Nylon-12: Comedogenic Rating & Ingredient Analysis
Nylon-12 is a fine synthetic powder used to give makeup and skincare a silky, smooth, soft-focus finish. Its tiny, often spherical particles roll across the skin like microscopic ball bearings, filling in surface irregularities, absorbing a little oil and diffusing light so pores and fine lines look softer. It is a common filler in pressed and loose powders, foundations, primers and blurring creams, valued for a velvety slip and a matte, blurred effect. It is an inert, surface-level cosmetic ingredient with a very clean tolerance record and a comedogenic rating near zero.
Quick facts
- Comedogenic rating
- our estimate — not measured
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Effective pH
- —
- Typical strength
- 1–15%
- Pregnancy
- Considered safe
- Suits skin types
- oilycombinationnormalacne-prone
Where this number comes from
No one has published a comedogenic rating for this ingredient. Fulton's 1989 table tested about 250 raw materials and this was not among them, and we found no later study measuring it. The figure shown is our own reasoning from the ingredient's chemistry and how it is used — treat it as an estimate, not a measurement.
Fulton read his own scale as 0-1 not significant, 2-3 borderline, 4-5 positive. The assay is the rabbit ear at 10% dilution, which the paper itself calls extremely sensitive and not fully predictive of human skin. Ratings describe the raw ingredient; concentration and formulation change real-world behaviour.
Caution profile
The four published fields on this page, on one 0–5 scale. Further from the centre means more care is needed — never that the ingredient is worse.
Derived, not measured: pore-clogging is the published comedogenic rating; irritation maps low/moderate/high to 1/3/5; pregnancy maps safe/caution/avoid to 0/3/5; skin-type limits is how many of the seven skin types this entry does NOT list. Every input is printed in words in the quick-facts card above.
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 | Published field |
|---|---|---|
| Pore-clogging | 0 | 0/5 |
| Irritation | 1 | Low |
| Skin-type limits | 2.1 | 4/7 |
| Pregnancy | 0 | Considered safe |
Working pH and typical strength
Where this ingredient is formulated to sit, and at what concentration.
Both bars come from the fields above: the pH window and the typical strength range published for this ingredient. The tinted column is healthy skin's surface pH (about 4.7–5.75).
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 |
|---|---|
| Typical strength | 1–15% |
What is it?
Nylon-12 is polyamide-12, a synthetic polymer milled into extremely fine powder, frequently in smooth spherical form. Those spheres give it its defining sensory quality: an exceptionally silky, cushioned glide that helps products spread and feel luxurious. Optically, the particles scatter light to blur the look of pores and texture, and they absorb a modest amount of oil to reduce shine and improve wear. Because it sits on the surface and does not penetrate, it functions as a texture and finish enhancer rather than an active. It is often blended with talc, mica and silicone elastomers like dimethicone-crosspolymer to fine-tune slip and blur.
Benefits
Silky, smooth slip
Its fine spherical particles roll across the skin, giving powders and foundations a luxuriously silky glide that improves how they apply.
Soft-focus blur
By scattering light, nylon-12 visually softens pores, fine lines and uneven texture, contributing to the blurred finish of primers and powders.
Absorbs oil
It soaks up a modest amount of sebum, helping matte shine and extend makeup wear, which suits oily and combination skin.
Improves powder feel
As a filler it refines the texture of pressed and loose powders, working alongside talc, mica and iron-oxides for an even, comfortable finish.
How to use
Nylon-12 comes inside finished powders, foundations, primers and blurring creams; use them as directed. For a smoother, more blurred look, a powder or primer containing it helps refine texture, applied lightly over skincare and sunscreen. Its oil absorption suits shine-prone skin, though on very dry skin a heavy powder can look flat, so use sparingly. The powder stays in the makeup layer itself, so ordinary cleansing takes it off at the end of the day. There is no conflict with treatment actives like niacinamide layered underneath.
Side effects
Nylon-12 is inert and very well tolerated, with a low irritation profile and a comedogenic rating around zero, so it rarely contributes to breakouts. It is a surface ingredient with no meaningful systemic concerns. As a synthetic polymer powder it is not biodegradable, which is an environmental rather than a skin consideration. The main practical drawback is cosmetic: heavy application on dry skin can emphasize flakiness.
Who should avoid it
There is no group that needs to avoid nylon-12 for skin safety; it is considered acceptable in pregnancy and suits oily and acne-prone skin especially well. People with very dry skin may prefer more emollient, less powdery formulas. Those avoiding synthetic polymers for environmental reasons can look for mineral-powder alternatives like talc or silica.
Pairs well with
Frequently asked questions
What does nylon-12 do in makeup?
It is a fine powder that absorbs oil, blurs the look of pores and texture, and gives a silky, soft-focus slip, refining the feel and finish of powders and foundations.
Does nylon-12 clog pores?
No. It has a comedogenic rating near zero and sits on the surface, so it is suitable for acne-prone skin and often used in mattifying products.
Is nylon-12 good for oily skin?
Yes. It absorbs a modest amount of oil and gives a soft-focus matte finish, which helps control shine and extend makeup wear on oily and combination skin.
Is nylon-12 safe?
Yes. It is an inert cosmetic powder, very well tolerated on the skin and considered acceptable during pregnancy, with no meaningful systemic concerns.
Sources & further reading
Medical disclaimer
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