Is Neutrogena Good For Acne?
To determine “Is Neutrogena Good For Acne?” in this post I will speak about Neutrogena as a brand, their products for acne, and the ingredients that they contain.

To know if one brand is good for acne we will have to look at the results of their products that are specifically made for acne treatment. For that purpose, I browsed the internet and gathered all of the reviews for their products and saw what did work most of the time and what did not.
Of course, I will go through all of the ingredients in their products to see why they will or not work for acne.
So let’s start with the Neutrogena products for acne.
Is Neutrogena Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Am Treatment Good For Acne

This is a pencil peroxide treatment but unlike other pencil peroxide treatments, Neutrogena decided to use micronized benzoyl peroxide. This is really beneficial for people who have sensitive skin because micronized benzoyl peroxide is as effective as regular one but it is much less irritating. Benzoyl peroxide is an anti-acne topical ointment that works to reduce oil, clear dead skin cells, and eliminate the bacteria that cause pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. It is surely one of the best anti-microbial ingredients and it is a gold standard when it comes to treating acne.
At the same time, these ingredients kill mela-cyclocolitis bacteria which is responsible for the appearance of the fungal acne. So with this said it is safe to say that this ingredient is going to help with both normal and fungal acne. Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Am Treatment contains 2.5% of Benzoyl peroxide which is certainly enough as there are studies that have proven how 2.5% of benzoyl peroxide is as effective as 10% but much less irritating.
When it comes to other ingredients you can find the full list on this link. Looking at the list you can see some thickening ingredients, some preservatives, and no antioxidants which are super important because benzoyl peroxide and antioxidants neutralize each other. Saying this make sure that when using this product not to use anything that contains antioxidants at least the same day.
This product doesn’t contain any alcohol or fragrances so that is a big plus. The reviews on the internet are very positive for Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Am Treatment and people are mostly praising its really gentle yet very effective formula.
Clinical Studies On Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Am Treatment
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews for the Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Am Treatment are extremely positive as many of the customers across the internet are suggesting that the product did its job. It got them rid of the constant (stubborn) acne in the expected period of time. Of course, there are some customers that have reported redness and dryness on their skin but it is important to know that not everyone reacts the same to the products. Because of that, it’s important to do the patch test of each product.
Apply a small amount of the product to a small area of your skin, such as behind your ear or on the inside of your wrist, and then leave the product on for at least 24 hours and monitor the area for any signs of irritation, such as redness, itching, or swelling.
Is Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Face Wash Good For Acne?

Unfortunately, for these products, I can’t say the same as I did for the Stubborn Acne Am Treatment which doesn’t contains alcohol or fragrance. The oil-free face wash contains fragrances and if you don’t know what fragrance is, it is a chemical that gives the final product a good smell.
Of course, as you can guess that can irritate skin and irritation is not a very welcoming occurrence when you have acne. Also if you have skin of color you should avoid fragrance because it is irritant and every irritation is potential hyperpigmentation. If you want to find various products without fragrance, search our posts from our home page as we only recommend products that don’t contain it.
This face wash also contains Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate which is a cleansing agent with high cleaning power and strong foaming properties. Because it has high cleaning power and strong foaming properties its purpose is to help this face wash to clean oils and dirt from your skin. Unfortunately, these two properties of a surfactant usually mean that it is harsh on the skin, which is the case here as well. This being said it is not recommended to use this product if you have sensitive skin.
Ingredients in the Neutrogena face wash
On the bright side, Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Face Wash is oils free, it is non-comedogenic and residue free. There are even more benefits of using Neutrogena oil-free face wash besides treating acne and here are some: It prevents future breakouts, reduces the appearance of acne scars, reduces excess oil on the skin, does not over-dry the skin, removes dirt, oil, and makeup and helps to improve skin texture and tone. All of these benefits are possible because of its ingredients and of course, I will analyze the most important ones, you can find the full list here.
The most important ingredient is Salicylic Acid and this face wash contains 2% of it. Salicylic Acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin and unclogs pores and it is known as one of the biggest enemies of acne. But, how does salicylic acid work? In short, salicylic acid dissolves the bonds that hold the dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. It is oil soluble, so it can penetrate the pore and exfoliate deeper into the skin. It also helps improve cell turnover and improve skin texture whilst regulating oil production.
If you are unsure of what is cell turnover, cell turnover refers to the process by which the body sheds dead skin cells and replaces them with new ones. When cell turnover slows down, dead skin cells can accumulate on the surface of the skin, leading to dullness, uneven texture, and clogged pores.
The next ingredient is Cocamidopropyl Betaine which is in short a gentle cleanser that helps to reduce inflammation.
Of course, this product also contains water. The next ingredient is Citric Acid which is an alpha-hydroxy acid that helps to exfoliate the skin.
It also contains vitamin C, which is good for treating redness, soothing topical abrasions, and any skin irritation. Vitamin C also improves hydration and moisture, helps bind moisture into the skin, and restores any depleted hydration.
Clinical Studies on Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Face Wash
There have been several studies and research on the effectiveness of Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. A clinical study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment found that the active ingredient in the face wash, salicylic acid, was effective in reducing acne lesions and improving overall skin texture in patients with mild to moderate acne.
Another study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that the combination of salicylic acid and a glycolic acid-based cleanser was effective in reducing the appearance of acne scars and improving skin tone and texture.
Customer Reviews
When it comes to internet reviews, there are mixed opinions since a lot of people tried using it while they have sensitive skin. As I have said above it can lead to more irritation if you have sensitive skin so definitely avoid it in that case. In the positive reviews, many people confirmed that it helped them treat acne by drying them out. Also, a few people with oily skin said that it has a tendency to over-dry their skin.
All in all pretty decent product for acne that can be used by a great number of people as the reviews have confirmed.
Is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer Good For Acne?

Oil free acne moisturizer same as the oil free face wash contains fragrance and that is negative factor. Of course this product also contains salicydic acid as active ingredient which is responsible for acne treatment. Above in the text, I have explained how salicylic acid works and how it treats acne. Next to the salicylic acid, this moisturizer contains water, Dicaprylyl Ether which is an odorless oily liquid that works as a fast-spreading emollient with a dry skin feel.
The next ingredient is Cetearyl Alcohol which is a multitasking ingredient with the main task of giving your skin a very soft feeling. The next very important ingredient is glycerin which is a natural moisturizer and plays a very important role in skin hydration.
One more very good ingredient is Gluceth-20 which also hydrates the skin and has a light and smooth skin feel. To see the full list of the ingredients visit this link.
Clinical Studies On Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer
Customer Reviews
There are several reviews that back up our opinion that people with sensitive skin should avoid this product as it caused irritation and redness. Of course, most of the people who don’t have sensitive skin reported success in acne treatment which is the result of containing salicylic acid in its formula.
Conclusion On Is Neutrogena Good For Acne
Overall Neutrogena’s line of products for acne certainly does its job which has been confirmed by numerous clinical studies and customer reviews. Of course, it’s important to know which product to pick for your skin type. I hope that this post will help you decide which Neutrogena product to pick for your acne treatment, good luck!