Neutrogena Oil Balancing Facial Wash for oily acne-prone skin
Citrus Aurantifolia
Aloe Barbadensis
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- Offers high suitability for your oily skin, as salicylic acid effectively decongests pores and glycerin provides essential hydration, balancing oil production. While beneficial for general cleansing, these ingredients are not specialized for targeting your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin, with glycerin acting as a soothing agent and the absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients ensuring no irritation.
- The product provides excellent cleansing for oily skin, with salicylic acid and glycerin working synergistically to manage oiliness and maintain skin hydration.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis facial wash is highly effective for oily and acne-prone skin, with many users noting a significant reduction in shine and improved skin texture. While it is praised for leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed, those with sensitive or dry skin should use it cautiously as it can occasionally cause tightness or irritation.
Highlights
Controls excess oil Mostly Mentioned
- “Less shiny throughout the day”
- “tackling the oiliness”
- “balances my skin's oils”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Cleanses thoroughly”
- “removes dirt and oil”
- “does a great job”
Refreshing, clean feel Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin feeling clean”
- “refreshed without tightness”
- “clearer complexion”
Pleasant lime scent Sometimes Noted
- “Light and refreshing scent”
- “smells really lovely”
- “pleasant, subtle lime scent”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “Slightly drying”
- “made my skin tight”
- “need to use moisturizer after”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Caused facial burns”
- “burned my eyes”
- “too strong for sensitive skin”
Price concerns Rarely Noted
- “More expensive than others”
- “don't know the reason for price”
Sources: lovi.care, ebay.com, lemon8-app.com, neutrogena.co.uk, superdrug.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Neutrogena Oil Balancing Facial Wash a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Neutrogena Oil Balancing Facial Wash is a great fit for oily skin because salicylic acid clears out pores while glycerin keeps your skin hydrated to help balance oil production. The formula is very safe and gentle for oily skin, providing great cleansing without causing irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and glycerin make this cleanser a great fit because they help clear out pores and keep your skin hydrated while balancing oil production. The gentle formulation is safe and unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
What does Lime do for oily acne-prone skin?
Lime helps clear oily, acne-prone skin by reducing breakouts and calming surface bacteria. Citrus ingredients may help control excess oil and clear pores, though a product for this skin type also needs soothing hydrators to prevent dryness.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012
What does Aloe Vera do for oily acne-prone skin?
Aloe vera helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness, bumps, and breakouts while keeping the skin smooth. This plant-based ingredient also supports clearer skin and helps improve overall skin texture.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into your morning and evening routine as the first step for cleaning your skin before applying toners, treatments, and moisturizers. Using a gentle cleanser helps clear away excess oil and impurities safely without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol, as long as you apply it first to wash your face and rinse it off completely before putting on your retinol. Using a gentle cleanser like this helps keep your oily skin clean without causing irritation, making it safe to pair with active treatments like retinoids.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily as part of your morning and evening routine to manage oiliness and maintain skin hydration. Using a mild cleanser regularly helps improve skin condition while maintaining a gentle safety profile.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit and is unlikely to clog pores, as salicylic acid helps clear out oil and debris while glycerin maintains hydration. The formulation is safe for your skin and has a low likelihood of causing irritation, though it may feel slightly drying for some users.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe for general use on the body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around the eyes to prevent irritation. Salicylic acid and other active ingredients in face washes may cause dryness or discomfort in delicate areas where skin is much thinner.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
A 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, 2017A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment decreases lipid membrane chain conformational order and stiffness leading to increased water sorption and diffusivity, whereas sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) treatment increases lipid membrane conformational order and stiffness with increased water sorption capacity driven by its hygroscopic nature.
Langmuir, 2014
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Polysorbate 20, Salicylic Acid, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Tangerine Extract, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Ci 15985, Ci 42090
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
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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