Ingredient list › Fermented Rice Water
Does Fermented Rice Water clog pores?
Quick answer: No — Fermented Rice Water is non-comedogenic (rated 0/5) and is not known to clog pores. It is also a common fungal-acne (Malassezia) trigger.
Fermented Rice Water is considered non-comedogenic — it is not known to clog pores and is generally a safe choice for acne-prone skin.
What is Fermented Rice Water?
Fermented Rice Water is a botanical (plant) extract. You'll most often see it in 'natural' and plant-based serums, creams, toners and masks.
Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe? No — this is a common Malassezia (fungal acne) trigger, so avoid it if you have fungal acne. Check a whole product for fungal-acne triggers →
Is Fermented Rice Water comedogenic?
Fermented Rice Water has a comedogenicity rating of 0/5 — non-comedogenic (acne safe). Remember that where an ingredient sits in the list matters: Fermented Rice Water near the top means a higher concentration and more impact than the same ingredient near the end.
Similar acne-safe ingredients
Fermented Rice Water is already a low-risk choice. Other acne-safe options you may see alongside it include:
- Royal Jelly Extract — Acne safe · 0/5
- Saccharomyces Ferment — Acne safe · 0/5
- Sage Extract — Acne safe · 0/5
- Salix Alba Bark Extract — Acne safe · 0/5
- Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract — Acne safe · 0/5
How we rate comedogenicity — and its limits
The 0–5 comedogenicity scale comes from dermatology research that measured how much individual ingredients clogged pores, originally using the rabbit-ear assay (Fulton et al., 1984). A rating reflects an ingredient's potential to clog pores at high concentration — not a guarantee that any finished product will break you out.
That distinction matters. A later review (Draelos & DiNardo, 2006) found that a single ingredient's comedogenic score does not reliably predict how a complete formula behaves on real skin: concentration, the rest of the formula, and your own skin all change the result. So read Fermented Rice Water's 0/5 as a risk signal — most useful when the ingredient sits near the top of the list — rather than a verdict on one specific product.
AcneSafeCheck compiles published comedogenicity ratings and dermatology references into one searchable database. It is educational, not a lab test of your specific product, and not medical advice.
References
- Fulton JE Jr, Pay SR, Fulton JE III. Comedogenicity of current therapeutic products, cosmetics, and ingredients in the rabbit ear. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1984;10(1):96–105. PubMed
- Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(3):507–512. PubMed
- American Academy of Dermatology. Acne: causes, treatment and skin-care guidance. aad.org
By Mitchell Zandwijken · Rated against the published comedogenicity references above · Last updated July 2026.