What is Laureth-4?
Laureth-4 is an emulsifier that helps oil and water mix. A low-ethoxylate laureth emulsifier that scores high on both comedogenicity (5) and irritancy (4).
You may see it on labels as Laureth-4, Laureth 4, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Laureth-4 shows up
You'll most often find Laureth-4 in almost any lotion or cream, where it keeps the oil and water phases blended. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 4/5 — high enough to be worth noting for sensitive skin.
Is Laureth-4 bad for acne-prone skin?
On acne-prone skin, Laureth-4 has a real chance of contributing to congestion. Check its position on the ingredient list before you worry — concentration changes everything.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: Laureth-4 is commonly avoided in fungal-acne routines, since it falls into the fatty-acid or ester families the yeast can feed on. The evidence there is looser than for comedogenicity — see our fungal-acne checker for context.
Non-comedogenic alternatives
If you're avoiding Laureth-4, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Glyceryl Stearate — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Cetearyl Alcohol — rated 2/5 (Low risk).