ABSTRACT
Many people experience facial acne, especially in their teens and early 20s. It typically causes distress, and in some individuals contributes to a lowered self-image [1]. As consumers age the prevalence of acne decreases, although it can be triggered by factors such as stress, medications, and the use of cosmetics [2-4]. Indeed, there are many reports of cosmetics causing comedones, or acneform eruptions. These adverse reactions are of great concern to consumers, many of whom look for products that will not cause such problems. Hence, cosmetics manufacturers strive to develop products that do not cause comedones or acne. Products are frequently labeled noncomedogenic and/or nonacnegenic. Consumers use these terms interchangeably, although comedone formation and acnegenicity are not the same. To consumers, the key issue is that the cosmetics they use do not cause breakouts.
