Checking my Amazon.com best seller list this morning I see that this Neutrogena acne product is the eighth best seller. Let’s take a look at the label and see what makes it tick.
Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub Ingredients
Active Ingredient:
Salicylic Acid (2%)
Sal acid is one of a handful of approved over the counter drug ingredients to fight acne. It works, in part, by loosening dead skin cells that can clog your pores.
Inactive Ingredients:
Water
I’m always entertained by the phrase “inactive ingredients.” Why in the world would you ever add something “inactive” to a formula? It seems like a waste of time and money. Of course the term is really used to distinguish the drug ingredients from the non-drug ingredients. Wouldn’t “non-drug” be a better designation? Sigh, oh well. Anyway, I guess water is the king of all in active ingredients.
Cetyl Alcohol
This is a fatty alcohol not the kind that can be drying to your skin. It’s used to give the product it’s thickness and creamy texture.
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
This is one of several emulsifiers in the product that helps mix the oil and water soluble ingredients. Note that this product does not contain any high-foaming surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate. In this case that’s a good thing.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is a wax like material that forms the tiny scrubbing beads in the scrub. These are soft, round droplets that won’t scratch your skin.
Methyl Gluceth-20, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Steareth-2, Polysorbate 60
These are additional emulsifiers that hold the product together. The coco glucose side will give some amount of foam but it’s a very mild cleanser.
Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
This is a cationic skin conditioning agent which will stick to your skin even after rinsing.
Neopentyl Glycol, Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Emollients with skin conditioning properties
Menthol
Menthol gives a tingling cooling sensation however it is also a mild irritant. If you ask me it’s really unnecessary in a formula like this.
Disodium EDTA
Preservative
Xanthan Gum, agar
Thickeners/ emulsion stabilizers. Xanthan comes from a bean, the agar comes from red algae.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Another emulsifier/stabilizer
Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Red 30 Lake
Mica and the TiO2 makes the product look sparkly, the iron oxide and the red lake give it color.
Fragrance
You don’t really need fragrance in a face wash because it can lead to irritation.
If you’ve got zits, you can buy Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
i have tested its great!!!
Look at best seller lists with some suspicion–some web retailers allow you to buy your way onto them or onto a “what’s hot” list. They may not be true best sellers.
Wow, I had no idea!