Neutrogena Review, Is Neutrogena Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 20 graded products, Neutrogena averages Good (62/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 14 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Does Neutrogena have PFAS, by category
Worth buying from Neutrogena Good or better, safest first
Neutrogena
T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo
aqueous liquid shampoo (salicylic acid, conditioning agents)
Salicylic acid skin irritation and sensitization
Salicylic acid is a known irritant at higher concentrations or with prolonged contact…
Preservative-related contact dermatitis (fragrance and preservatives)
Liquid shampoos require preservatives and fragrances to prevent microbial growth and mask…
Contamination or microbial growth if improperly stored or maintained
Liquid shampoos can support bacterial or fungal growth if the bottle cap is left…
Lower concern; standard shampoo with no known PFAS use or water-repellent coating treatment.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Moisturizing Healthy Scalp Hydro Boost Shampoo
aqueous shampoo (water, surfactants, polymers)
1,4-dioxane (processing contaminant)
Common impurity in ethoxylated surfactants used in mass-market shampoos. Not…
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
Neutrogena shampoos list 'fragrance' as a catch-all ingredient. Individual sensitized…
Lower PFAS concern; typical rinse-off cosmetic with no known water-repellent coating treatment or fluorinated additives.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Exfoliating Healthy Scalp Clarify & Shine Shampoo
aqueous shampoo formulation with surfactants and conditioning agents
1,4-dioxane (contaminant in surfactants)
Aqueous shampoos with ethoxylated surfactants may contain trace 1,4-dioxane as a…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, and imidazolidinyl urea are common preservatives in…
Fragrance allergens
Fragrance is listed as a single ingredient without disclosure of constituent chemicals.…
Scalp irritation from physical/chemical exfoliants
Exfoliating shampoos with microbeads or salicylic acid can cause temporary dryness…
Lower-concern choice; no known PFAS indicators in standard shampoo format, but no brand disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Hair Restore Strength + Purity Shampoo
aqueous shampoo base (water, surfactants, conditioning agents)
Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
Shampoos in this category typically contain fragrance blends that can trigger contact…
1,4-dioxane (surfactant byproduct)
Sulfate-based surfactants can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane as a manufacturing trace…
Lower PFAS concern; typical rinse-off shampoo with no known triggers.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Clean Replenishing Shampoo
aqueous shampoo base with surfactants
Fragrance allergens and sensitization
The product contains fragrance (listed generically on label). Specific fragrance…
1,4-dioxane contamination
1,4-dioxane is a potential contaminant in shampoos formulated with ethoxylated…
Lower concern; typical rinse-off shampoo with no documented PFAS risk, but brand offers no transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
T/ Sal Shampoo
aqueous shampoo base with salicylic acid and sulfur
Salicylic acid skin irritation (concentration-dependent)
At typical shampoo concentrations (1.5-2%), salicylic acid is low-risk for brief scalp…
Sulfur odor and contact dermatitis (sulfur sensitivity)
Elemental sulfur is a known allergen in a small subset of the population; contact…
1,4-dioxane or dioxane precursors in surfactants
Sodium lauryl sulfate and similar anionic surfactants can be contaminated with…
Lower concern; traditional shampoo formulation with no known PFAS-prone ingredients or treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Scalp Therapy Anti-Dandruff Extra Strength Shampoo
aqueous shampoo base (surfactants, salicylic acid, conditioning agents)
Salicylic acid irritation (localized scalp sensitivity)
Salicylic acid at anti-dandruff strengths (1.5-2%) is safe for most users but can cause…
Fragrance allergens
Neutrogena Scalp Therapy contains fragrance compounds; no comprehensive allergen list is…
Preservative safety (undisclosed formula details)
Full preservative system is not detailed on consumer-facing materials. Modern shampoo…
Lower concern; rinse-off shampoo with no known PFAS-prone features, but no public PFAS commitment.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
T/ Sal Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
aqueous shampoo base with salicylic acid and sulfur actives
Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
Fragrance compounds in shampoos can trigger allergic contact dermatitis or scalp…
Salicylic acid skin irritation with overuse
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that can cause dryness, irritation, or temporary…
Lower concern. No PFAS triggers found in typical shampoo formulation.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Daily Facial Moisturizer
Water, glycerin, dimethicone, emollients, typical moisturizer base
Fragrance allergens
Product formulation does not list fragrance as a primary ingredient in publicly available…
1,4-dioxane contamination
1,4-dioxane is a common trace contaminant in products containing ethoxylated ingredients…
Lower concern for standard facial moisturizer, but Neutrogena hasn't disclosed testing.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Hydro Boost Water Gel
Water-based gel with glycerin and humectants
Fragrance allergens and fragrance mix reactions
Product contains fragrance (ingredient listed but specific components not publicly…
Parabens
Neutrogena typically uses paraben or phenoxyethanol preservative systems in water-based…
Lower concern; no known PFAS triggers identified, but no brand disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Ultra Gentle Daily Face Moisturizer with SPF 30
water-based emulsion with mineral sunscreen filters
1,4-dioxane (manufacturing byproduct)
Water-based emulsions can contain trace 1,4-dioxane from ethoxylated surfactants used as…
Lower PFAS concern; mineral sunscreen formulation reduces waterproofing-related risk.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Hydro Boost Water Cream
Water-based emulsion cream; no Teflon-type coating, Teflon-family coating, or durable water repellency claimed
Preservative sensitivity and allergic contact dermatitis
Water-based creams require preservatives; common agents in Neutrogena lines include…
Fragrance allergens
Hydro Boost Water Cream contains fragrance (parfum listed as an ingredient in standard…
Emulsifier-related irritation or barrier compromise
Synthetic emulsifiers (commonly polysorbates or cetyl alcohol derivatives) can…
Contamination risk from improper storage or use
Water-based formulations are more susceptible to microbial overgrowth than anhydrous…
Lower concern; typical moisturizer with no known PFAS-linked ingredients.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Hydro Boost SPF 50 Moisturizer
Water-based moisturizer with humectants (hyaluronic acid); no coating or treatment
Fragrance allergens
Most Neutrogena SPF moisturizers include fragrance or fragrance compounds; hypoallergenic…
1,4-dioxane (manufacturing residue)
This contaminant can form during synthesis of some emulsifiers and surfactants used in…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Water-based moisturizers typically use preservatives such as methylisothiazolinone or…
Lower PFAS concern for standard moisturizer, but brand transparency is absent.
