Lauric Acid.

What it does

It has shown notable antibacterial activity against the acne bacterium Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) acnes in lab studies.

Benefits

• Acts as a cleansing/foaming surfactant and emulsifier when saponified
• Lab studies show strong antibacterial activity against acne-causing C. acnes (one study needed far lower concentrations than benzoyl peroxide to inhibit it)
• Inexpensive, widely available coconut-derived fatty acid

Side effects

• Highly comedogenic (often rated 4/5), so it can clog pores and trigger breakouts on acne-prone facial skin
• Falls within the C11-C24 fatty-acid range that lipid-dependent Malassezia yeast can feed on, so it is generally flagged as a potential fungal-acne (Malassezia folliculitis) trigger
• The anti-acne data is laboratory-based, not from human face trials

Who it's for

Mainly a formulation aid (soaps, cleansers); body care where pore-clogging is less of a concern

Who should be careful

Acne-prone, comedone-prone, or fungal-acne (Malassezia folliculitis)-prone skin should be cautious on the face

• Lauric acid - Wikipediaencyclopedia
• Lauric Acid - INCIDecodercosmetic database
• Malassezia folliculitis - Wikipediaencyclopedia

Researched & reviewed · July 2, 2026