AcneFree • All Products • Skincare - Face

Where To Buy?

GoddessRevealed on 6/20/2013 5:20:00 AM more reviews by GoddessRevealed

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I'm a huge advocate of the Proactiv Original System. The skincare has always left my skin blemish free for as long as I've used it. Given my experience with skincare, benzoyl peroxide in a low dosage is the only product which seems to work for me long-term.
The Proactiv "gentle", salicylic acid based system proved ineffective for my skin. I should note that with the Original system, I have found it necessary to apply a hydrating cream such as Cetaphil moisturizing cream after cleansing and prior to application of toner in order to offset the potentially dehydrating effects of the toner. I'd found that when I had applied the toner to dry skin right after cleansing, my skin would wind up dehydrated. This is the case even if I only use the system once per day in the evening. If I apply the system 2x day I have found that my skin gets especially dehydrated and flaky where makeup application would become a problem.
As the years passed, I started to get interested in trying out skincare with anti-aging benefits. I'd always have the concern in the back of my mind that the products could contribute to breakouts or not keep my skin clear, but I've tried nevertheless.
Derm Exclusive seemed to be neutral. I didn't notice any unusual or timely breakouts from use of the product line, but Kardashian's Perfect Skin cleanser always seemed to cause pimples on my skin anytime I've used it. I'm contributing it to their cleanser, although I suppose it could be the toner as well as this product was used some of the time when the cleanser had been used, but breakouts occurred even when their toner was not used.
I ran out of Proactiv and had run out of the Derm Exclusive cleanser so I had decided to try the Perfect Skin cleanser again, but much to my dismay, instant pimples the follwoing morning!! Ugh. I therefore decided to purchase both University Medical Original Acne-Free System and the Sensitive Skin as an immediate measure since these are available at local pharmacies. I am considering applying the Original in the evening and the Sensitive formula during the AM, but I'm very much concerned about the amount of ALCOHOL that's in the Renewing Toner of the Original System. Alcohol is listed twice and is known to strip the skin of it's natural lipids and pH balance. When you strip the skin you can cause the skin to fall out of balance where it overproduces oil to compensate for stripping it's natural lipids. This can lead to more breakouts once you moisturize in order to offset the dryness and dehydration. Alcohol also dries the skin and emphasizes fine lines. I'm also concerned that stripping the skin with alcohol would not only lead to dehydration, flaking and possible emphasis of fine lines since hydration and propr balance is especially key to mature skin. My skin is not oily by any means, it tends to be combination or sensitive/acne-prone in that the wrong ingredients (mineral oil, lanolin, excess oils, inferior ingredients) will make me break out, cause redness, chapping, dehydration and flaking.
I've noticed that Proactiv uses glycolic acid in it's toner. Their toner was excellent for my skin. It would make it appear more clear, bright and even-toned. Some even consider glycolic acid an anti-aging ingredient, because it brightens dull skin and aids in gentle exfoliation while keeping the pores free of debris. The choice of alcohol as a replacement for the glycolic acid would explain the price differential as alcohol is a cheap ingredient, but it's also an inferior ingredient. I'm going into these details hoping that one of the representatives of University Medical will read this review and consider forwarding the comment to their Research & Development (R&D) Dept. and consider an alcohol-free reformulation of the toner in the Original 3 pc. System
If you are experiencing dehydration, dryness, tightness, or flakiness of the skin, please consider sending University Medical Customer Service an email via their website explaining your side effects and expressing a desire in an alcohol-free based toner which has an well-received and regarded acid as an ingredient to replace it. Acids such as salicylic, glycolic, AHA, fruit acids, etc.. have all been shown to help to clear pores, increase cell turnover and exfoliation, and have anti-aging benefits. Alcohol is a cheap ingredient known to strip and dehyudrate the skin.
I will keep you posted on whether the University Medical products are effective as they've just been purchased. I will provide benefit of the doubt for now and provide a 3-4 star rating pending followup. I will keep you posted on whether the University Medical products are effective as they've just been purchased. I will provide benefit of the doubt for now and provide a 3-4 star rating pending followup.
I'd appreciate any feedback you may have regarding using the kits on adult skin that doesn't have bad breakouts, because the skin is managed in a way to keep it clear. The morning following application of Perfect Skin cleanser, my skin had tiny pimples on the cheeks and a hive type of blemish on my chin. Use of Proactiv original system (low dosages of benzoyl peroxide) seems to keep my skin clear. I'm hoping that University Medical will do the same, but I'll have to consider how to properly offset the alcohol in the Renewing Toner. I'm awaiting a reply from the UM CS dept. as I'd emailed them via their website.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ricota on 5/18/2013 1:28:00 AM more reviews by ricota

