Free · Ingredient-aware shopping

Know what's really in your skincare before you buy it.

Glow scans product ingredient lists as you shop and flags anything with a history of clogging pores — right on the page, in real time.

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How it works

Two tools, one mission

Shop online or in the aisle — Glow has your ingredient list covered either way.

1

Browse as usual

Install the free Chrome extension and shop any site like you normally would — no extra steps, no extra tabs.

2

Get flagged instantly

The moment a product page contains a known pore-clogging ingredient, Glow surfaces a gentle on-page alert.

3

Find a clean swap

Tap "Find Clean Products" to see alternatives that pass the same ingredient check — for the exact type of product you're after.

Chrome Extension

Works quietly in the background on any website — Amazon, Sephora, a small independent skincare shop, all of it. No account required to use the core scan.

Free foreverWorks on any site

Mobile App

Standing in the drugstore aisle? Point your camera at the ingredient label and let on-device text recognition scan it in seconds — no typing required.

In-store scanningCamera OCR
About Glow

Built to make ingredient lists make sense

Glow is a free way to check whether a skincare or makeup product contains ingredients with a track record of clogging pores — before it ever reaches your skin.

The Chrome Extension

Glow is a completely free browser extension that reads the ingredient list on any product page you visit — any retailer, any brand — and checks it against our comedogenicity database. If something worth a second look turns up, a small alert appears right on the page, with the specific ingredients highlighted so you can tap to jump straight to where they appear.

The App

Shopping isn't only online. The Glow app uses your smartphone camera and on-device text recognition to scan a physical ingredient label in the store — so you can check a product before it's even in your basket, no internet-connected barcode database required.

The science

Our 0–5 comedogenicity scale

Every ingredient in Glow's database is scored from 0 to 5 based on its documented likelihood of clogging pores, drawing on comedogenicity research compiled across multiple published studies and dermatological references built up over decades.

0–1 — Little to no evidence of pore-clogging
2 — Moderately comedogenic for some skin types
3–4 — Fairly to strongly comedogenic
5 — Highly comedogenic
Comedogenic Scale
0 5
How it happens

What's happening beneath the surface

Acne develops when a mix of factors — excess oil, dead-skin buildup, bacteria, and inflammation, nudged along by things like hormones, diet, stress, and the wrong cosmetics — turns a healthy follicle into an inflamed breakout.

Skin surface Epidermis Sebaceous gland Hair follicle Healthy Skin tissue Acne causing factors Environmental, Bacteria Diet, Cosmetics Hormones Stress, Smoking Acne inflamed skin tissue Inflammation Accumulation of propionibacterium Hyperkeratinization Increased sebum production

Illustration adapted from Vasam M, Korutla S, Bohara RA (2023), Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports 36:101578. PMC10709101.

An honest caveat: pore-clogging ingredients are not the only cause of acne — hormones, genetics, stress, and many other factors play a role too. But for many people, removing known pore-clogging ingredients from their routine helps reduce some, or even all, of their breakouts. Glow is one tool in a much bigger picture, not a promise of clear skin.

References

Glow's comedogenicity ratings are informed by decades of published dermatological research. Here are some of the key studies behind the science — including the ones that later questioned and refined earlier methods, because that's how good science works.

