Neutrogena Claps Back at Tate McRae Skincare Backlash
Neutrogena’s Funny Response to Tate McRae’s Viral Skincare Video
What Happened?
Popular singer Tate McRae posted a video on TikTok showing her "post-show skincare routine" while on a flight. The video quickly went viral — but not for the reason she might have hoped!
The Background
- Who: Tate McRae, 23-year-old pop singer ("Sports Car," "Greedy")
- When: After her performance at Osheaga music festival in Montreal (August 1)
- Role: She became a Neutrogena global ambassador in early 2025
- Where: Video posted on TikTok, Neutrogena responded on Instagram
The Video That Started It All
In the TikTok video, Tate showed herself using three Neutrogena products:
| Product | What Happened |
|---|---|
| Makeup Wipes | Held the wipe near her face but didn’t seem to touch her skin |
| Moisturizer | Applied very little (if any) product to her face |
| Under-Eye Patches | Placed them under her eyes |
Important Point: At the end of the video, Tate still had visible makeup on — which fans noticed immediately!
By the Numbers
- 20+ million views
- 1.7+ million likes
- Nearly 12,000 comments — most calling out the "fake" routine
What Fans Said
The comment section was brutally honest:
"HOW was the video approved "
"girl be careful, it almost touched ur skin."
"The wipe never made contact "
Fans felt the routine looked staged and that Tate wasn’t actually using the products she was paid to promote.
Neutrogena’s Clever Comeback
On August 13, Neutrogena posted a hilarious response on Instagram Reels. Instead of getting defensive, they leaned into the joke!
The Video Concept
- A makeup wipe with animated eyes and lips "speaks" to the camera
- Text overlay: "It’s time to come clean"
What the Wipe "Said"
- "Hey. Wow, I’ve been off the grid. Little digital detox after a big festival weekend."
- "You know the one, wink wink. And I checked my phone to see 9 million notifications from you guys, thank you."
- "I see you, and I hear you, girl. I think I have some reflecting to do too, you know?"
- "I’m really, like really good at cleansing your face, but am I even better at causing a scene?"
The Caption
"I’d like to thank everyone for the sudden attention. Please respect my privacy as I adjust to the fame."
Why This Response Worked
Self-aware humor — They acknowledged the elephant in the room
Didn’t blame Tate — Made the product the main character
Turned criticism into engagement — People shared the response widely
Stayed on brand — "Come clean" = perfect double meaning for a cleansing wipe
Summary
| Event | Date | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Tate’s Osheaga performance | August 1 | Montreal festival |
| Viral TikTok posted | Early August | "Post-show routine" on flight |
| Fan backlash | Immediate | 12K comments calling out fake usage |
| Neutrogena’s Instagram response | August 13 | Talking makeup wipe video |
| Original article published | August 14, 2026 | By Parade (News section) |
Bottom line: When a sponsored post goes wrong, owning it with humor often works better than ignoring it or making excuses. Neutrogena turned a PR headache into a viral win!
FAQ
Why did people think Tate wasn’t really using the products?
Because the makeup wipe never seemed to touch her skin, she barely used any moisturizer, and she still had full makeup on at the end.
Was Tate fired from Neutrogena after this?
There’s no information suggesting that. The brand responded playfully, not angrily.
What does "global ambassador" mean?
It means Tate is paid to represent Neutrogena worldwide in ads, social media, and events.
Why did Neutrogena make the wipe "talk"?
It’s a creative way to address the controversy without directly criticizing their own ambassador. Plus, "come clean" is a perfect pun for a cleansing product!
Did this hurt or help Neutrogena?
Most marketing experts say it helped — the response got massive attention and showed the brand has a sense of humor.
Originally reported by Parade on August 14, 2026.