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium Brown   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

THE BEST OUT THERE,ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET THOSE BIG TUMOR LOOK A LIKE PIMPLES!!! GET THE ORANGE BOTTLES BUT DONT FORGET TO APPLY SOME MOISTURIZER AROUND YOUR EYES OR THEY WILL GET DRY AND FLAKY!!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Jstar668 on 4/20/2013 6:15:00 AM more reviews by Jstar668

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I'm on my second kit and I must say that this product does work well. I've switched to the Sensitive Skin version, however, because I find that the orginal strength is far too drying for my skin type. However, the system does seem to clear up acne fast. Its also very convenient that they've come out with different formulations - original, sensitive and severe. I've been dealing with aggressive and recurring break outs on my cheeks and chin due to a face powder I had been using. I was using it to set my makeup and never suspected it would be the culprit. After 6 mos I finally realized what was damaging my skin and I bought this system to get my face back in order.

I follow the 3 steps but I have altered them just a bit. I use the wash on my entire face but focus the toner on problem areas. I swipe it across my entire face at times but make sure to pay special attention to areas that need it. The acne fighting lotion is quite strong in both the original and sensitive skin formulations and I DO NOT recommend putting this all over your face.

If you have sensitive skin and buy the sensitive skin version its the same story. I find that its best to apply a bit of the lotion to a q tip and dab it on trouble spots ONLY. The wash does a good job of preventing break outs and smoothing my skin.

Anyway, I wipe the STEP 3 lotion away after about 15 minutes or so and apply a fragrance free moisturizer because this product is quite drying. I never really let the acne lotion sit on my face for longer because it can cause red patches and flaking of the skin. 15 minutes seems to be enough to dry out the pimple fast. Following up with an extra moisturizer is key.

A WARNING or 2 - if you are allergic to aspirin DO NOT use this product as it contains salicylic acid.
Tweak the system to work for you.
Invest in a good moisturizer.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

isabella8 on 1/13/2013 3:58:00 AM more reviews by isabella8

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is the best acne-clearing product I've ever used and it's been my go-to for many years. I get the occasional breakout on my forehead and chin and it's the only system that clears it up. I use the 3-step system at night and by morning, I can honestly see a difference.

My acne is mild at this point in my life and my skin is generally clear. I have sensitive skin and I can't use products with fragrance. I've tried Proactiv and it was too strong and aggravated my acne. I've tried a few other brands (Oxy, Clean and Clear) but my skin can't take how strong they are.

The trick with this system: I never apply any of the 3 products on my entire face, just on my problem areas but I do follow the 3 steps. And I never use it daily because I want to give my skin a rest--maybe 3 times in a week at most to clear up a batch of acne. This has saved my face from turning red and getting irritated--and it's worked really well. This is my holy grail acne product!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* tigirlyly on 12/3/2012 9:00:00 PM more reviews by tigirlyly

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This is part of my daily facial cleansing routine. I use the cleanser AM and PM, toner AM and PM and the lotion AM only. I use a glycolic acid product at night.

This has been wonderful for my skin. I have clear skin. I still get an occasional "time of the month" zit...but that's a vast improvement over my previous acne riddled condition.

It's not for everyone. First if you have dry or sensitive skin stay away, it's a tad drying. Second it's have benzoyl peroxide, some people are allergic to it.

