Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel for acne-prone skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Dodecenylsuccinate Starch
Superior
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best cleansers for acne-prone skin.
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
- Excellent suitability for your combination, acne-prone skin as Glycerin and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid provide essential hydration and support your skin barrier, while mild surfactants like Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate effectively cleanse pores without stripping.
- The combination of humectants and gentle cleansing agents ensures your skin remains balanced and comfortable, preventing the dryness that can exacerbate breakouts.
- This formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and featuring soothing components that minimize irritation risk.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 23.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to remove impurities without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier, often citing the hyaluronic acid formula as a key benefit. While generally effective for daily cleansing, some users note it struggles with heavy or waterproof makeup and have reported mixed experiences regarding the product's fragrance.
Highlights
Non-stripping hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves my skin soft and thoroughly clean”
- “never leaves my face feeling stripped”
- “skin feels clean and supple.”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “gentle enough to use daily”
- “has not irritated my sensitive skin”
- “no irritation for contact wearers.”
Pleasant texture Often Mentioned
- “foamed up really nicely”
- “silky easy-to-spread lather”
- “feels nice and cool when applied.”
Effective daily cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “removes impurities and most makeup”
- “face is always fresh and clean”
- “cleanses my skin without stripping.”
Fragrance-free option Sometimes Noted
- “appreciate that it's fragrance free”
- “no scent which can be good”
- “doesn't sting or cause migraine.”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “perfume in the product didn't bother me but might for you”
- “scent is too strong”
- “caused burning sensation”
Weak makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “unable to remove all my makeup”
- “did not put a dent in my waterproof mascara”
- “left eyeshadow residue”
Poor pump design Rarely Noted
- “pump dispenses a small amount”
- “pump is not great”
- “have to pump 4 times to get enough”
Skin reactions Rarely Noted
- “caused a reaction”
- “burning sensation around eyes”
- “broke me out”
Unexpected dryness Rarely Noted
- “left my skin dry and tight”
- “felt stripping”
- “caused dry patches”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, neutrogena.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Gel one of the best fits for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is one of the best fits for your acne-prone skin because glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide essential hydration while mild cleansers clear out pores without stripping. This combination keeps your skin balanced and comfortable, which helps prevent the dryness that can make breakouts worse.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid make this cleanser a great fit by providing essential hydration to keep your skin balanced, while mild cleansers like sodium cocoyl isethionate wash out pore-clogging dirt without leaving your skin dry.
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 Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into your morning routine as the first step before a hydrating toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen, and into your evening routine as the second step right after a makeup remover. Using a mild cleanser with glycerin and hyaluronic acid helps clean out pores without stripping moisture, keeping your skin balanced and comfortable to prevent breakouts.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser alongside retinol by using it in your routine before applying your treatment. This gentle formula helps keep your skin balanced and comfortable, which is unlikely to cause irritation when combined with active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routines as it gently cleans pores without stripping your skin. The mild ingredients and added hydrating components help keep your skin balanced and comfortable while washing.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it uses mild cleansing agents that clean pores without stripping your skin. It also contains hydration ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid that keep your skin balanced and comfortable, which helps prevent the dryness that can make breakouts worse.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its gentle formula safely cleans without harsh ingredients. It keeps skin balanced and comfortable while avoiding the dryness and irritation that can upset sensitive areas.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Topical 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, 2019The 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 cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Hydrophobically modified polymers and sodium hydrolyzed potato starch dodecenylsuccinate reduce irritation and surfactant penetration while providing effective cleansing and improved tolerability in individuals with sensitive skin compared to commercial mild cleansers.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Dodecenylsuccinate Starch, Potassium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
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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