Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, first discussed the matter in detail in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, published in May 2026. According to the actress, Neutrogena terminated her long-term contract after her appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael in 2015, where she openly discussed her mental health struggles following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.

“Neutrogena terminated my long-term contract, and it was another blow in a year that had brought me very little good,” Panettiere recalled in the book.

The story sparked backlash on social media after the memoir was published, but following the actress’s death at age 36, criticism of the brand intensified dramatically.

A post calling for a Neutrogena boycott in Panettiere’s memory appeared on Reddit. It received more than 5,000 upvotes, while users in the comments said they no longer intended to buy the company’s products.

The discussion also gained significant traction on X. One post that received more than 34,000 likes reminded users that, according to Panettiere, Neutrogena ended its relationship with her after she spoke publicly about her experience with postpartum depression.

The brand’s official social media accounts have also come under a barrage of criticism. Users have been leaving comments calling for a boycott and referencing Panettiere’s account.

The controversy has also had a financial angle. Neutrogena is owned by Kenvue, which also owns brands including Tylenol, Band-Aid and Aveeno. According to the New York Post, Kenvue shares fell by more than 2% on Monday amid the controversy. However, no direct connection between the stock decline and the Neutrogena boycott has been officially established.

Neutrogena has not publicly commented on the situation so far. The company also did not issue a statement following Panettiere’s death.