It's a drugstore knockoff on Proactiv, and for the price it works great.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

krisah375 on 12/3/2012 8:55:00 PM more reviews by krisah375

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I LOVE the astringent toner pads! I had terrible acne and once I started using these, everything cleared right up.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Bertiebird82975 on 11/13/2012 8:54:00 PM more reviews by Bertiebird82975

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

I first bought this product because I had suddenly started getting pimples and blackheads in the last month. My regular cleanser wasn't working, so I found this product at KMart. I used it for 2 weeks and it cleared my face up perfectly. After 2 weeks of use both morning and night, my face starting itching super bad! Along with the itching, I started getting some hive like bumps around my jaw line, temples and forehead. It has been 2 days of non-use and the itching hasn't stopped. I had great faith in the product because of the results, but now I know that I must be allergic to something in it. The itching is driving me crazy!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Sasha77885 on 11/10/2012 1:37:00 PM more reviews by Sasha77885

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This review is for the normal kit. This system was good at controlling my acne, but left my skin very dry. BP concentrations are too high in this kit, & acne treatment is gritty, with unpleasant odor. Would not buy again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

DallasCowgirl on 11/9/2012 6:39:00 PM more reviews by DallasCowgirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

The only product that has worked for my adult acne.. I've been using it for going on 2 years now...and I decied since it worked I could try other products..big mistake my face broke out horribly so I will be going back to this and never leaving again...

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Faeriegrotto on 11/8/2012 11:41:00 PM more reviews by Faeriegrotto

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

This review is for AcneFree Severe. I had acne for over ten years, and these products helped to clear it all up! I didn't use exactly as directed, however, so I'll review item by item:
1. Antibacterial Cleansing Wash - 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide: I had actually been using a 10% BP wash for years, so I was a little scared of going all the way down to 2.5%. It turns out that using 10% not only on your acne, but on the rest of your face as a "preventative measure" is a little over the top, and the regular heavy usage actually reduces its effectiveness when you need it most. 2.5% is plenty as a base wash. I ended up just using this in the mornings, and used sulfur soap (highly recommend!) at night.
2. Corrective Toner with Glycolic Acid: I used this morning and night while it lasted, and of all the items in the kit, this was the first to run out. It ended up being the gateway to me purchasing a toner with a higher glycolic acid concentration, and I think it's really helping with my acne scarring.
3. Maximum Strength Repair Lotion - 10% Benzoyl Peroxide: Having the extra strength BP in the lotion rather than the wash really was a game changer for my skin. I wouldn't call this a "lotion" - it doesn't really moisturize - but it dissolves a lot more nicely than other BP spot treatments. I used this morning and night, and only on individual pimples or patches of cystic acne--not on my whole face. It works amazingly well.
4. Retinol Renewal Complex - I'm holding on to these tubes, but I'm still not sure how to use them yet. I didn't want to use retinol until I could tame my acne a bit, and then I wanted to wait until I got used to a higher concentration glycolic, and now I'm looking at trying hydroquinone on my scars. I don't want to make too many adjustments to how I treat my face at once, so the experimenting with retinol is going to have to wait.

If you've had no experience with Benzoyl Peroxide before, I'd recommend getting the original AcneFree system before you try the severe version. After only two boxes of Severe, for the first time in ten years, I am actually acne free! I purchased another bottle of the cleanser when I ran out, but I'm down to only using it once a week. I still have a bottle and a quarter of the lotion to go through, and that's my favorite part (by the way: I first purchased 4 months ago). I highly recommend.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

bonbon2012 on 10/11/2012 3:17:00 PM more reviews by bonbon2012

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Medium Brown   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I really have nothing bad to say about this product. I actually re purchase a new trio yesterday. It has cleared my acne tremendously. I would totally recommend it to anyone with acne problems to try it.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* mzjade22 on 10/10/2012 4:54:00 PM more reviews by mzjade22

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This review is on the AcneFree 24 hr system. I bought this at Ulta for about 20$, and it came with a knock off Clarisonic as a bonus.

I decided to buy this as a last ditch effort before having to try proactive. I read a lot of reviews of people who have tried both, and I decided to get it because a large chunk of the reviews said AcneFree was better than proactive. I have always struggled with acne, even though I do wear a decent amount of makeup, I always put a lot of time/effort/$$ into skincare as well.

The first few days of this treatment was rough. This really dries out your skin at first, for a while I was putting my normal moisturizer over the acnefree moisturizer and that seemed to relieve the issue. I was discouraged at first because while this cleared some of my smaller bumps right away, I was still having a giant white head pop up at least daily. Using the product in conjunction with the spin brush will cause your skin to purge what is trapped down in your pores, so I imagine thats what the white heads were from.

