All scans / Toners / Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment

[ DEMYTHSKIN_SCORE · TONER ]

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment ingredients: is it worth it?

This outdated cleanser-masque hybrid fails as an acne toner with zero salicylic acid despite claims, relying on clays and menthol for temporary oil control that strips the barrier.

[ SCAN_RESULT ]
Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment
— Neutrogena
Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment
Acne, Oil Control
Does it work?
2.6/ 5.0
Underpowered
Is it safe?
3.6/ 5.0
Mostly Gentle
THE VERDICT[-] Not Worth It$9.99

This outdated cleanser-masque hybrid fails as an acne toner with zero salicylic acid despite claims, relying on clays and menthol for temporary oil control that strips the barrier.

READ MORE

Efficacy score is low at 3.1 because the verified INCI lacks the declared 2% salicylic acid (likely a different product page), no BHA exfoliation, and includes irritants like menthol/fragrance in a rinse-off format that delivers no lasting acne benefit; clays provide short-term mattifying but harm barrier long-term without actives.

Find on Amazon ↗→ Alternatives & dupes

We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Links never influence scores.

DemythSkin rates Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment 2.6/5 for efficacy and 3.6/5 for safety.

GRADED AS TONER — ACNE, OIL CONTROL
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄

Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Benzyl Alcohol, Fragrance. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER

◄ DRIVES RESULTSWORKS AGAINST YOU ►
Doing the work · 11 ingredients
S

Gold Standards

High clinical proof | Skin-transformative
None detected
A

Reliable

Proven results
WaterGlycerin
B

Potent

Developing evidence
KaolinBentoniteSodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateTitanium DioxideCitric AcidXanthan GumSodium CitrateSodium HydroxideDisodium Edta
Not doing the work · 3 ingredients
C

Overhyped | Marketing

Hype | Limited data
None detected
D

Documented Irritants

Evidence-backed flag
Benzyl AlcoholFragranceMenthol
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄

Water, Glycerin, Kaolin, Bentonite, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Disodium Edta, Menthol Watch Skin University on TikTok and YouTube to dive deeper into our ingredients. Disclaimer While Neutrogena ® strives to keep ingredient lists on this website as accurate as possible, we cannot guarantee that these lists are complete, reliable, up-to-date, and error-free. Please refer to the ingredients list on the product packaging for the most accurate list of ingredients.

WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (14)⌄
Water
solvent base
Glycerin
humectant moisturizer
Kaolin
oil-absorbing clay
Bentonite
oil-absorbing clay
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
gentle surfactant
Titanium Dioxide
Pigment / opacifier in this formula — not acting as a UV filter.
Citric Acid
pH adjuster exfoliant
Xanthan Gum
thickening agent
Benzyl Alcohol
preservative solvent
Sodium Citrate
pH buffer
Sodium Hydroxide
pH adjuster
Fragrance
scent masker
Disodium Edta
chelating agent
Menthol
cooling irritant

EXTERNAL CITATIONS

Salicylic Acid: Missing from verified INCI despite 2% claim

Kaolin/Bentonite: Oil-absorbers effective short-term

Menthol/Fragrance: Common irritants in toners

DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.

[ 01 · FAQ ]

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment: common questions

Is Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment worth it?

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment scores 2.6 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Underpowered) and 3.6 out of 5.0 for safety (Mostly Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This outdated cleanser-masque hybrid fails as an acne toner with zero salicylic acid despite claims, relying on clays and menthol for temporary oil control that strips the barrier.

What are the key active ingredients in Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment?

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment contains no gold-standard actives. Its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.

Does Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin flags these ingredients in Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment as documented irritants: Benzyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Menthol. This product does contain fragrance.

How is Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment scored?

DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.

[ SCAN_YOUR_SHELF ]
Check the next product before you buy it.

Free scores for every product in the database, or see them on Sephora, Ulta and Amazon with the Chrome extension.