You may recognize these skincare brands being flagged for an ingredient that's increasingly called out for evidence of a link to cancer.
Another 655,000 Skincare Products Have Been Recalled Nationwide
Published on Mar. 14, 2025
Editor’s note: This article was updated Wednesday, March 19 to include new recall details provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CVS.
Just a few days after CVS brand’s acne treatment recall was announced—and only months after deodorants were recalled for the same reason—come two more warnings regarding the presence of a chemical with known risk factors in skincare products.
This week, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported out two separate recalls for the same concern: “Chemical Contamination: Presence of benzene.” Per the National Cancer Institute, benzene is a chemical that can found in gasoline, cleaning products, glues, or vehicle exhaust. Exposure to benzene “increases the risk of developing leukemia and other blood disorders,” says the institute.
The first recall, originally initiated on February 24, is for 642,131 tubes of Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel, 10% benzoyl peroxide gel. The recalling firm is listed as Denison Pharmaceuticals, LLC in Lincoln. RI. Zapzyt gel appears to be sold at retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, Fred Meyer, and Amazon. From the notice, it’s not clear which retailers carried the recalled product.
The second recall is for 13,440 tubes of Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, 10% Benzoyl Peroxide/Acne Treatment. Originally initiated on February 28, the Walgreens recall is in connection with Sigan Industries Group Inc. in Brampton, Canada.
Both the Zapzyt and the Walgreens product recalls are nationwide. Together, the two recalls contain 655,571 products.
The recalled product details provided by the FDA include:
Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel, 10% benzoyl peroxide gel
- Packaged in 1 oz. (28.35g) tube
- Lot # and Expiration Dates:
- 9762, Exp. Date 2/28/2025
- 9763, 9764, 9765, Exp. Date 3/31/2025
- 9869, 9870, Exp. Date 5/31/2025
- 9871, 9872, Exp. Date 7/31/2025
- 9996, 9997, 9998, Exp. Date 8/31/2025
- 9995, Exp. Date 10/31/2025
- 0154, 0153, 0326, Exp. Date 1/31/2026
- 0155, 0156, 0161, 0327, 0329, 0328, Exp. Date 2/28/2026
- 0479, 0480, Exp. Date 5/31/2026
- Distributed by: FOCUS CONSUMER HEALTHCARE, LLC, Chattanooga, TN
- 642,131 total tubes
Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, 10% Benzoyl Peroxide/Acne Treatment
- NET WT 5 OZ (142g)
- UPC: 1 9560203602 8
- Lot #: 23-09328
- Expiration Date: 09/2025
- Distributed by: Walgreen CO, Deerfield, IL, Made in Canada.
- 13,440 total tubes
Additionally, a March 11 notice from the FDA lists more acne and skincare products that are being recalled at a retail level, meaning “retailers are instructed to remove products from store shelves and online marketplaces but does not specifically instruct consumers to take actions regarding products currently in their possession.”
The following companies “voluntarily agreed to take action to recall” the below products, per the FDA, due to elevated levels of benzene:
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment, lot number MYX46W, expiration date April 2025
- Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, lot numbers V3305A and V3304A, expiration date October 2025
- Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator, lot number V4204A, expiration date July 2025
- SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion, lot number 2430600, expiration date March 2025
- Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream, lot number 49707430, expiration date March 2026
On Tuesday, March 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new details for Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream. The agency now lists the event as a Class II recall, meaning the products “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects.”
The FDA says 100,970 tubes have been recalled nationwide with the following information:
- Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream 10% Benzoyl Peroxide/Acne Medication
- 0.65 oz (18.4g) tube in a carton
- Distributed by: Walgreen CO., 200 Wilmot Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015
- Lot # and Expiration Dates:
- 4970743B, 4970743C Exp 3/31/2026
- 9722793A, Exp 9/30/2026
- 8363513A, Exp 12/3/2026
- 2822284A, Exp 8/31/2027
- 2143554A, Exp 12/31/2027
Fruit Of The Earth, Inc. in Grand Prairie, TX, is listed as the recalling firm, meaning it is likely the manufacturer. In the same notice, recalled acne products from CVS are also listed.
In addition, CVS also posted product details this week for the recalled La Roche-Posay products.
The total number of recalled products from La Roche-Posay, Proactiv, and SLMD was not included. The same FDA notice also lists the above Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser with a matching lot number and expiration date, as well as stating “the manufacturer of another benzoyl peroxide acne product, Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel, agreed to voluntarily recall this product due to the elevated level of benzene found during its own testing.”
The FDA says they conducted independent testing “following receipt of third-party testing results … that raised concerns about elevated levels of benzene in certain acne products containing benzoyl peroxide.” Ultimately, the FDA’s testing indicated “fewer products with benzene contamination than the third-party findings.” Still, they concluded that a limited number of the products should be recalled.
Reassuringly, the FDA’s March 11 notice says, “Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low.” Still—while clear skin is a goal, so are clean ingredients.
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