I am an ingredient junkie, a label reader, and I like to know what I am putting in and on my body. Because of that lifestyle, I have eliminated a lot of common brands from my cabinets, one of them being Neutrogena. I see a lot of bloggers and influencers using the Neutrogena Hydro-Boost, so I thought I’d go against the grain here and mention why I stopped using Neutrogena.

Believe it or not, it is because of one particular ingredient that I’ll get into here in a minute. I’ve used various products from Neutrogena throughout my life, but I’ve never stuck with solely that brand.

My Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Experience

We know all of the bloggers are going crazy over the Neutrogena Hydro -Boost, and even though I previously swore off Neutrogena, I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I picked up the Neutrogena Hydro-Boost: Unscented because that was more aimed at sensitive skin. Also, because you should not be putting fragrances into cosmetic products.

Not sure who needs to hear this but just because a produt smells good doesn’t mean it works good.

I digress.

Recently, I bought the hydro-boost, washed my face, and used the Hydroboost as my moisturizer for the night. My neck became really irritated that night. I kind of broke out in a rash along the base of my jawline. My cheeks are usually pretty hydrated, but that’s not where I have dry skin, so no surprise there.

My dry skin hangs out by my eyelids. I didn’t feel any burning so I do think it’s sensitive enough for eyelids, but there was no change in the moisture on my eyelids after using.

It just wasn’t anything special. Neutrogena just has very basic products and I’m sorry but I need something that’s going to focus on anti-aging and have no toxic ingredients.

I currently use the Be Gentle cleanser and moisturizer from Monat and RE9 Advanced Extra Moisture Restorative Cream SPF 20 from Arbonne.

The reason why I ultimately stopped using Neutrogena is because of the ingredient phenoxyethanol. If you know me, you know I will die on a hill about this ingredient.

What is phenoxyethanol?

Phenoxyethanol is not a super well-known ingredient in skincare but it is becoming more and more popular. Probably because I’ve had one too many Instagram rants about it. It is a preservative to prevent products from losing their potency or spoiling.

In scientific terms from Puracy.com “Phenoxyethanol is typically made by treating phenol with ethylene oxide in an alkaline medium.”

Why is phenoxyethanol bad?

Phenoxyethanol is harmful when you swallow, inhale, or absorb it through the skin, especially to nursing mothers or infants. It doesn’t do anything for your skin. It is purely for preservative purposes.

The kicker for me is phenoxyethanol is actually an alternative to formaldehyde. This can be a common ingredient in the preservation of deceased bodies, and I’m sorry, that is a hard no for me. That sounds like a pore-clogging and face irritating chemical that I want nothing to do with. Additionally, phenoxyethanol is not recommended for anyone with sensitive skin or eczema, which I have both.

What products can I find phenoxyethanol in?

Phenoxyethanol is mostly in a number of products, but primarily it is in cosmetics or skincare materials. Commonly, it is at the very end of the ingredient list, too. As a powerful preservative, it comes in smaller doses. Less is more in this case.

Phenoxyethanol is inside Neutrogena products. *Thumbs down emoji* And after the experience I had with it, it is nothing to write home about, so I’ll crawl back to my phenoxyethanol hill.

The thing with phenoxyethanol…

The thing with phenoxyethanol is although, many skin care products (even some organic products as well) use phenoxyethanol in small amounts that is “not harmful” to skin, if you use the product multiple times a day, every day, it can cumulate and possibly affect you.

All I’m saying is, phenoxyethanol is a middle of the road preservative. It is not the worst but there are other natural preservatives out there that could be used instead. I’m sticking with my all-natural products to help relieve some sensitive skin issues and redness. I’ve perfected my order of operations when it comes to skincare and that no longer includes Neutrogena.