Tribehenin: what it is, and is it comedogenic?

Reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Tribehenin is a skin-conditioning thickener used in creams, balms and sticks. Its comedogenicity rating is unknown: we did not find a verified published rating. 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?

Tribehenin is glyceryl tribehenate: three behenic acid molecules joined to glycerin, in the same triglyceride family as many plant oils and butters. In a formula it thickens, stabilizes and softens. On a US label it appears simply as Tribehenin.

What did the safety review conclude?

The CIR published a final report on 23 glyceryl triesters, including tribehenin, in 2001. It concluded that the reviewed ingredients are considered safe as used in cosmetics. In human repeated-insult patch testing cited there, tribehenin at 0.38% in a commercial product produced no reaction. The report also recommended care with this group because glyceryl triesters can enhance the penetration of other chemicals into skin. That is a safety conclusion, not an acne rating.

How to read it on a label

US cosmetic labels generally list ingredients in descending order of amount, but anything at 1% or less can appear in any order after those above 1%. Its position does not tell you the exact concentration. 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 tribehenin is or is not comedogenic. It says we found no sourced rating, and that the safety review addresses cosmetic safety, not breakouts. Test a new product on a small area of skin, twice daily for 7 to 10 days, before full use, and ask a clinician about ongoing acne.