Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Exfoliation
- Moisturizing
- Anti-aging
- Evens skin tone
Doesn't work for:
based on ingredients and %- Sun protection
- Anti-blemish
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"Neutrogena - Complete Acne Therapy System" offers broad spectrum protection. It means that it protects from both UVA and UVB rays (you can remember UVB as "burning" sunlight - they cause sunburn. You can remember UVA rays as "aging" - they do not lead to sunburn, but they cause photodamage and contribute to early signs of skin aging and hyperpigmentation). On the negative side, the SPF of this product is not high enough. We recommend to use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily.
This product should also be hydrating enough to use without an additional moisturizer during the day. This product prevents early signs of aging by protecting against sun damage (all broad spectrum sunscreens do that).
Sunscreen filters
This is a so-called "chemical" sunscreen. It means that it uses organic UV filters. They typically offer good sun protection and rarely leave a white cast, but they can be irritating for some people with sensitive skin. These are the sun protection ingredients in this sunscreen: oxybenzone 4.00% (declared), avobenzone 1.50% (declared), octisalate 5.00% (declared) and octocrylene 3.00% (declared).
Irritation risk
We assess the overall irritancy of this product to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Price
The product retails from 13.22$ up to 23.49$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Works for
Does not work for
Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains glycolic acid.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin reveling a more even, smoother complexation. It is also able to stimulate collagen production with long-term use. Could help to reduce pore congestion. It can be irritating to the skin. Apply sunscreen daily if using products with glycolic acid
Evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: glycolic acid
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
This product can also help with skin tone because it offers sun protection. Sun damage is the main factor causing age spots, darkening of post-acne marks and other discolorations. This is why sun protection is the best strategy for maintaining an even skin tone. We, however, do not recommend using this product as a sunscreen because the protection it offers is not strong enough).
An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin reveling a more even, smoother complexation. It is also able to stimulate collagen production with long-term use. Could help to reduce pore congestion. It can be irritating to the skin. Apply sunscreen daily if using products with glycolic acid
Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
The Skin Polishing Acne Cleanser contains Salicylic Acid, that penetrates pores as it cleanses to clear oil and impurities.
Source: Neutrogena
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: glycolic acid.
An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin reveling a more even, smoother complexation. It is also able to stimulate collagen production with long-term use. Could help to reduce pore congestion. It can be irritating to the skin. Apply sunscreen daily if using products with glycolic acid
Moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, caprylyl glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: dimethicone, octyldodecyl neopentanoate.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Often used to stabilize other ingredients, for example, sunscreen
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
Help soften the upper layer of the skin and create a nice product consistency
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Complete Acne Therapy System
Source: From product name
This product contains ingredients (glycolic acid) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.
An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin reveling a more even, smoother complexation. It is also able to stimulate collagen production with long-term use. Could help to reduce pore congestion. It can be irritating to the skin. Apply sunscreen daily if using products with glycolic acid
Sun protection
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection, but it is weak. We recommend to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
Avobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
A weak sunscreen that protects against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB) and is somewhat effective against the UVA rays. It is quite stable and can help stabilize other, more vulnerable, sunscreen ingredients like Avobenzone. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
Same as oxybenzone. Protects in the UVB and short UVA range. In small concentrations, used to stabilize product formulation. Can be irritating. Is shown to be harmful to coral reefs - consider avoiding bathing in coral reef areas when wearing a product with this ingredient. It can penetrate the skin and get absorbed into bloodstream faster than other popular filters available in the US. The study that produced this finding did not address any potential health effects of the absorption
Octisalate. A UV filter. It offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection | |
| Exfoliation | |
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 66/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System | Current | $23.49 | |
 Jack Black Shave Essentials | 54% | $30.00 | |
Hawaiian Tropic Sensitive Skin Face Lotion SPF 50 | 53% | $6.99 | |
 BeautyLab BeautyLabreg; Ultra Defence Hydrator SPF50 | 52% | $33.60 | |
 ZENii Daily Moisturising Sun Protection | 52% | $45.00 | |
 La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Correct SPF 70 Daily Anti-Aging Face Sunscreen | 52% | $32.99 |
Key Actives
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Ingredient list view
Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl salicylate, Octocrylene, Benzophenone-3, Water, Cetyl alcohol, Ppg-15 stearyl ether, Glycolic acid, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Steareth-21, C12-15 alkyl lactate, Cetyl lactate, Potassium cetyl phosphate, Sodium hydroxide, Xanthan gum, Cocamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate, Disodium edta, Menthol, Parfum, Benzalkonium chloride, Panthenol, Water, Octyldodecyl neopentanoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate, Peg-100 stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Disodium edta, Ethylene brassylate, Dipropylene glycol, Dimethyl heptenal, Water, Octyldodecyl neopentanoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate, Peg-100 stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Disodium edta, Ethylene brassylate, Dipropylene glycol, Dimethyl heptenal
- Dermatological and environmental toxicological impact of the sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone/benzophenone‐3
- Effect of Sunscreen Application on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients A Randomized Clinical Trial
- On Photostability of Oxybenzone
- Final report on the safety assessment of PPG-11 and PPG-15 stearyl ethers
- Photoprotective and antiinflammatory effects of topical glycolic acid
- Glycolic acid peel therapy – a current review
- Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the Skin
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Surfactants and experimental irritant contact dermatitis
- Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations
- Safety Assessment of Panthenol, Pantothenic Acid, and Derivatives as Used in Cosmetics
- Amended Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Fragrance material review on ethylene brassylate