Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Fighting Face Wash with 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment — Efficacy 3.6/5.0, Safety 3.5/5.0 | DemythSkin
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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Fighting Face Wash with 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Fighting Face Wash with 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

CleanserAcne
Efficacy
Solid
3.6 / 5.0
Safety
Caution
3.5 / 5.0
System Verdict
Mediocre acne cleanser dragged down by harsh sulfonate surfactant that risks barrier stripping despite solid 2% salicylic acid. Efficacy score of 3.8 reflects full credit for contact-active 2% salicylic acid (effective in rinse-off per cleanser rules) but heavy deduction for Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate as #2 ingredient (aggressive primary cleanser, scores 1.5-2.5 range), partially offset by mild Cocamidopropyl Betaine co-surfactant; no pH specified but citric acid suggests acne-appropriate range; fragrance and dyes add irritation risk without efficacy boost.
Active Ingredients Detected
S Tier: Gold StandardsHigh Clinical Proof | Skin-Transformative
Salicylic Acid
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
WaterGlycerinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
Cocamidopropyl BetaineSodium ChloridePEG-80 Sorbitan LaurateCitric AcidDisodium EDTAC12-15 Alkyl LactateBenzalkonium ChlorideCocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride PhosphatePropylene GlycolSodium HydroxideYellow 5Red 40
C Tier: Marketing IdolsHype | Limited or Weak Data
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract
D Tier: Potential IrritantsBe Cautious
Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateFragrance
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DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.