What is Bismuth Oxychloride?
Bismuth Oxychloride is a mineral-based ingredient. A pearlising pigment common in mineral makeup that some acne-prone users find irritating and pore-clogging; often flagged in the low-moderate range.
You may see it on labels as Bismuth Oxychloride, Bismuth, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Bismuth Oxychloride shows up
You'll most often find Bismuth Oxychloride in sunscreens, mineral makeup, and masks. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 2/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is Bismuth Oxychloride bad for acne-prone skin?
Because it barely registers on the comedogenic scale, Bismuth Oxychloride is generally a safe pick for breakout-prone skin and is often recommended as a gentler alternative to heavier ingredients.
Worth flagging: Bismuth Oxychloride's rating is disputed. Credible sources land on different numbers, which is why we show a range rather than a single score — and why your own experience is the best tiebreaker.