What is Macadamia Oil?
Macadamia Oil (INCI name: Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil) falls into the oil category — a plant- or seed-derived oil. A cushiony, high-oleic oil commonly rated 2-3. Rich feel that some acne-prone users find congesting.
You may see it on labels as Macadamia Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where Macadamia Oil shows up
As a plant- or seed-derived oil, Macadamia Oil typically appears in facial oils, cleansing balms, moisturisers, hair products, and many products marketed as natural. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 0/5 — low, so it's unlikely to sting or sensitise on its own.
Is Macadamia Oil bad for acne-prone skin?
Macadamia Oil sits in the grey zone. Plenty of people tolerate it well; those who break out easily may prefer to keep it low on their ingredient lists.
Worth flagging: Macadamia Oil'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.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: Macadamia Oil 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 Macadamia Oil, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Squalane — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Hemp Seed Oil — rated 0/5 (Low risk).
- Sunflower Oil — rated 0/5 (Low risk).