
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Acne face moisturizer with Salicylic Acid
FEATURES
Lightweight, non-greasy formula, fights breakouts while hydrating
BEST FOR
oily
CHECKS
Free of oil, alcohol, paraben, sulfate
Who Is It For?
Adult Baby Acne-prone SkinWhat Does It Help With?
Acne Management Hydration Clear SkinBudget
Affordable (under $30)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What Neutrogena Says
Product Description:
Our lightweight, oil-free moisturizer for daily use fights breakouts while hydrating, for clear, soft skin. Pair it with your favorite acne cleanser or face scrub for a complete acne skin care routine.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Water, Dicaprylyl-Ether, Cetearyl-Alcohol, Glycerin, Neopentyl-Glycol-Dietheylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Methyl-Gluceth-20, Aluminum-Starch-Octenylsuccinate, Ceteth-10-Phosphate, Dicetyl-Phosphate, Steareth-20, Steareth-2, Neopentyl-Glycol-Diisostearate, Sodium-Benzoate, Fragrance, Sodium-Hydroxide, Disodium-EDTA, Xanthan-Gum, Magnesium-Aluminum-Silicate, BHT, Citrus-Grandis-Fruit-Extract
Key Ingredients
Salicylic Acid 0.5%, Glycerin, Dimethicone
Ingredients Details
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Common Name(s): Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate,cosmetic active,functional ingredient
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function at recommended use concentration.
Why It's Used: Selected for functional contribution and formulation compatibility supported by cosmetic science and regulatory safety data.
How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class โ physicochemical or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed cosmetic literature.
Typically Found In: Skin care formulations
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Conditional
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate has an established safety and efficacy profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework at standard use concentrations.
Last Verified: Cosing database,aluminum starch octenylsuccinate technical literature
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cetearyl Alcohol
Common Name(s): Cetostearyl alcohol,c16-18 fatty alcohol
CAS Number: 8005-44-5
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides fatty alcohol emulsification and thickening for stable, well-textured emulsions.
Why It's Used: The most widely used fatty alcohol in cosmetics โ provides emulsification, thickening, and emolliency simultaneously from a single ingredient with excellent safety profile.
How It Works: Forms bilayer lamellar structures in water with emulsifiers creating a viscous structured network that thickens and stabilizes emulsions. fatty alcohol emolliency provides direct skin conditioning. bilayer formation reduces inter-droplet coalescence in emulsions.
Typically Found In: Creams,lotions,conditioners โ virtually all emulsion products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ fatty alcohol emulsifier/thickener
Secondary Functions: Barrier sealing,softening
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ25%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from vegetable or coconut/palm fatty acids
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Plant-derived, synthetic or animal-derived. verify source.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 โ low; formulation-dependent
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Cetearyl alcohol's ability to form lamellar liquid crystal structures ('krafft phases') with water and co-emulsifiers provides not only emulsion stability but also enhanced skin penetration via the lamellar skin barrier pathway. these crystalline structures can act as a reservoir for active ingredients, slowly releasing them as the lamellar structure melts on skin contact.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
Common Name(s): Ethoxylated nonionic emulsifier,peg-based o/w emulsifier,solubiliser
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides peg-based ethoxylated nonionic emulsification and solubilisation.
Why It's Used: Ethoxylated nonionic emulsifier โ peg chain length determines hlb allowing precise o/w emulsification tuning, while the nonionic character eliminates charge-related irritation and provides compatibility with all other surfactant types.
How It Works: Fatty alcohol/acid + ethylene oxide (eo) โ ethoxylate. eo count = hlb control. nonionic: no charge, no irritation. o/w emulsification at hlb>10. solubilisation. broad ph stability. compatible all surfactants.
Typically Found In: O/w emulsions,solubilisation systems
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ20%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Peg chain hlb engineering: griffin's hlb = 20 ร (peg mass / total molecular mass). increasing eo count increases peg mass fraction โ higher hlb. at hlb 3-6: w/o emulsification; hlb 8-16: o/w emulsification; hlb 16+: micellar solubilisation. this systematic hlb control from eo chain length allows formulators to dial in precise emulsifier geometry from one chemical series by simply selecting the appropriate eo count โ the foundational principle of surfactant hlb formulation engineering.
Last Verified: Cosing database,peg ethoxylate hlb engineering review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Dicaprylyl Ether
Common Name(s): Dicaprylyl ether,cosmetic active,functional ingredient
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function at recommended use concentration.
Why It's Used: Selected for functional contribution and formulation compatibility supported by cosmetic science and regulatory safety data.
How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class โ physicochemical or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed cosmetic literature.
Typically Found In: Skin care formulations
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Conditional
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Dicaprylyl ether has an established safety and efficacy profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework at standard use concentrations.
Last Verified: Cosing database,dicaprylyl ether technical literature
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12