For several months, there had been mounting pressure on Neutrogena, a skincare company, to address an allegation made by Hayden Panettiere back in May. The calls for a response intensified following the actor’s recent passing. Neutrogena has now broken its silence with a statement on Instagram.
In the Instagram post, which has disabled comments, Neutrogena acknowledged the end of its long-term partnership with Panettiere but refrained from detailing the reasons behind the split or directly addressing the claim that it was related to her discussion about postpartum depression. The brand expressed regret for making Panettiere feel unsupported during a challenging period, emphasizing that such behavior is not reflective of Neutrogena’s values.
Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in “Heroes,” “Bring it On: All or Nothing,” and “Nashville,” served as a global brand ambassador for Neutrogena from 2005 to 2015. Following her public admission of struggling with postpartum depression on “Live with Kelly and Michael” in 2015, her collaboration with Neutrogena came to an end. Panettiere alleged during a podcast with Jay Shetty in May that Neutrogena had attempted to terminate her contract in response to her remarks about postpartum depression, citing a morality clause.
Panettiere revealed that she received no communication from Neutrogena after the 2015 incident, which highlighted societal misconceptions and stigmatization surrounding postpartum depression. Subsequently, fans initiated a boycott against Neutrogena, and one beauty influencer even incorporated Panettiere’s podcast audio into a video titled “Neutrogena hates women!”
In light of Hayden Panettiere’s death, fans have reignited their criticism of Neutrogena, urging the company to address the allegations publicly. Neutrogena’s recent Instagram and Threads accounts have been inundated with demands for clarification on the issue.
Neutrogena responded to the situation by expressing deep sorrow over Panettiere’s passing and commending her for shedding light on important conversations. The brand acknowledged her courage and commitment to raising awareness and announced plans to invest significantly in a community health partner to enhance support for women, particularly those dealing with postpartum depression. Further details on these initiatives will be shared once they are implemented.