⚠Risky category by default
Neutrogena
Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer
Water gel emulsion (glycerin, hydrating polymer base)
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Water-based gels typically use preservatives like methylisothiazolinone or phenoxyethanol…
Fragrance allergens
Hydro Boost variants include both fragrance-free and lightly scented formulations.…
BPA & bisphenols
Hydro Boost is packaged in plastic bottles or pump dispensers; composition of these…
Lower PFAS concern; typical water-gel moisturizer without known high-risk chemistries.
⚠Risky category by default
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Neutrogena
Beach Defense SPF 70 Sunscreen Lotion
Water-resistant lotion emulsion with mineral and organic UV filters
Oxybenzone and avobenzone absorption
FDA 2019-2020 studies detected oxybenzone in blood plasma after single sunscreen…
Allergic contact dermatitis from fragrance or avobenzone photodegradation
Neutrogena sunscreens typically include fragrance compounds; avobenzone degrades under UV…
Mineral filter particle inhalation (if spray applied)
Beach Defense is a lotion formulation (not spray), so inhalation risk is minimal. If user…
Ocular irritation or keratitis from residual film
Water-resistant sunscreen residue on eyelids can persist 4-6 hours post-application and…
Waterproof cosmetics commonly use PFAS; Neutrogena provides no disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Neutrogena
Hydro Boost Sunscreen Water Gel Lotion SPF
water-based gel lotion with waterproofing agent
Undisclosed waterproofing agents (likely fluorinated)
Waterproof sunscreen formulations almost always require fluorinated surfactants or…
1,4-dioxane (common gel emulsifier contaminant)
Water-based gel and lotion formulations frequently use ethoxylated surfactants that may…
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
The product contains fragrance or masking agents; exact composition is not disclosed…
Preservative system stability under UV and heat
Water-based gels require preservatives (often parabens or formaldehyde-releasers) to…
Waterproof sunscreen raises PFAS concern; brand silent on ingredients.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Neutrogena
Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Spf Sunscreen
water-resistant cosmetic emulsion, likely silicone or polymer-based
Fragrance allergens
Ultra Sheer formulations typically contain fragrance to mask silicone scent; ingredient…
Silicone or polymer skin sensitivity
Cyclopentasiloxane and acrylate polymers used for dry-touch feel may cause comedogenicity…
1,4-Dioxane (process contaminant)
Water-in-silicone emulsions may contain trace 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylated…
Waterproof sunscreen likely contains water-resistant additives; PFAS status unclear.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Neutrogena
Beach Defense SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
water-resistant lotion with mineral UV filters
PFAS
Water-resistant sunscreens typically use fluorochemical compounds to achieve durability…
Heavy metals
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can be contaminated with lead, cadmium, or arsenic during…
Fragrance allergens
Sunscreens often contain fragrance masking to improve consumer appeal. Neutrogena lists…
Water-resistant sunscreen; PFAS use undisclosed, moderate risk.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Neutrogena
Beach Defense SPF Sunscreen Lotion
Oil and water-resistant lotion emulsion
Fragrance allergens and skin irritation
Waterproof sunscreens often contain fragrance compounds to mask emollient odor. Beach…
Chemical UV filter photostability and skin penetration
Avobenzone and octinoxate (common in Neutrogena formulations) are documented to degrade…
Emulsion stability and rancidity over time
Oil-in-water emulsions can separate or develop rancid odor if stored warm or past…
Silicone or synthetic polymer residue buildup on skin
Waterproof formulations typically contain silicone derivatives for water resistance.…
Moderate concern. Waterproof sunscreens often hide PFAS; brand is silent.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Neutrogena
Clear Face Oil-Free Sunscreen
Oil-free sunscreen (aqueous base with UV filters, silicones)
PFAS
Waterproof sunscreens in this class commonly use fluorinated compounds as…
Volatile silicone inhalation risk
Cyclopentasiloxane and similar volatile silicones may off-gas in warm environments or…
UV filter allergic contact dermatitis
Avobenzone (if present) is a known contact allergen in some users; incidence is low but…
Silicone and ingredient buildup on skin
Oil-free silicone-based sunscreens can leave a residue that traps bacteria or impurities…
Choose verified products; waterproof sunscreens may contain PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →