neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliator
neutrogena Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliator lists 19 ingredients on its label, 18 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
- Glycerin
- Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
- Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
- Cellulose
- Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
- Sodium Chloride
- Polysorbate 20
- Disodium EDTA
- Citric Acid
- Glycolic Acid
- Lactic Acid
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Phenoxyethanol
- Sodium Benzoate
- Parfum
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragrance
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- CLEANSING
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- ANTISTATIC
- Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING
- Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
- ABSORBENT
- Cellulose
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
- HAIR CONDITIONING
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Other ingredients
Acrylates Crosspolymer-4Sodium ChloridePolysorbate 20Disodium EDTACitric AcidGlycolic AcidLactic AcidSodium HydroxidePhenoxyethanolSodium BenzoateParfum
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate | CLEANSING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 3 · 0 | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate | SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Acrylates Crosspolymer-4 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Cellulose | ABSORBENT, BULKING, OPACIFYING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Carica Papaya Fruit Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid | HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Glycolic Acid | BUFFERING | 2 · 0 | Green |
| Lactic Acid | BUFFERING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Parfum | FRAGRANCE, PERFUMING | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Sulfate surfactant at 1–5%; strong cleansing, may cause dryness/irritation
- Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
- Mild amino acid amphoteric surfactant for cleansing and foam boosting; low irritation, biodegradable
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
- Hydrolyzed potato starch anionic surfactant, biodegradable and mild, suitable for gentle cleansers
- Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
- Not decoded yet
- Cellulose
- Plant-derived thickener at 0.1–1%; requires full hydration, poor cationic compatibility
- Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
- Botanical extract for nourishment and antioxidant benefits; used as a low-concentration additive.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
- Low-MW humectant with superior penetration vs high-MW; 0.1-0.5% typical, hygroscopic, store dry to prevent clumping.
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
- Glycolic Acid
- Glycolic acid for exfoliation; requires buffering at concentrations >10%, avoid combination with other acids.
- Lactic Acid
- AHA pH adjuster at 0.5-5%; exfoliation/humectancy, mild at low conc., irritating at high, avoid conflict with alkaline preservatives.
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Parfum
- Fragrance for scent; may contain allergens, caution for sensitive skin, full labeling required.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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