Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate: is it comedogenic?

Reviewed October 10, 2026

The short answer

We did not find a published comedogenicity rating for aluminum starch octenylsuccinate. It does not appear in the 1989 Fulton rabbit-ear table, a standard published ingredient table for this question. So there is no sourced number to give you, and this page will not make one up.

What is it?

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review describes it as the aluminum salt of the reaction product of octenylsuccinic anhydride with starch. In cosmetics it is used as an anticaking agent and a nonaqueous viscosity-increasing agent, at concentrations as high as 30% in the 2002 report. It shows up on the ingredient lists of some moisturizers.

What did the safety review conclude?

The CIR published a final report in 2002. In its later re-review it looked at newly available studies and updated use data, and confirmed that aluminum starch octenylsuccinate is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the practices of use and concentration described in the report. That is a safety conclusion, not an acne rating.

How to read it on a label

US cosmetic labels list ingredients in descending order of amount, but anything at 1% or less can appear in any order after those above 1%. Seeing it near the end of a list suggests a small amount, not a fixed one. Judge the whole product, how it feels on your skin, and what changes when you add or drop it.

What not to conclude

This page does not say aluminum starch octenylsuccinate is or is not comedogenic. It says we found no sourced rating, and that the safety review addresses cosmetic safety, not breakouts. Patch-test new products and ask a clinician about ongoing acne.