red
Polyacrylamide
IARC Group 2A. Forms on high-temperature browning of starches; also a polyacrylamide impurity.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Unknown
Is Neutrogena Unknown low tox? Our scanner flagged 3 ingredients (1 in the avoid tier, 2 caution) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
1 avoid2 caution
3 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
amber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative — generally well-tolerated but documented as MCAS and contact-dermatitis trigger in sensitive individuals.
amber
Laureth-7
Manufacturing process can leave 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide as contaminants. Look for 'vacuum-stripped' products.
Full ingredients (from label)
waterdimethiconeglycerincetearyl olivatepolyacrylamidesorbitan olivatephenoxyethanoldimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymersynthetic beeswaxc13-14 isoparaffindimethiconoldimethicone crosspolymerchlorphenesinlaureth-7carbomersodium hyaluronateethylhexylglycerinc12-14 pareth-12sodium hydroxide questions? 800-582-40483b outside usdial collect 215-273-8755 or visit wwwneutrogenacom
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.