  1. 1. Kligman AM, Mills OH Jr. "Acne cosmetica." Archives of Dermatology, 1972;106(6):843–850.The foundational study that first linked specific cosmetic ingredients to acne-like breakouts and introduced the rabbit-ear assay used to test them. PubMed →
  2. 2. Mills OH Jr, Kligman AM. "A human model for assessing comedogenic substances." Archives of Dermatology, 1982;118(12):903–905.Moved comedogenicity testing from animal models onto human skin, improving how well lab results predict real-world pore-clogging. Semantic Scholar →
  3. 3. Fulton JE Jr, Pay SR, Fulton JE III. "Comedogenicity of current therapeutic products, cosmetics, and ingredients in the rabbit ear." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1984;10(1):96–105.Screened dozens of common skincare ingredients for pore-clogging potential — the source of many ingredient ratings still cited today. JAAD →
  4. 4. Nguyen SH, Dang TP, Maibach HI. "Comedogenicity in rabbit: some cosmetic ingredients/vehicles." Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2007;26(4):287–292.Identified isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, and related oil-based ingredients as reliably comedogenic. PubMed →
  5. 5. Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. "A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2006;54(3):507–512.An important check on the science: found that some ingredients rated comedogenic in animal tests didn't reliably clog pores in humans — a reminder that ratings are a strong starting signal, not a guarantee. PubMed →
  6. 6. "Comedogenicity in cosmeceuticals: A review of clinical relevance, regulatory gaps, and future directions." JAAD Reviews, 2025.A recent, comprehensive look at where comedogenicity testing stands today and where the science still has gaps. JAAD Reviews →
  7. 7. American Academy of Dermatology. "Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2024.The clinical standard for treating acne, which recommends noncomedogenic, oil-free products as part of routine care. JAAD →
  8. 8. "The primary role of sebum in the pathophysiology of acne vulgaris and its therapeutic relevance in acne management." Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2023.Explains how excess and trapped sebum sets off the chain of events — blockage, bacterial growth, inflammation — behind a breakout. Taylor & Francis →
  9. 9. "Acne vulgaris: A review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and recent nanotechnology-based advances." PMC, 2023.A general review of how clogged follicles, Cutibacterium acnes bacteria, and inflammation combine to form acne lesions. PMC →
General guidance

Acne treatment guidelines

Acne is more complicated than it looks, and the right approach depends mostly on how bad it is. Follow the chart below — hover or tap any box with an i to see the actual treatments and details.

How would you describe your acne?
MILD / MODERATE
SEVERE
MILD / MODERATE
Topical combination therapy
(12-week course)i
First-line, about 12 weeks. A nightly topical combination — pick one:
  • Adapalene + benzoyl peroxide (Therapy A)
  • Tretinoin + clindamycin (Therapy B)
  • Benzoyl peroxide + clindamycin (Therapy C)
The retinoid (adapalene or tretinoin) unclogs pores; benzoyl peroxide kills acne bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid on their own are alternatives. Give it 6–8 weeks or more to work.12
Did it clear?
NO
Switch combo, add pills,
or hormonal optioni
If it hasn't cleared, change the plan (another ~12 weeks):
  • Switch to a different topical combo (e.g. add tazarotene)
  • Add antibiotic pills — doxycycline, lymecycline, or minocycline. Make an appointment with your primary care provider to get this antibiotic prescribed. Always take it with benzoyl peroxide, capped around 12 weeks.
  • For women: hormonal therapy — a combined oral contraceptive or spironolactone (takes 3–6 months to show)
123
Did it clear?
YES YES
Maintenancei
Keeping it clear. Once your skin is clear, stay on a topical retinoid (adapalene or tretinoin), often with benzoyl peroxide, long-term to stop new breakouts from forming.13
NO
Treat as severe
(see Severe pathway)i
Time to escalate. Two full courses haven't worked, or deep lumps and scarring are showing up. Move to the severe pathway and see a dermatologist.12
SEVERE
See a dermatologisti
Not a drugstore fix. Deep, painful nodules and cysts don't reliably clear with over-the-counter products and can leave permanent scars, so a dermatologist should guide treatment.1
Main treatment:
oral isotretinoini
Isotretinoin (formerly sold as Accutane) is the main option for severe or stubborn acne — the only medicine that targets all four causes of acne at once. Usual course is about 16–24 weeks (4–6 months). It's powerful: it needs close medical monitoring and is never used during pregnancy because of a serious birth-defect risk.13
Urgent: fever, joint pain,
or feeling unwelli
Get care promptly. If a severe flare comes with a fever, aching joints, or generally feeling unwell, don't wait — this can signal a rare severe form such as acne fulminans that needs urgent medical care.3
Detailed routines

Skincare routines for each combination therapy

Once you and your clinician land on a combination, here's how it fits into a simple morning and evening routine — in the right order, with the right spacing between actives. Tap any highlighted product to find clean, non-comedogenic options.

