comedogenic substance
- noun
- /ˌkoʊməˈdʒɛnɪk ˈsʌbstəns/
- Specialized
- Many moisturizers contain a comedogenic substance that can trigger breakouts.
Examples
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Dermatologists warn that using a comedogenic substance can worsen acne-prone skin.
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She avoided any comedogenic substance in her skincare routine to prevent breakouts.
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Always check product labels to see if they contain a comedogenic substance before use.
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Avoid using any comedogenic substance in your skincare routine.
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Always check product labels to see if they contain a comedogenic substance before use.
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Dermatologists warn that using a comedogenic substance can worsen acne-prone skin.
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She avoided any comedogenic substance in her skincare routine to prevent breakouts.
Synonyms
1
6.7
An ingredient in skin products that can block pores and cause acne
1
7.9
An ingredient that clogs skin pores and can cause acne or blackheads
A substance that clogs skin pores and often causes acne
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'comedogenic' means 'blocks pores/causes comedones' and 'substance' means 'material', so together they denote a material that clogs pores and can cause acne. The meaning is fully compositional and follows normal English morphology, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words can infer the phrase's meaning.
Etymology
Comedogenic substance comes from the word comedo, which means a small skin plug or blackhead, and a word part that means 'causing'. Picture a cream that makes tiny clogs in skin pores like blocked pipes, so the phrase means 'likely to cause acne by clogging pores'.