Free tool
Free fungal acne (Malassezia) checker
Paste any cosmetic ingredient list to screen it against Macherre's current Malassezia trigger flags. Use the results as a first filter, not a diagnosis or a guarantee that a product will suit your skin.
Paste a comma-separated INCI list — we’ll flag potential Malassezia triggers
Why use this tool
Ingredient-level screening
Paste up to 100 INCI names and review each match against Macherre's current Malassezia trigger classifications.
Lipid-derived ingredient context
The screen can surface classified fatty acids, oils, fatty alcohols, esters and related ingredients for closer review.
Conservative result labels
A result says potential trigger, not flagged or not found—never that a product is guaranteed safe or unsafe.
How it works
- 1
Copy the full ingredient list
Grab the INCI block from a retailer page or read it off the product. Commas matter — keep the exact order.
- 2
Run the fungal acne screen
Macherre matches each recognized INCI name against its current potential-trigger classifications and separates unmatched names.
- 3
Cross-check with related tools
If you're also congestion-prone, run the result through the pore-clogging checker — fungal acne and comedonal acne can coexist.
Example output
Illustrative preview — exact layout may vary slightly in the app.
Flagged (Malassezia context)
- Coconut oilRich C12–C14 fatty acid spectrum
- Polysorbate 60Ester surfactant — context-dependent
- SqualaneOften tolerated — verify individually
Malassezia folliculitis, often called fungal acne, is an itchy acne-like eruption involving yeast in the hair follicles. It can resemble acne and other folliculitis, so an ingredient list cannot diagnose it; a qualified clinician may use examination, scraping, tape stripping or biopsy when confirmation is needed.
Malassezia species depend on external lipids, and laboratory studies show that some fatty acids, oils, alcohols and esters can support growth. Those findings do not prove that every derived ingredient—or a finished cosmetic at its actual concentration—will worsen an individual's skin. Macherre therefore reports potential trigger matches and explicitly distinguishes them from ingredients that are merely not flagged in the current database.
Frequently asked questions
What is fungal acne, exactly?▼
Fungal acne is the casual name for pityrosporum (Malassezia) folliculitis — an often-itchy eruption of similarly sized follicular papules and pustules associated with Malassezia yeast. It can resemble acne, so clinical confirmation matters.
Does a flagged ingredient automatically mean a breakout?▼
No. Rinse-off cleansers contact skin briefly, while leave-on creams sit there for hours — risk depends on use, concentration and your individual tolerance. Treat flags as context, not absolutes.
Can I self-diagnose fungal acne with this tool?▼
The checker can support a suspicion, but a definitive diagnosis usually needs microscopy or a dermatologist's eye. If symptoms persist, get it confirmed clinically.
Does this replace antifungal treatment?▼
No. Clinicians may use topical or oral antifungal treatment after assessing the condition, while this tool only screens an ingredient list. It cannot diagnose an eruption or recommend treatment.
Why does coconut oil flag so often?▼
Broad Malassezia screens often flag coconut oil because its fatty-acid profile includes lipids that conservative classification rules treat as potential substrates. The flag is not proof that a particular coconut-oil product will worsen your skin.
How accurate are community “FA-safe” lists?▼
They are broad screening aids rather than clinically validated predictions. Lists can evolve, ingredient names may be ambiguous, and finished formulas are rarely tested ingredient by ingredient, so use them as context rather than a diagnosis or guarantee.
What does the Malassezia ingredient checker flag?▼
It matches recognized INCI names against Macherre's current potential-trigger classifications, which focus on lipid-derived ingredients and related compounds. Because research has not tested every ingredient inside every finished formula, a match is a caution signal rather than proof of a breakout.
Is a product fungal-acne safe if nothing is flagged?▼
No. “Not flagged” only means the recognized ingredient has no current trigger flag in Macherre's database. Formulas change, names may not match, concentrations are usually unknown, and individual responses differ.
Sources and methodology
These references support the clinical terminology and laboratory context behind this screen. They do not validate every database classification or predict how a finished product will affect you.
- DermNet: Malassezia (pityrosporum) folliculitis — Clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment context.
- Lipid-dependent growth of Malassezia species in defined media — A 2025 laboratory study showing species- and fatty-acid-specific growth differences.
- Impact of selected cosmetic ingredients on common skin microorganisms — An in-vitro study of oils, alcohols, waxes and esters with Malassezia species.
Ready to try it in the app?
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