New to treatment? Start with Therapy A. Adapalene and benzoyl peroxide are both available over the counter in the US, so you can begin without a doctor's visit. Therapies B and C include clindamycin (and, in B, tretinoin), which are prescription-only — you'll need an appointment with your primary care provider or dermatologist.
Therapy ANo prescription needed

Topical Combination Therapy A — Adapalene + Benzoyl Peroxide

The best place to start, since both are sold over the counter. Usually one combined gel used once nightly: the retinoid (adapalene) unclogs pores while benzoyl peroxide clears acne bacteria.

AM Morning

  1. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser.
  2. Hydrating toner — optional.
  3. Optional: a few drops of vitamin C serum to brighten complexion — let it absorb before the next step.5
  4. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  5. Finish with sunscreen, SPF 30+.

Your active treatment is applied at night, so mornings stay simple.

PM Evening

  1. If you wore makeup or SPF, start with a makeup remover.
  2. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser.
  3. Hydrating toner — optional.
  4. Treatment: a pea-sized amount of adapalene + benzoyl peroxide gel, spread thinly over the whole area on dry skin.
  5. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  6. Sensitive skin? Buffer it — moisturizer first, then the gel from step 4, then moisturizer again.
  7. Optional (off-nights only): a hydroxypinacolone retinoate / retinol serum for anti-aging and a more even skin tone — use it only on nights you skip the treatment gel, and never layer two retinoids in one night.6

Ramp up slowly: start 2–3 nights a week and build to nightly as your skin adjusts. Give it 6–8+ weeks before judging results.

Therapy BPrescription required

Topical Combination Therapy B — Tretinoin + Clindamycin

Often a single evening gel. Tretinoin breaks down in sunlight and when mixed with benzoyl peroxide, so it goes on at night and stays away from BP. Because this combo has no BP, a benzoyl peroxide wash in the morning guards against antibiotic resistance.

AM Morning

  1. Cleanse with a benzoyl peroxide wash — the anti-resistance step.
  2. Hydrating toner — optional.
  3. Optional: a few drops of vitamin C serum to brighten complexion — let it absorb before the next step.5
  4. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  5. Finish with sunscreen, SPF 30+ — extra important on tretinoin.

PM Evening

  1. If you wore makeup or SPF, start with a makeup remover.
  2. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser — skip BP tonight; keep it away from tretinoin.
  3. Hydrating toner — optional.
  4. Treatment: a pea-sized amount of tretinoin + clindamycin gel on fully dry skin.
  5. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  6. Sensitive skin? Buffer it — moisturizer first, then the gel, then moisturizer again.
  7. Optional (off-nights only): a hydroxypinacolone retinoate / retinol serum for anti-aging and a more even skin tone — use it only on nights you skip the treatment gel, and never layer two retinoids in one night.6

Why the morning BP wash: a topical antibiotic should never run on its own — pairing clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide keeps bacteria from becoming resistant.

Therapy CPrescription required

Topical Combination Therapy C — Benzoyl Peroxide + Clindamycin

A single combined gel with no retinoid — the gentlest of the three to start, and a good fit when a retinoid isn't tolerated. Nothing here breaks down in sunlight, and the built-in benzoyl peroxide keeps the antibiotic working.

AM Morning

  1. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser.
  2. Hydrating toner — optional.
  3. Optional: a few drops of vitamin C serum to brighten complexion — apply before the gel and let it absorb. Benzoyl peroxide can oxidize vitamin C; if results fade, use vitamin C on alternate mornings.5
  4. Treatment: a thin layer of clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide gel on dry skin — BP can bleach fabric, let it dry.
  5. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  6. Finish with sunscreen, SPF 30+.

PM Evening

  1. If you wore makeup or SPF, start with a makeup remover.
  2. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser.
  3. Hydrating toner — optional.
  4. Treatment: apply the clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide gel again — only if prescribed twice daily; if it's once a day, use it here at night instead.
  5. Optional: a hydroxypinacolone retinoate / retinol serum for anti-aging and a more even skin tone — apply to dry skin before moisturizer, starting 2 nights a week. If your gel is applied at night, use the retinol on alternate nights to limit irritation.6
  6. Apply moisturizer — ceramide moisturizer preferred, to help protect your skin barrier during treatment.
  7. Optional: a soothing niacinamide serum if you're dry.

