01 · Evidence context
What the rating actually records
Both industry avoid-lists we track (retrieved July 2026) include shea butter — practice-based caution from acne-focused clinics. Community lore often calls it "0/5"; as with coconut oil, this dataset declines to print a number it cannot trace to a reviewed source. The disagreement itself is the useful information: individual response to rich butters varies widely.
The number is retained as a historical observation. The site does not convert it into a current clinical probability or a complete-product grade.
02 · Formulation context
Why the complete formula can differ
Refinement grade and inclusion level dominate here. A body butter that is 20% shea is a different product from a facial lotion carrying 1% for slip. Thick balms hold occlusive films on skin far longer than emulsified lotions — the format matters as much as the ingredient.
03 · Practical takeaway
How to use this result proportionately
Acne-prone facial skin should be deliberate with high-shea leave-on products, especially balms; body use is rarely an issue. If a favorite moisturizer lists shea mid-label, patch-test before assuming either the avoid-lists or the community lore applies to your skin.
If you compare products, change one routine variable at a time and use the label from the product currently in hand.
04 · Primary source
Pore-Clogging Ingredients directory (clinic compilation)
acneclinicnyc.com, retrieved 2026-07-11 · Industry avoid-list compilation used in esthetician practice
An avoid-list, not a screening study: entries carry no numeric rating and no per-ingredient citations. Broad by design (includes many botanical and chemical name variants); inclusion criteria are not published.
Open source record ↗05 · Check a real label
Find Butyrospermum Parkii Butter on an ingredient list
Manufacturers rarely print the marketing name on the back of the box — the INCI declaration is what you will actually see. For this record, the checker matches the canonical name plus 5 reviewed label aliases (for example “Butyrospermum”), and nothing else. Spelling variants outside the reviewed set come back as “unknown” rather than being guessed.
The fastest way to use this page: copy the full ingredient list from the product you are holding, paste it into the free comedogenic checker, and read the flagged entries in label order — position is a rough proxy for concentration. The same 351-record dataset that powers this page powers the checker, so the verdicts always agree.