There's no sugar-coating it: Clogged pores are the worst. Whether you're talking about blackheads, whiteheads, or full-on pimples, it's never a pretty situation. Adding insult to injury, preventing blockages is no simple feat. While there are certain ingredients that are more likely to clog pores than others (if you want to get technical, these ingredients are called 'comedogenic'), there are multiple other factors to consider, points out Emily Arch, M.D., a dermatologist at Dermatology + Aesthetics of Wicker Park in Chicago. "It really depends not only on the ingredient, but also its concentration, how it's been processed, what other ingredients are in the product and your skin type," she says.

That being said, there are certain ingredients that are potentially more problematic than others, especially for anyone who's prone to blocked pores to begin with. Read on to discover six pore-clogging culprits to avoid, plus other helpful expert advice for keeping your pores clear.

Image via Getty

Let's start with why and how a pore gets clogged, shall we? Dead cells build up along the walls of the pore, and are then coated with sebum, creating a blockage, explains celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau. That can then manifest as a blackhead, a whitehead or a pimple, all of which are known as comedones. Ingredients that are comedogenic (aka likely to create comedones), also coat the walls of the pore, upping the likelihood of a clog. And this is even more problematic and likely to happen if you have oily skin and there's more sebum to being with. But, to that point, if your complexion is naturally super dry, even commonly comedogenic ingredients may not pose an issue for you.

So how do you know if a product will clog your pores? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but, unfortunately, there's no surefire way of knowing. While you can find lists of comedogenic ingredients online, both Rouleau and Arch are quick to note that those aren't foolproof. As a general rule, if your skin is oily or acneic, it's not a bad idea to steer clear of those (and especially the six that they deemed as the most potentially problematic, which we'll get to in a sec). And because it's not just about the ingredient, but the formula as a whole, Arch suggests that oily skin types also avoid occlusive products -- heavy ointments and creams that create a barrier on the skin. If you want to determine for sure whether a product is going to cause clogs, you can test it out on a small spot on your back or chest, suggests Arch. Applying it twice a day for two weeks will give you a good sense as to whether or not it will clog pores when applied on your face, she explains.

Using products that have this term slapped on the label isn't a bad idea, but by no means does it guarantee a clear complexion. "'Non-comedogenic' implies that the manufacturer thinks it won't clog pores, but the term isn't regulated, so really, anyone could claim their product is non-comedogenic if they wanted to," notes Arch. "Any product can break anyone out, so you can't judge a product just by this term," adds Rouleau. A better bet is to read the ingredient label. Take note as to whether or not the product contains any of the six common cloggers, which, we're getting to (promise!), and also how high up they are on the list. Ingredients appear in order of concentration, so if one of these culprits is first, second or third on the list, that product may not be a good pick for someone who has oily skin, advises Rouleau. If it's one of the last ingredients, you may be OK (try the back test we mentioned earlier, to be extra safe). Now, without further ado, six ingredients to be wary of.

A wax that comes from the oil-glands of sheep (seriously, you can't make this stuff up), lanolin is commonly found in heavy balms and ointments. Because its composition is similar to that of our skin's natural oil, it's great at preventing moisture loss and healing chapped skin, but that also makes it a heavy, occlusive ingredient that has to potential to cause comedones, notes Arch.

"Mineral oil has a large molecule that's meant to create a seal on the skin," explains Rouleau. "This makes it beneficial in some circumstances, such as when it's used in hand creams, but I suggest people who are prone to clogged pores avoid using it on their face." It's typically found in heavy, rich creams and moisturizers. FYI, petrolatum falls in the same boat, as both it and mineral oil are petroleum byproducts with similar pore-clogging tendencies, notes Rouleau.