You searched "non-comedogenic foundation at Target." You found a list of products that say "non-comedogenic" on the box. But who checked the actual ingredients?
We did. We pulled the full INCI ingredient list for seven popular foundations you can buy at Target right now, and ran every single ingredient through TruHue's 856-compound acne audit. Not just the comedogenic scale — the full four-axis screen: pore-clogging load weighted by position, irritant scan, supportive actives, and claim verification.
Five passed clean. One flagged a moderate concern. One failed — and it's a product most people assume is safe.
The scorecard
| Foundation | Price | Verdict | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless | ~$9 | YAY | None |
| Maybelline SuperStay | ~$13 | YAY | None |
| Covergirl Clean Invisible | ~$13 | YAY | None |
| e.l.f. Camo CC Cream | ~$16 | YAY | None |
| NYX Bare With Me Serum | ~$13 | YAY | None |
| Neutrogena SkinClearing | ~$16 | OKAY | 1 moderate flag |
| L'Oréal True Match | ~$12 | NAY | Isopropyl myristate 5/5 |
Now let's look at each one.
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The 5 that passed clean
Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless
~$9 at Target · 40 shades
Base: water, dimethicone, isododecane. All three rated 0/5 comedogenic. The formula uses silicone-based emollients and nylon-12 for a matte finish instead of heavy oils or waxes.
Bonus: contains tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E, confirmed 0/5 by Fulton 1989) for antioxidant protection.
Maybelline SuperStay Liquid Foundation
~$13 at Target · 40 shades
Very similar architecture to Fit Me: water, dimethicone, isododecane base. Adds trimethylsiloxysilicate for the 24-hour wear claim. Zero ingredients above 2/5 on the comedogenic scale.
The silicone-heavy formula actually creates a barrier that reduces pore contact with environmental debris.
Covergirl Clean Invisible Liquid Foundation
~$13 at Target · 24 shades
Base: water, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, glycerin. Clean formula — zero pore-cloggers in any position. Contains hexyl laurate, but it's rated only 1/5 (not the 4/5 some online databases claim — no published study supports the higher number).
Contains niacinamide (vitamin B3) and panthenol (vitamin B5), both active acne-fighters that reduce inflammation and support the skin barrier.
e.l.f. Camo CC Cream SPF 30
~$16 at Target · 20 shades
Doubles as sunscreen (homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, octocrylene). The base is water and dimethicone. Zero ingredients rated 3/5 or higher in any position.
Contains niacinamide and allantoin — niacinamide regulates oil production and allantoin soothes irritation. Strong supportive ingredient profile for acne-prone skin.
NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum
~$13 at Target · 14 shades
The lightest formula in this group. Base: water, dimethicone, glycerin. Minimal ingredient list — 13 components total. Zero comedogenic flags.
Contains both niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid). Hydrates without contributing pore-clogging oils.
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Scan any barcode or search any product name. The acne audit runs against 856 ingredients and gives you a verdict in about three seconds.
Try the Free Acne AuditThe one that flagged
Neutrogena SkinClearing Liquid Makeup
~$16 at Target · 12 shades
Contains isostearyl neopentanoate (3/5 comedogenic, Fulton-tested) at position #9. That's a moderate concern — not an automatic fail, but not a clean pass either.
Flag: isostearyl neopentanoate (3/5) — position #9 (middle of formula).
Contains 0.5% salicylic acid, a proven BHA acne treatment. This is a trade-off product — you're getting a real acne-fighting active alongside a moderate comedogenic risk. If your skin handles it without breaking out, it's doing double duty.
The OKAY verdict means: proceed with awareness. Neutrogena SkinClearing is the only foundation in this group with a medicated acne-treatment ingredient. If salicylic acid works for your skin, this could actually be the smartest pick. If you tend to break out from moderate comedogens, choose one of the five YAYs instead.
The one that failed
L'Oréal True Match Super-Blendable Foundation
~$12 at Target · 45 shades
Contains isopropyl myristate at position #3 in the ingredient list. Isopropyl myristate is rated 5/5 on the Fulton comedogenic scale — the highest possible score. At position #3, it's one of the highest-concentration ingredients in the formula.
Hard fail: isopropyl myristate (5/5) at position #3. This is the single most comedogenic ingredient on the Fulton scale, sitting near the top of the formula. If you're acne-prone, this is a product to skip.
This is the one that catches people off guard. L'Oréal True Match has a great shade range (45 shades), it's a beloved drugstore classic, and it blends beautifully. None of that changes what's in the formula. Isopropyl myristate at 5/5, in the top three ingredients, is a clear NAY for acne-prone skin.
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How we checked these
For each product, we pulled the complete INCI ingredient list from the manufacturer. Every ingredient was matched against TruHue's 856-compound database, which includes comedogenic ratings sourced from Fulton and Kligman's published research, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), and cross-referenced against INCIDecoder and SkinSort.
The audit weighs each flagged ingredient by its position on the label. INCI rules require ingredients to be listed in descending order of concentration — so position #3 means high concentration, while position #25 means trace amount. A 4/5-rated ingredient in the top 30% of the list counts three times as much as the same ingredient in the bottom 40%.
We also verified our database ratings against published dermatological research before publishing this post. Five entries in our original database had ratings that weren't supported by Fulton's actual data — we corrected them. Every rating in this audit is now traceable to a published study or clearly marked as disputed when no study exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Target foundations are non-comedogenic?
Based on full INCI ingredient analysis against 856 known comedogens, these Target foundations passed TruHue's acne audit with zero pore-clogging flags: Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless, Maybelline SuperStay, Covergirl Clean Invisible, e.l.f. Camo CC Cream, and NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum. L'Oréal True Match failed due to isopropyl myristate (5/5 comedogenic) at position #3.
Is Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless safe for acne-prone skin?
Yes. Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless contains zero ingredients rated 3/5 or higher on the Fulton comedogenic scale. Its base is water, dimethicone, and isododecane — all rated 0/5. It earned a YAY verdict in TruHue's 856-ingredient acne audit.
Is L'Oréal True Match comedogenic?
L'Oréal True Match contains isopropyl myristate at position #3 in its ingredient list. Isopropyl myristate is rated 5/5 on the Fulton comedogenic scale — the highest possible score. At that concentration, it is a significant pore-clogging risk for acne-prone skin. It received a NAY verdict in TruHue's acne audit.
What does non-comedogenic actually mean on a foundation label?
Non-comedogenic means the product is formulated to not clog pores. However, the term is not regulated by the FDA — no testing standard is required, and no third-party verification is needed. Any brand can print it on any product. The only way to verify the claim is to check the actual ingredient list against known comedogenic compounds, which is what TruHue's acne audit does automatically.
Does the e.l.f. Camo CC Cream cause acne?
The e.l.f. Camo CC Cream contains zero ingredients rated 3/5 or higher for comedogenicity. It also contains niacinamide, which actively helps acne-prone skin by reducing inflammation and regulating oil production. It earned a YAY verdict in TruHue's 856-ingredient acne audit.
Keep exploring
By Claudia + Liv, TruHue
Honest makeup matching. Made by a mom and her daughter, in Oklahoma.
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Scan a barcode, search a product name, or snap a photo. The 856-ingredient acne audit grades the formula in about three seconds.
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