant-plumping powers. The lightweight, peptide-rich formula also boosts the skin’s barrier function, supporting every aspect of skin health.
Key Ingredients: Prebiotic peptides, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, lipids
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Instantly plumps the skin, provides skin barrier and microbiome support, leaves skin feeling cushiony-soft, gives a healthy glow, layers well under makeup and sunscreen
Beauty Insider Tip: The non-comedogenic facial cream has earned the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance™, indicating it is suitable for people with eczema or sensitive skin.
Best for Compromised Skin: Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm
$95.00
Like a band-aid for compromised, inflamed skin, this moisturizing cream helps soothe and repair the skin. Perfect for treating post-procedure skin too, the balm-to-cream formula melts instantly into the skin for instant relief and comfort along with deep hydration. The more you use it, the stronger the skin becomes.
Key Ingredients: Oat protein, ATP, ceramides, panthenol, squalane, black cumin oil, Mosscelltec
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Helps to strengthen the skin’s barrier function, promotes skin recovery for overall smoothness and plumpness, increases moisture retention, prevents dryness and irritation, reinforces the skin barrier for enhanced resilience and bounce, creates softer, smoother, and firmer-looking skin, improves elasticity and suppleness, reduces the appearance of fine lines and spots, provides antioxidant protection, promotes skin barrier recovery and strengthens the skin
Beauty Insider Tip: This power-packed formula is ideal to use both before and after non-invasive skin rejuvenating procedures like microneedling, chemical peels, and lasers
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: facile Barely There Moisturizer
$25.00
The wrong moisturizer can send acne-prone skin into a tizzy and cause breakouts, but the right one can give it the hydration it deserves. This dermatologist developed a light-as-air moisturizer that floods the skin with moisture and antioxidants, doing more than just hydrating. It also reduces redness and strengthens the skin barrier without clogging the pores or making the skin feel heavy.
Key Ingredients: Watermelon, coconut, lentil, and apple extracts, hyaluronic acid, squalane, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, sunflower extract, pro-vitamin B5
Skin Type: All, including sensitive
Skin Benefits(s): Provides all-day, clinically proven hydration, helps to strengthen and support the skin’s barrier, calms visible redness and irritations, defends against environmental stressors
Beauty Insider Tip: A little goes a long way. Apply a dime-sized amount of the cream to the skin in the morning and at night, and rub it in until fully absorbed.
Best for Oily Skin: Oxygenetix Oxygenating Hydro-Matrix
$95.00
Perfect as an everyday moisturizer, this lightweight, oil-free cream never makes the skin look greasy or weighed down. Its aloe-based formula delivers long-lasting hydration while absorbing quickly, so you can layer it on under makeup for a smooth finish.
Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, sodium PCS, Ceravitae Complex
Skin Type: All, including oily, sensitive, and post-procedure
Skin Benefits(s): Provides a dose of breathable, soothing moisture, gives the skin a healthy-looking glow, absorbs quickly, leaves skin feeling refreshed, balanced, and comfortable
Beauty Insider Tip: This moisturizer was originally used by doctors after laser treatments to help heal the skin.
Best Oil-Free: SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment Lightweight Moisturizer
$115.00
This lightweight, gel-cream moisturizer is a must-have for soothing the skin, reducing redness, and improving clarity, texture, and tone. Packed with a powerful, oil-free formula that contains a blend of botanical agents to help reduce the look of surface imperfections and dullness, this brightening treatment also works wonders to reduce excess oil and blemishes, and to minimize the look of pores.
Key Ingredients: Alpha arbutin, azelaic acid, phytobotanical blend
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Brightens, reduces post-blemish marks, smooths rough skin texture, clarifies the skin, reduces pore-clogging oil
Beauty Insider Tip: The brightening moisturizer is safe to use every day and works best when applied twice daily.
Best Fragrance-Free: SkinMedica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer
$60.00
Suitable for all skin types, this lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer provides the skin with a layer of non-clogging moisturizer and free radical protection to help improve the skin’s health and appearance. Since it’s free of potentially irritating fragrances, this formula is safe to use on even the most sensitive skin types.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamins C & E
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits(s): Hydrates the skin, improves the skin’s overall appearance, and provides free radical protection
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply a small amount of the moisturizer to the entire face, neck, and chest twice daily as the last step in your skincare routine before sunscreen.
FAQs
How to choose the right noncomedogenic moisturizer?
Finding the right non-comedogenic moisturizer comes down to knowing exactly what to look for and what to avoid.
Always select oil-free formulas: Non-comedogenic moisturizers labeled as oil-free are the way to go, as they are usually water- or gel-based, lightweight on the skin, and quick to absorb. Oil-free formulas are also better suited for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin types. Look for moisturizers with high-quality hydrating ingredients: Commonly used skincare ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera hydrate the skin without clogging pores or adding extra oil. Consider formulas with antioxidants and soothing ingredients: Many non-comedogenic moisturizers contain additional ingredients, such as niacinamide, green tea, and vitamin C, to help calm and soothe the skin while controlling inflammation. - Steer clear of anything with waxes and heavy oils: Certain hydrating ingredients, such as coconut oil, petroleum, lanolin, and heavy occlusive formulas, can be too much for skin that is oily, breakout-prone, or easily irritated, as they can clog pores.
- Go fragrance-free: Like oils, fragrances can often irritate many skin types.
The Bottom Line
Not all moisturizers are made equal, and some skin types benefit from non-comedogenic options, particularly if clogged pores and breakouts are an issue. The easiest way to tell if a moisturizer is non-comedogenic is to read the ingredient label and note what’s in the product. Certain oils, such as coconut oil, waxes, and butters, can get lodged in pores and cause congestion. While all skin types can use and benefit from non-comedogenic moisturizers, these products tend to be most beneficial for oil and combination skin, since dry skin may need more oil to properly moisturize.
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
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