Good to know: with no retinoid, this combo is usually the easiest to tolerate — but a retinoid-based plan (A or B) treats clogged pores more completely.

General Guidelines

  • Never use an antibiotic on its own. Topical or oral antibiotics are always paired with benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid, so the bacteria don't become resistant.13
  • Keep antibiotics short. Oral antibiotics are usually capped around 12 weeks, and no more than about 6 months.12
  • Give it time. Most treatments take 6–8 weeks, and often longer, before you can tell whether they're working.1
  • Stay on maintenance. After your skin clears, an ongoing topical retinoid (with or without benzoyl peroxide) helps prevent relapse.13
  • Everyday basics. Use gentle, oil-free, non-comedogenic products and daily sunscreen, wash twice a day, and try not to pick or squeeze.14
  • When in doubt, see a professional. Sudden severe breakouts, scarring, pain, or feeling unwell are worth a prompt visit to a doctor.

Treatment guideline sources

  1. Vasam M, Korutla S, Bohara RA. Acne vulgaris: A review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and recent nanotechnology based advances. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports. 2023;36:101578. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10709101
  2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Acne vulgaris: management (NG198). nice.org.uk/guidance/ng198
  3. Reynolds RV, Yeung H, Cheng CE, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. American Academy of Dermatology. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2024. jaad.org
  4. Zaenglein AL, et al.; American Academy of Family Physicians. Acne Vulgaris: Diagnosis and Treatment. American Family Physician. 2019. aafp.org
  5. Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2017;10(7):14–17. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5605218
  6. Mukherjee S, Date A, Patravale V, Korting HC, Roeder A, Weindl G. Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2006;1(4):327–348. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2699641

Disclaimer: We are not medical doctors, and Glow is not a medical device or diagnostic service. This roadmap is a simplified, general-purpose educational summary — it is not personalized medical advice and shouldn't replace a real evaluation. Please see a licensed dermatologist or physician for diagnosis and a treatment plan suited to you.

FAQ

Questions, answered honestly

Why Glow exists, how it stays free, and where the money goes.

"

Our story & mission

Glow was built by someone who spent years struggling with acne themselves — and who knows firsthand how overwhelming it feels to stand in an aisle (or scroll through a hundred tabs) trying to figure out if a product will help or hurt. That experience is the whole reason Glow exists.

Our mission is simple: spread knowledge, help people feel more confident in their skin, and make shopping with acne-prone skin a less overwhelming, more informed experience. Everything else about how Glow is built and funded flows from that goal.

Why is Glow free?+

Because of the mission above, we want Glow to stay free to use and free of ad clutter. We'd rather it be genuinely useful to as many people as possible than paywall the information that helped us in the first place.

If it's free, how do you make money?+

We're not sponsored by any company directly. Glow may earn a small amount of affiliate revenue when you choose to buy a product through a link on our site — that revenue helps cover the cost of maintaining the extension, the app, and the ingredient database.

Do brands pay you to display their products?+

Simply, no. Brands may sponsor us to bring their products closer to the top of a search results page, but we never change our list of pore-clogging ingredients to make room for a product that's actually pore-clogging.

The only way for a product to appear on Glow at all is for it to pass the exact same ingredient checks as every other product on the site — sponsorship affects placement, never eligibility.

Where does the money go?+

We're committed to donating 20% of our bottom-line profit to Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, a nonprofit that provides free reconstructive surgeries to infants, children, and teens with physical deformities caused by birth, accidents, abuse, or disease.

Get in Contact

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Acne formation is a complex process. Please see our flowchart for general acne-treatment advice.
Find Clean Products

Every product here already passed the check.

Search for what you're shopping for — cleanser, foundation, sunscreen, anything — and browse our curated picks. For the final word, scan the actual product page with the Glow extension.

These are hand-curated suggestions, not a substitute for checking the label — formulas change and vary by region, so scan the product you're buying to be sure.

All clean products