Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner Review

Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner
1.5
/ 10
Moisturizing
3.0 Humectancy icon Humectancy
0.0 Occlusivity icon Occlusivity
Ingredients

Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner Ingredients

Hover to see details. On mobile? Tap for ingredient stories!

Full Ingredient List (INCI):

Water, Alcohol Denat., PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Menthyl Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Fragrance
Review

Does Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner Work?

 
According to CreamScan's analysis of the ingredient list, here’s what Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner has to offer:
 
✅ A bit of moisturizing. It has a moisturizing rating of 1.5 out of 10.

  

Key Benefits of Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner

 
These are the key benefits you can expect from using Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner:
 

🔵 Slight Moisturizing When Used Alone

According to CreamScan analysis, Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner is slightly moisturizing, with a moisturizing rating of 1.5 out of 10.

Is it more humectant or occlusive? Purely humectant. It has zero occlusivity (we didn't find any occlusive ingredients on the ingredient list) and a moderate humectancy of 3.0 out of 10, entirely due to the high content of Glycerin (est. ≈3.0%).

This type of product provides relatively light moisturizing on its own but can contribute to overall moisturizing efficacy when used as part of a skincare routine, alongside another moisturizer.

📌 Certain studies suggest that humectants alone may not effectively moisturize the skin. If you use this product as your only moisturizer, we recommend following it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients.

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the moisturizing rating calculation.

📌 Please note that this is not a complete list of benefits. We are in the process of enhancing our model to incorporate anti-pigmentation, exfoliation and anti-acne ratings.

Pros & Cons of Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner

 
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your skincare routine:
 

🟩 Pros:

Provides relatively light moisturizing on its own but can contribute to the moisturizing efficacy of any skincare routine
 

⭕ Cons: 

✅ We couldn't find any
   

Summary: Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner

 
Based on the ingredient list analysis, CreamScan AI suggests that Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating 0.5% Salicylic Acid Cleansing Toner
, as a moisturizer, provides relatively light hydration on its own but can enhance the moisturizing efficacy of any skincare routine.
 
📌 Fact check. At CreamScan, we are committed to accuracy and fairness. If you spot any errors or something that doesn’t seem right, please click here to let us know. We regularly update the ingredient lists and monitor the latest research on ingredient efficacy to ensure that our information remains as complete and precise as possible. The information provided here is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional advice. We do not guarantee the efficacy or safety of any product, as individual results may vary.

 

Ingredient Breakdown

Est. % Ingredient Origin Functions
85
6
4
3
2
0.5
0.3
0.3
0.3
Est. %
Water
Function:
Origin:
Alcohol Denat.
Function:
Origin:
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
Function:
Origin:
Glycerin
Function:
Origin:
Citric Acid
Function:
Origin:
Salicylic Acid
Function:
Origin:
Menthyl Lactate
Function:
Origin:
Sodium Citrate
Function:
Origin:
Fragrance
Function:
Origin:

Ratings

All humectants
3.0
3
Benchmark
10
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Moisturizing rating
1.5
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Raiting
Humectancy All humectants 3 10
3.0
3
Occlusivity All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
None
Moisturizing rating
1.5
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Humectancy
3
All humectants 3 10
3
All humectants
3.0
3
Benchmark
10
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Occlusivity
None
All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Ingredient
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
when present at, %
in this formula est. %
Rating
None
Total
0
None
Anti-wrinkle rating
0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Antioxidants
None
All antioxidants 0 3 No
All antioxidants
0
None
Benchmark
3
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Soothing
0.5
All soothing 0.5 5 No
All soothing
0.5
0.5
Benchmark
5

Ingredients explained

Water
Est. %85
Function
Origin
WaterThe most used ingredient in skincare. Its concentration defines the product texture: rich creams may have about 50% of water while a light jelly about 90%. Water doesn’t moisturize the skin by itself and is used in skincare as a solvent for other ingredients.
Alcohol Denat.
Est. %6
Function
Origin
Alcohol Denat.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol that contains additives that make it unsafe to consume. It is mainly used as a solvent and an antimicrobial agent. A major drawback to alcohol denat. is that it dries out the skin.

PPG-5-Ceteth-20
Est. %4
Function
Origin
PPG-5-Ceteth-20A synthetic emulsifier that can also contribute to the smooth feel of a product.
Glycerin
Est. %3
Function
Origin
Glycerin

The most popular moisturizing ingredient in the world. It is a powerful humectant – cheap yet very effective.

Citric Acid
Est. %2
Function
Origin
Citric AcidA gently exfoliating AHA that helps to remove the top layer of dead skin cells. In comparison to other AHAs, citric acid has been shown to be one of the least effective. It is also very commonly used as a stabilizing and pH-controlling agent.
Salicylic Acid
Est. %0.5
Function
Origin
Salicylic AcidThis effective peeling and anti-inflammatory BHA is used as an anti-acne agent and works by breaking down the junctions between dead skin cells. This results in the peeling of dead skin and the unclogging of pores.
Menthyl Lactate
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Menthyl LactateA derivative of menthol that has the same fresh, cooling effect on the skin, but that is less sensitizing and doesn’t have the strong mint scent of menthol.
Sodium Citrate
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Sodium CitrateA salt of citric acid that has a salty and tart flavor and is used as a fragrance. It is mildly basic, meaning that its addition to a skincare product can adjust the pH upward.
Fragrance
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
FragranceUnder trade secret law, manufacturers have the right not to disclose what exactly went into the fragrance and use the unspecific word Fragrance or Parfum instead. Many fragrances are highly allergenic.