Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycolic Acid
Lactic Acid
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
GlycerinHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your combination skin due to the presence of glycolic acid and lactic acid, which offer good keratolytic action and desquamation regulation for effective exfoliation.
- These acids provide moderate exfoliation for your acne and blemishes, aiding in smoothing texture and clearing pores.
- The formula is safe for your acne-prone skin, as it lacks prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is frequently praised for its gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed, particularly for those with combination and dry skin. A moderate number of users report it causes dryness or tightness, and a low number of users with sensitive skin experienced irritation or breakouts, suggesting the exfoliating agents and fragrance may be too potent for reactive skin types.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “The exfoliating particles are a perfect size- not too large or small, and not too abrasive.”
- “It truly exfoliates the skin but it does so gently.”
- “Has just enough exfoliation without being too harsh and it goes a long way.”
- “Gentle enough for me to use every day.”
Refreshing feel Often Mentioned
- “My face looks so bright, fresh and clean when I am finished.”
- “Feels so clean and fresh.”
- “The gel texture feels super refreshing.”
- “Leaves no residue and my skin is free from large pores.”
Softens texture Often Mentioned
- “My skin feels smooth and looks so healthy!”
- “Leaves my skin feeling soft, fresh and glowing.”
- “Gets rid of all the roughness and my skin is smooth.”
- “Instantly soft, supple, and refreshed skin.”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Has a very pleasant, light and fresh scent that I love.”
- “Smells fine and feels fine.”
- “Light fresh scent : Has a non-overpowering fragrance.”
- “The scent is a fresher aquatic scent that was pleasant.”
Causes dryness Sometimes Noted
- “It'll also leave you feeling a little tight and dry after using.”
- “Made my skin pretty tight after using it.”
- “It's not hydrating, it's just really drying.”
- “My lips feel dry and cracked.”
Ineffective/gentle Rarely Noted
- “Do not give it any help or you over-exfoliate!”
- “Formula doesn't break down as easily as I would like.”
- “Nothing unique or special... same cookie cutter exfoliating cleanser.”
Irritation/breakouts Rarely Noted
- “After 3 uses I got a horrible breakout of tiny pimples.”
- “It's almost like an irritated rash.”
- “Damaged my skin... beware.”
- “My eyes would be burning and scratching and irritated.”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “The fragrance is a little loud... people with sensitive skin have to be careful.”
- “Contains a good deal of fragrance... quite strong.”
- “Family member that cannot handle most of any kind of smell.”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, neutrogena.com, ulta.com, target.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it contains glycolic acid and lactic acid, which gently lift away dead skin cells to help clear pores and smooth out rough texture. It also features fruit extract to support exfoliation while keeping your acne-prone skin safe from harsh ingredients that might cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it contains glycolic acid and lactic acid, which help clear pores and smooth out rough texture. It also features papaya fruit extract to gently remove dead skin cells while keeping your skin calm and safe from harsh irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2023
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
What does Glycolic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and breakouts. It also helps fade dark spots left behind by acne and controls skin oiliness, with very few side effects when used properly.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits well into an acne-prone routine as a morning face wash or evening makeup remover step. Glycolic and lactic acids help clear pores and smooth texture, while avoiding harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first in your routine to clear your pores, followed by your retinol treatment. Using this gentle exfoliating approach helps smooth your skin texture while maintaining a safe profile that is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with your treatments.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
How often should I use it?
Start by using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you like the results, you can carefully use it more often. This gentle exfoliation helps smooth texture and clear pores while keeping your skin calm.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2023
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for acne-prone skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it features gentle exfoliating acids that help clear pores and smooth texture without harsh ingredients that irritate skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You should avoid using this cleanser around the eyes, as the skin there is very thin and may easily become irritated by its exfoliating acids. It is generally fine to use on the body, though the thick skin there may not respond as quickly as facial skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A combination of dermapen and glycolic acid peel significantly decreased acne scar grades and resulted in higher patient satisfaction compared to either monotherapy in 30 patients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Incorporating 1, 2, and 5 percent papain into starch- and carboxymethyl cellulose-based films preserved proteolytic and skin exfoliation activity while improving mechanical properties and water solubility compared to control films, with immobilized enzyme maintaining stability for up to 90 days.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2023Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.
Molecules, 2020Carica papaya leaf extracts obtained via supercritical fluid and conventional methods demonstrated antioxidant and cytoprotective effects on skin fibroblasts against oxidative stress, driven by their respective lipophilic and hydrophilic constituents.
Molecules, 2021A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Dodecenylsuccinate Starch, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Cellulose, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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