I have been using this for a little over a month, my skin hasnt fully cleared, but it is in better condition than when I started. Im still not 100% if I will keep this or just suck it up and try proactive. For now this is a decently priced alternative to proactive.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

xtasteofimpact on 9/18/2012 2:20:00 PM more reviews by xtasteofimpact

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this after wandering around a CVS, desperate for something to clear my adult acne that came on when I was 23 (am now 26). I had zero expectation it would work, but it did - I noticed results within a week and it's been six weeks now with no cystic pimples, only sporadic poppable pimples which go away very quickly. I had tried Pro Activ, Dermalogica, doc prescribed BP lotion, Atralin, chemical peels, PCA acne, Murad, Peter Thomas Rith, Clinique, tea tree oil, clay, apple cider vinegar, the list goes on.

As far as the packaging, the squeeze top popped out of Step 1, Step 4 Retinol is useless, but I could care less. I don't know if it will work forever but I'm definitely open to purchasing more of their products.

Also worth noting, I engage in the horrible habit of picking at my skin, and while this cleared it up, it had not gotten rid of or faded acne marks.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

postmaster on 9/9/2012 10:59:00 AM more reviews by postmaster

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Im doing a review for the Acnefree Severe kit. Im currently on my 3rd set ! It is the most effective skin clearing stuff ive ever used ! haha You will start seeing results about 1-2 weeks withinstarting it. But it wont be so dramatic. It has helped my skin like no other ! I have the most acne prone skin and get pimples no matter what i do to my skin I used to have like 10(on a good day) or more on my face at a time and this has toned it down so so much! But now lets get into some cons.. i give it four lippies because it drys out my skin like no other !!!!! its terrible but i think its worth it so thats why now since my skin it toned down sometimes if my skin it dried out i just use the 3rd step. It sucks that ONLY benzol perozide can help my face and nothing else. Also make SURE you use a white towel with this kit! It will stain it like no other! Ive put away seperate towels ive stained and only use them for my face.But even though ive said some cons i still think its AMAZING ! seriously go get it NOW!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

dearest14 on 8/22/2012 4:55:00 AM more reviews by dearest14

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This product gave me great results! I have blackheads and small skin colored bumps on my forehead along with the occasional cystic pimple once in a while. With this system, the cystic acne almost disappears like magic! The only reason why i gave it a 4 is because i still have a few of those bumps and blackheads that haven't cleared up yet. I think this system is geared more towards killing acne-causing bacteria rather than actually unclogging pores. Looking at the big picture, i'm happy with my skin! Side note: this system WILL stain your towels so be careful what you dry your face with!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

MizStrawburry on 7/29/2012 4:41:00 AM more reviews by MizStrawburry

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Hey all you gorgeous people :D

Okay, so I just wrote a suuuuper long review on the acne free severe 24 hour kit and then accidentally closed the screen. POO. It took forever to type x(

Anyways, this is gonna be short n sweet. GET THIS. NOW. It is amazing. My moderate acne that has been chilling on my face for 5 months is almost gone because of this (in only 5 days!). I'm super happy that my first MUA review could be on this C:
If this works on 14-year old forehead pepperoni face (ha, exaggerating a tiny bit. It was moderate acne. But if you do have acne really bad, I wish you good luck for your cure :D) it will hopefully help you.

Hey, it worked better than a week of differin, weeks of the mint julep mask, and other failed holistic and chemical methods combined in one night. Yeah, it's that good :)

Some people say that this is drying. Well, as a previous reviewer said, don't OD on the lotion. I just put it on my problem areas and then applied a good moisterizer afterwards because my cheeks get really, really dry easily. And that worked for me.

So if you're reading this, try acne free severe before you reach for the less-effective, overpriced proactive or dermotologist crap. Okay, well, bye! I FREAKING LOVE THIS STUFF. I will be sure to update if anything changes. But if there isn't an update on this, you can be sure that this works for reals :)

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* mikxoh on 7/17/2012 9:39:00 PM more reviews by mikxoh

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I went on this system back when I was in highschool. I suddenly got massive breakouts all over my forehead. Using just simple face wash every day just wasn't cutting it anymore so I started this system.


