In 2015, Neutrogena ended a decade-long relationship with their global ambassador Hayden Panettiere after she publicly talked about battling postpartum depression.
Following Panettiere’s tragic demise on August 16, 2026, past comments she made about getting fired resurfaced, and her fans called for a boycott of the company.
On August 21, 2026, Neutrogena finally released a statement addressing the backlash, but failed to win back most of the customers they lost.
“It’s a little too late to do the right thing now,” one user commented.
Neutrogena addressed the Hayden Panettiere backlash after their stocks fell
“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” Neutrogena’s social media statement started.
“For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community. We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time,” it continued.
“This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”
“Hayden’s courage in sharing her challenges helped inspire important conversations and awareness,” the statement went on.
“We are making a significant investment to a long-standing community health partner to help give more women access to the support they need, including care for postpartum depression.”
“Out of respect for Hayden’s family and loved ones, we did not want to speak out so soon following her passing. Everyone at Neutrogena extends their deepest condolences to Hayden’s family and all who loved her,” it concluded.
The statement came after stock prices for Neutrogena’s parent company, Kenvue Inc., which also owns top brands such as Listerine, Tylenol, Band-Aid, and Aveeno, fell more than 2% on Monday after overall sales numbers were released.
The numbers reportedly improved slightly on Tuesday.
Netizens blasted Neutrogena for their “too little, too late” apology
Even though Neutrogena kept comments turned off on the post, users flocked to their other recent posts to voice their discontent.
“They only said that because they are losing hella money right now,” one user commented.
Another said, “I’ll never, ever use a Neutrogena product ever again, and I’ll make sure that my daughter doesn’t as well.”
“They should’ve spoken out when she was still here to address what was said, not now when she’s long gone,” said a third.
A fourth wrote, “So painfully obvious you have no empathy for anything other than ‘reputation’ and dollars.
“Too little, too late. Donating just to save face doesn’t undo the harm you caused,” wrote a fifth.
Panettiere said Neutrogena firing her over mental health broke her heart
In her May 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Hayden Panettiere revealed how she tweaked her lifestyle to adhere to Neutrogena’s “squeaky clean product identity.”
In 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with her ex-fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
The childbirth was physically and emotionally traumatizing and left her with postpartum depression (PPD), which in turn worsened her pre-existing substance issues and drinking problem.
She opened up about her PPD in a 2015 episode of Live! with Kelly and Michael, which caused a rift in her relationship with the brand.
Although Neutrogena did not immediately terminate the deal, they called her afterward to let her know that she was being fired for her comments. They did not renew her contract the next year.
In a May 2026 appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Panettiere said, “I had worked with these people for 10 years, and I remember not hearing a word from anybody. I remember that really breaking my heart.”
She also revealed that there was a “morals clause” in her contract, but this was the “last thing” she thought they would fire her over.
“Never for a second did I think that anyone cared or that anyone would have a bad reaction to it,” she said. “It was my truth.”
The actress was with her previously incarcerated ex-boyfriend when she passed
Mitchell Haaseth/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Hayden Panettiere’s life unexpectedly ended on August 16, 2026, in a Judson Mill Lofts apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.
Authorities responded to a 911 call at around 1:51 p.m. and found the former child actress unresponsive, having suffered a cardiac arrest. CPR and advanced cardiac life support measures were immediately administered, but she could not be resuscitated.
Panettiere was pronounced deceased at 2:32 p.m.
The official cause has yet to be announced, but the Greenville Police Department has said that they’ve identified no foul play or suspicious activity so far.
Dispatch call audio recording reportedly included mentions of “ove**ose,” and a Narcan container was found at the scene, according to an insider.
Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were with her inside the apartment when she breathed her last.
Brian was briefly imprisoned in 2021 after pleading no contest to committing domestic violence against Panettiere, and spent 15 days behind bars.
The pair reconciled after he got out of prison, with Hickerson hoping to “make amends” and Panettiere willing to “forgive” him.
“Should have done it while she was still here.” The internet did not accept Neutrogena’s apology after Hayden Panettiere’s demise
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