Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment — Efficacy 2.6/5.0, Safety 3.6/5.0 | DemythSkin
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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Facial Astringent with 2% Salicylic Acid AcneTreatment

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

TonerAcne, Oil Control
Efficacy
Weak
2.6 / 5.0
Safety
Caution
3.6 / 5.0
System Verdict
This outdated cleanser-masque hybrid fails as an acne toner with zero salicylic acid despite claims, relying on clays and menthol for temporary oil control that strips the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. 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.
Active Ingredients Detected
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
WaterGlycerin
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
KaolinBentoniteSodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateTitanium DioxideCitric AcidXanthan GumSodium CitrateSodium HydroxideDisodium Edta
D Tier: Potential IrritantsBe Cautious
Benzyl AlcoholFragranceMenthol
What Each Ingredient Does
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
Full Ingredient List (INCI)

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.

Frequently Asked

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 (Weak) and 3.6 out of 5.0 for safety (Caution) 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. Efficacy score is low at 3.1 because th

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 potential 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 axes: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are classified S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. No brand pays for a score.

Analyze on DemythSkin

Analysis last updated: 2026-05-04. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.