Neutrogena's Women Empowerment Video Draws Mixed Reactions

Leading facial and skincare brand Neutrogena recently put out a video about beauty and self-confidence as part of its female empowerment campaign.

It prompted some backlash about the kind of message that they send to their impressionable (read: many of their users are adolescents) consumers. One line from the short film, voiced by Scandal star Kerry Washington, says, “At Neutrogena, our job is to help every woman put her best face forward. Because beautiful is the ability to look in the mirror and believe that anything is possible.”

Some Facebook users and critics found it tiresome and insulting that in order to be the best person that you can be, the company implied that beauty has to come from your physical appearance. For others, the message served to be inspirational and a far better message to send to girls, especially because it shows a wide variety of environments that women can and do work in.

What are your thoughts?

By Gwendolyn Wu on February 26, 2016
Gwen, a San Fernando Valley native, will be a second year in the fall at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she plans to double major in history and sociology. When not reporting on student government, being a student activist, or advising incoming first-years, she enjoys food, watching Community and Mad Men, and traveling. Someday, she hopes to cover a political or education beat for the Los Angeles Times.