All scans / Cleansers / Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser

[ DEMYTHSKIN_SCORE · CLEANSER ]

Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser ingredients: is it worth it?

A competent but old-school cleanser—not a barrier-care formula, and the sulfate-led base keeps it firmly average.

[ SCAN_RESULT ]
Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser
— Neutrogena
Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser
Cleansing
Does it work?
3.6/ 5.0
Modest
Is it safe?
4.4/ 5.0
Gentle
THE VERDICT[$] Good Value$9.97

A competent but old-school cleanser—not a barrier-care formula, and the sulfate-led base keeps it firmly average.

READ MORE

The efficacy score is 3.6/5 because it should cleanse effectively, with cocamidopropyl betaine and amphoteric surfactants moderating the primary sodium trideceth sulfate, but there is no meaningful leave-on treatment benefit in a rinse-off product and no verified pH supplied. Glycerin offers limited rinse-off hydration support, while the high oleic-acid content and cleansing surfactant system may feel less comfortable on very dry or sensitive skin. The safety score is 3.6/5: fragrance is absent, but the sulfate surfactant, synthetic colorants, and potential sensitivity from cocamidopropyl betaine justify deductions.

Find on Amazon ↗→ Alternatives & dupes

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

DemythSkin rates Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser 3.6/5 for efficacy and 4.4/5 for safety.

GRADED AS CLEANSER — CLEANSING

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER

◄ DRIVES RESULTSWORKS AGAINST YOU ►
Doing the work · 12 ingredients
S

Gold Standards

High clinical proof | Skin-transformative
None detected
A

Reliable

Proven results
Glycerin
B

Potent

Developing evidence
Oleic AcidCoconut AcidSodium Trideceth SulfateSodium ChlorideDisodium CocoamphodiacetateSodium CocoamphoacetateBHTHexylene GlycolYellow 5Red 33Blue 1
Not doing the work · 0 ingredients
C

Overhyped | Marketing

Hype | Limited data
None detected
D

Documented Irritants

Evidence-backed flag
None detected
FORMULATION BASE (8)⌄
WaterSodium HydroxideTriethanolamineCocamidopropyl BetaineCaprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanolTrisodium HEDTACitric Acid
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄

water, glycerin, oleic acid, coconut acid, sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, sodium trideceth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium chloride, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, sodium cocoamphoacetate, caprylyl glycol, phenoxyethanol, bht, trisodium hedta, hexylene glycol, citric acid, yellow 5, red 33, blue 1 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. QUESTIONS

WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (20)⌄
Water
Formula solvent
Glycerin
Humectant moisturizer
Oleic Acid
Fatty acid cleanser
Coconut Acid
Cleansing fatty acid
Sodium Hydroxide
pH adjuster
Triethanolamine
pH adjuster
Sodium Trideceth Sulfate
Primary cleansing surfactant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Secondary cleansing surfactant
Sodium Chloride
Viscosity modifier
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
Mild cleansing surfactant
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
Mild cleansing surfactant
Caprylyl Glycol
Humectant and preservative booster
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant stabilizer
Trisodium HEDTA
Chelating agent
Hexylene Glycol
Solvent and humectant
Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Yellow 5
Colorant
Red 33
Colorant
Blue 1
Colorant

EXTERNAL CITATIONS

Glycerin: Humectant with well-established water-binding function

Cocamidopropyl Betaine: Mild amphoteric cleansing surfactant

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate: Mild amphoteric cleansing surfactant

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 · SCORES_HIGHER_FOR_LESS ]

A cheaper cleanser that scores as high or higher

A different formula for the same concern (cleansing) that scores at least as high on both efficacy and safety.

Unknown PS (Primark) Gentle Micellar Cleansing Water
Unknown
PS (Primark) Gentle Micellar Cleansing Water
3.7 4.6 efficacy · safety
$3
SAVE $7
See the score →
[ 02 · FAQ ]

Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser: common questions

Is Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser worth it?

Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser scores 3.6 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Modest) and 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. A competent but old-school cleanser—not a barrier-care formula, and the sulfate-led base keeps it firmly average.

What are the key active ingredients in Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser?

Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser contains no gold-standard actives. Its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.

Does Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser. It scores 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety.

How is Neutrogena Liquid Neutrogena Facial Cleanser 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.