I used it for a good year and half with very nice results - it significantly cleared up the acne on my forehead but eventually this system stopped working.


I suppose my skin became immune to ingredients in this trio. Regardless, I started breaking out again and had to find something else to try.


For those who are rather young and can't afford more expensive skincare this is a good start. It has your cleanser, toner and moisturizer all for around $20!


I didn't give it a high rating because it didn't become a long term solution for my acne :< but it's worth a shot.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

smoze on 7/9/2012 3:05:00 AM more reviews by smoze

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Don't buy it. save your money for better foods. You are what you eat...I have cystic acne related to hormone imbalance. This of course was not effective on that. Nothing topical is. Just gotta stick to a holistic diet,which is sooo hard,yet is the only thing that works!! Water really helps. and you can't just tank 64oz you gotta sip throughout the day for water to work.

Anywho. this didn't even work on regular cosmetic acne (non hormonal). I would wake up with white heads which i never get. Makes my skin sensitive to the sun (i live in Hawaii!). Drying, Three steps, uggh.seriously I've had great results just washing with water, as long as my diet is healthy.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* yallagabig on 7/8/2012 2:49:00 PM more reviews by yallagabig

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I didn't like this product. It's definitely not the worst acne treatment I've tried, but I wouldn't buy it again. I picked it up because my skin responds really well to benzoyl peroxide but for some reason it's an ingredient that's really hard to find (at least where I live) -- everything seems to be about salicylic acid, which does nothing for me. This product was fine, but I wouldn't spend my money on it again (I'm going back to Neutrogena's "Clear Pore" BP cleanser, even if I have to order it online). Here's a piece-by-piece breakdown of each step in the 3-step system: 1. The Cleanser: I didn't mind the cleanser. I'll probably continue to use it as a body wash instead of as a face wash. It doesn't sting or burn, and it rinses off very easily. 2. The Toner: the toner actually made me break out, so I stopped using it. It gave my face a very dirty, filmy feeling, like it was attracting moisture from the air into my face. It made me oily and greasy. I think it was the lactic acid, because whenever I've tried other products with lactic acid in them, I've broken out. After a few days I stopped using the toner and just used the cleanser and repair lotion. The breakouts stopped. 3. The Repair Lotion: this was okay, but I feel like you're just not supposed to put a constant layer of BP over your whole face day and night (as the directions tell you to). It dried me out, so I started using it at night only and moisturizing heavily during the day. I still didn't like it - while it didn't completely wreck my skin, it made it a little dry and tight, and a little red. Also the main flaw, it didn't seem to combat acne any better than when I was just using BP cleanser alone, and so I felt this was just unnecessary and did more harm than good. (On a side note, the Repair Lotion does make a pretty good spot treatment!)
All in all, I won't be buying this again. Oh and also the packaging is a little annoying - the toner bottle just has a little perforation in the top, so you can't just shake it with the cotton ball over it; you have to literally pour it from the bottle onto the cotton ball, which I thought was annoying. And the top part of the cleanser bottle will pop out if you squeeze too hard. Also annoying.
Like I said, I didn't HATE this product, but it didn't wow me. For reference, my skin is very oily, fair, somewhat sensitive and with very large pores. I should also mention that this product did do an excellent job of controlling oil production in my skin, while not drying me out as much as most SA products tend to. That's a plus.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

coconut17 on 6/16/2012 1:08:00 PM more reviews by coconut17

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This review is for the Severe Acne line. I can't say enough good things about this! I broke out very badly for months- went to the derm who put me on a very $$$$ px that did NOTHING. I tried various products from PTR that worked ok but nothing was really getting rid of the problem. I found this line and had very low expectations since nothing prior to that had really helped. Not only is it cheap, it's available at pretty much any drugstore/Target, and best of all, it WORKS!!! I used to dread showing my skin to the world- now I'm thrilled with my skin! I only wish I had tried it earlier so that's why I'm writing this- in the hopes that it will get others to give it a chance because it's truly AMAZING! And proof that you don't have to shell out $$$ or use px products that peel your skin off to get great results!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No