- Roughly 1,300 cases of the recalled product were distributed across four states.
- There is a health risk: The bacterium Pluralibacter gergoviae can cause infections in vulnerable people. However, the Food and Drug Administration classifies the recall as Class II (low risk).
- Beauty-product recalls remain rare but rising, as regulators tighten post-market safety oversight.
Most women have a roster of favorite beauty and skin care products. Whether they’re fans of luxury brands like Chanel and Y.S.L., or drugstore brands like Neutrogena or E.l.f., woe be the entity that gets between a woman and her beauty routine.
Now, a skin care product used by millions faces a recall. While cosmetics recalls are relatively rare, at least when compared to food recalls, the category does occasionally have a wake-up call.
On Sept. 19, 2025, Neutrogena’s owner, Kenvue, issued a voluntary recall of Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes after internal testing identified the presence of the bacterium Pluralibacter gergoviae in one production lot.
On October 3, the U.S. FDA categorized the Neutrogena recall as Class II — meaning serious harm is unlikely but temporary or reversible health consequences are possible.
What the towelette recall means for Neutrogena
For Neutrogena — a brand long positioned as dermatologist-recommended and safe — the recall puts a dent in the brand’s reputation. Consumers expect no risk (or at least very low risk) when it comes to skin-application products.
And though no widespread illness has been reported, the mere possibility of infection invites social-media backlash, influencer commentary, and news coverage.
The contamination appears linked to “procedural deficiencies” in manufacturing, rather than an inherently defective formula. People who are immunocompromised are at the greatest risk of problems.
Related: Another egg recall highlights salmonella risk
From a business perspective, the incident sharply highlights several issues: supply-chain vulnerabilities, regulatory exposure, brand-reputation risk, and the cost of manufacturing compliance.
The recall affects 1,312 cases — around 15,000 packages — of the 25- or 50-count wipes distributed across four Southern U.S. states.
“A single product recall can have a lasting impact on a company … Most importantly, there is a human cost if people were sickened by the contaminated product,” Vice President of Casualty Programs at Nationwide E&S/Specialty Marcy Pelecky said about what’s at risk for companies facing recalls.
On Reddit, several people are wondering if the infections they have are related, even though they don’t live in a region where the products are recalled.
“i have gotten 2 eye infections very recently when i have never had them before and i use these makeup wipes exclusively my state also isnt listed but now with the recall it makes me suspicious and i also dont know who to talk to about the possible connection,” wrote wonder_pizza.
The beauty industry operates under a weaker regulatory framework than the pharmaceutical industry: Many personal-care products don’t require pre-market approval under the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
That means when something goes wrong — manufacturing control lapses, preservative failures, contamination — the brand bears the brunt of the coast. In this case, Kenvue acknowledges the affected lot “met release specifications” yet still was impacted by deficiencies in manufacturing oversight.
Neutrogena recall details
The company has not released a statement about the recall on its website, but according to a report on People, Kenvue said, “The health and safety of the consumers who use our products is our top priority.”
“Despite meeting release specifications, one lot of the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes, 50 [count] may have been impacted by procedural deficiencies observed during manufacturing,” Kenvue continued, adding that the company voluntarily recalled the product “out of an abundance of caution.”
People who have the following product should not use it and should contact Neutrogena customer service for a refund or to ask about disposal instructions:
Product name: Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes
Lot number: 1835U6325A
Purchase date: 50-count packages
Sold in: Texas, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
Sold by: H-E-B, Target, Walmart, and CVS Pharmacy
The direct cost of recalling about 1,300 cases is modest. But the other costs involved include the logistics of product removal, product returns, consumer remediation, marketing remediation, and potential erosion of retail confidence.
For Kenvue and peer beauty companies, when one product line falters, it raises questions about overall controls across the portfolio. For investors, risk becomes less about “if” and more about the adequacy of quality-assurance systems.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Industry commentary shows the wave of cosmetic recalls in recent years is increasing — skin care products with microbiological contamination, sunscreens pulled for carcinogen risk, beauty accessories found to pose fire hazards.
That means brands cannot view this recall as just a one-off.
The Neutrogena incident invites questions about peers: How many brands have done full manufacturing audits, microbial risk assessments, preservative efficacy validation, and global supplier traceability?
Other recent beauty product recalls:
- Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes (2025): Lot 1835U6325A recalled due to bacterial contamination; 1,312 cases across four states.
- Multiple Acne-Treatment Products (2025): Limited lots pulled after the FDA found elevated levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, according to the FDA.
- First Aid Beauty “Ultra Repair Cream Coconut Vanilla” (2024-25): Recalled when quarantined batches were inadvertently released, according to ABC News.
Related: Nissan fuel pumps force second big recall this week
