Ever since my hormones went haywire as a teen, I’ve been cursed with greasy, acne-prone skin. When it was at its worst — in the throes of college applications and standardized testing — I tried everything. I mixed mysterious “healing” clays with apple cider vinegar, but the bubbling gray masks burned my skin. I tried consulting a dermatologist who prescribed topical and oral antibiotics. But those didn’t work either. After years of trial and error, I gave up and settled on a two-step skin care routine: CeraVe’s foaming face wash, plus mineral sunscreen. Though my skin improved as I aged, my acne persisted, and I was left feeling pretty hopeless.
But that changed around two years ago when I discovered Neutrogena’s Stubborn Texture Acne Cleanser. What I find remarkable about this find — apart from how well it works — is how unremarkable it is. It’s not trendy or expensive, and it doesn’t have any wacko ingredients like snail secretions or snow mushroom extract. It’s a cheap, mass-market cleanser you can find at the drugstore for just $13. And most importantly, it works.
Neutrogena’s cleanser cuts through oils and unclogs pores, making it a good match for greasy, acne-prone skin. But for all its cleansing power, it won’t dry you out if you pair it with a good moisturizer. Plus, it’s just $13.
How I found Neutrogena’s Stubborn Texture Acne Cleanser
While on a trip to visit a few friends in Oakland, I realized that I’d left my daily cleanser at home. Rather than let my skin decline, I went to a nearby Rite Aid to find something for the trip. I settled on the Stubborn Texture Acne Cleanser because it was cheaper than the competition and I wanted to try something new. Thank goodness I did.
In the two years since, my face is blemish-free around 80% of the time. Of course, skin care is complex, so I can’t say for sure if Neutrogena deserves all the credit. These days I’m also eating better and exercising more. But at the very least, it’s been a vital part of maintaining my healthy skin. That’s huge, especially for someone who felt doomed to a lifetime of oily skin, cysts and acne scars.
Why it’s a score
Some top-shelf beauty products are worth the money. (I’m a huge proponent of Supergoop!’s mineral sunscreens). But there are also a whole slew of affordable cleansers that work, and this facial cleanser is proof of that.
At just $13, Neutrogena’s Stubborn Texture Acne Cleanser comes packed with beta hydroxy (1% salicylic acid), alpha hydroxy (2% glycolic acid) and polyhydroxy acids?(2% polyhydroxy acid). These facial acids work well for oily skin types like mine because they exfoliate and dissolve sebum, the greasy gunk that causes acne.
Aside from those three acids, Neutrogena’s cleanser skips irritating fragrances, parabens, dyes and sulfates and only has seven ingredients total. That’s relatively few compared to similar drugstore face washes like CeraVe’s Renewing SA Cleanser (over 20), which speaks to how gentle Neutrogena’s formula is. That was apparent when I started using it daily.
You’d think that an AHA and BHA cleanser that advertises its resurfacing capabilities would be potent, the kind of product that makes your skin dry, taught and begging for moisturizer. But the clear gel is light and gentle. After using it, my face feels clean but not leathery. And the oil slick that normally coats my T-zone? Gone. Of course, I still follow my once (sometimes twice) daily cleanse with sunscreen (Supergoop!) and moisturizer (The Ordinary). But the cleanser is so gentle that I’ve even forgotten to moisturize, simply because my skin felt so good on its own.
As for the cleanser’s claim to “visibly smooth uneven skin texture,” that’s something I can’t comment on in this review. My skin, despite its persistent problems, is relatively smooth. I also can’t promise that you’ll love this face wash, though I suspect you will if you have skin like mine. Personally, I can’t live without it, and I shudder at the thought that Neutrogena may discontinue the product. But I have a solution for that: I hoard bottles and bottles of the stuff … just in case.
