EWG Skin Deep® | Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Rating

EWG's Skin Deep®

Learn how Skin Deep® works Meet our experts Discover EWG VERIFIED^®

GET UPDATES DONATE

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®

Data Availability:

Limited

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash

WHERE TO BUY

Buy on Amazon

When you make a purchase through retailer links on our site, we may earn commission through affiliate programs. All affiliate fees EWG receives support our nonprofit mission. Learn more here

Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

LOW

Cancer
HIGH

Allergies & Immunotoxicity
LOW

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
HIGH

Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

WATER

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	solvent
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

SODIUM C14-16 OLEFIN SULFONATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	cleansing, foaming, surfactant, surfactant - cleansing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Contamination concerns (GAMMA SULTONE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, cleansing, foam boosting, hair conditioning, surfactant, viscosity controlling, antistatic agent, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous;surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - foam booster, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Use restrictions (high) • Contamination concerns (3-DIMETHYLAMINOPROPYLAMINE, COCAMIDOPROPYL DIMETHYLAMINE, and NITROSAMINES)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

SODIUM CHLORIDE

Data Availability: Robust

FUNCTION(S)	flavoring agent, oral care agent, viscosity increasing agent - aqueous
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

PEG-80 SORBITAN LAURATE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	emulsifying, fragrance ingredient, surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

CITRIC ACID

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, chelating, masking, chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

DISODIUM EDTA

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	chelating, viscosity controlling, chelating agent
CONCERNS	• Enhanced skin absorption • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

C12-15 ALKYL LACTATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	skin-conditioning agent - emollient
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antimicrobial, antistatic, deodorant, preservative, surfactant, antimicrobial agent, antistatic agent, cosmetic biocide, deodorant agent, surfactant -suspending agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Use restrictions (moderate) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

FRAGRANCE

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	deodorant, masking, perfuming
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (high) • Endocrine disruption (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Ecotoxicology (low) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

COCAMIDOPROPYL PG-DIMONIUM CHLORIDE PHOSPHATE

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	antistatic, hair conditioning, antistatic agent, hair conditioning agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

GLYCERIN

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	denaturant, humectant, perfuming, solvent, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF EXTRACT

Data Availability: Limited

FUNCTION(S)	external analgesic, humectant, oral care agent, skin-conditioning agent - emollient;skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	perfuming, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin-conditioning agent -occlusive
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (low) • Use restrictions (low) • Neurotoxicity (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	humectant, skin conditioning, solvent, viscosity controlling, fragrance ingredient, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin-conditioningagent - miscellaneous, viscosity decreasing agent
CONCERNS	• Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Enhanced skin absorption • Use restrictions (low) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

SODIUM HYDROXIDE

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	buffering, denaturant, ph adjuster
CONCERNS	• Use restrictions (high) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

FD&C Yellow No. 5 (CI 19140)

Data Availability: Good

FUNCTION(S)	colorant
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Neurotoxicity (moderate) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate) • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate) • Contamination concerns (BIPHENYL-2-YLAMINE, CADMIUM, and 1-napthylamine)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

FD&C Red No. 40 (CI 16035)

Data Availability: Fair

FUNCTION(S)	colorant
CONCERNS	• Cancer (low) • Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low) • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate) • Neurotoxicity (low) • Endocrine disruption (low) • Persistence and bioaccumulation (low) • Contamination concerns (MERCURY, 6-METHOXY-M-TOLUIDINE, ANILINE, and CADMIUM)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

Ingredients from packaging:

Active Ingredients: Salicylic Acid 2%; Inactive Ingredients: WATER, SODIUM C14-16 OLEFIN SULFONATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PEG-80 SORBITAN LAURATE, CITRIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, C12-15 ALKYL LACTATE, BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE, FRAGRANCE, COCAMIDOPROPYL PG-DIMONIUM CHLORIDE PHOSPHATE, GLYCERIN, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, YELLOW 5, RED 40

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.

PETA: Companies That Do Test on Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, has identified companies that "either test on animals or pay a laboratory to conduct tests on animals."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified^® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST

Low Availability

Moderate Availability

High Availability