For years, Hayden Panettiere was the face of Neutrogena. But after the actress spoke publicly about her battle with postpartum depression, the decade-long partnership came to an abrupt end.
Keep reading to know more.
Following Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36 on August 16, 2026, the beauty brand Neutrogena has finally addressed the controversy. But for many fans, the apology has come far too late.
Neutrogena finally responded after fans called for a boycott
On August 21, Neutrogena released a statement mourning Panettiere and acknowledging the way she felt unsupported during one of the most difficult periods of her life.
“For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community,” the company said, adding that it understood it had “made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time.”
The brand also said Panettiere’s openness had helped create important conversations around postpartum depression and announced a significant donation to a community health partner to help women access mental-health support.
But the response did little to calm the backlash.
Fans flooded other Neutrogena social-media posts with comments accusing the company of speaking out only after the actress‘ death and amid criticism of the brand.
“So they waited for her to die before apologizing,” one person wrote. While another added, “They’re only doing damage control. It took them a decade to realize they were wrong? Spare me.”
Panettiere said being dropped after speaking about postpartum depression devastated her
Panettiere became a Neutrogena ambassador in the mid-2000s and remained associated with the brand for around a decade.
Then, in 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Kaya, and subsequently struggled with severe postpartum depression. She publicly discussed the condition during a 2015 appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael.
According to Panettiere’s later account, Neutrogena contacted her after she spoke about her experience and ultimately decided not to renew her contract.
In her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, and a subsequent interview, Panettiere recalled how painful the experience was.
“I had worked with these people for 10 years,” she said, explaining that she remembered hearing virtually nothing from the company afterward.
“I remember that really breaking my heart.”
She also said there had been a morals clause in her contract, but she never imagined that discussing her own mental-health struggles would be the issue that ended the relationship.
“It was my truth,” she said.
Her story has taken on a different meaning after her death
Panettiere died on August 16 at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, aged 36.
Authorities responding to a 911 call found her unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Her official cause of death has not yet been announced, and police have said there was no indication of foul play or suspicious activity.
The circumstances surrounding her death have led to renewed attention on the struggles Panettiere had spoken openly about throughout her life, including postpartum depression, addiction and the pressures she experienced as a child star.
That has made Neutrogena’s renewed statement particularly emotional for many fans, who believe the company had an opportunity years ago to stand behind an ambassador who was simply being honest about what she was going through.
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