Paula's Choice CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide, Treats and Prevents Mild to Severe Acne & Breakouts, Fragrance-Free, 2.25 Fl. Oz.

For reference:Combination skin type - oily/dryAge - mid 30sAcne - not severe and occasional outbreaks, maybe hormonal, not sureSituation: had an acne outbreak specifically around my cheeks, and forehead. Redness all over my face.I bought this product on a whim and IT WORKED for me! Lifesaver! I was starting a new job and I had recently broken out more than usual. I ordered the product on a Friday and received next day, Saturday. I used it first on Saturday and by Sunday morning I noticed my face was not as bumpy. My acne decreased DRAMATICALLY that day. I used it again on Sunday night, on Monday, my first day at my new job, my acne was gone. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it’s a true story. I had been using cureology and that worked until it didn’t. I also used CERAVE cream and that didn’t really do the trick either. Out of desperation, I tried this miracle working product. I still had/have redness, and I’m not too worried about that because the makeup takes care of it. I’m so grateful to have found this product just in time. Overall, It’s a great product. The size of the container is big and you really only need a THIN amount over your face/affected area. It is lightweight, yet powerful formula. Do not over do it… read below.BUT…DRYNESS: one downside is that my skin dried out, more around the mouth/cheek areas. So after two days, since it worked so well, I stopped using it. I have been using a moisturizer at night and morning to help, and it has been better. I’m only going to use it as needed.STUNG: I also noticed that when I applied moisturizer, primer, or face wash, my face burned a little. Not horribly or unbearable, but I could feel the tingling sensation. Again, this is why I stopped using it after day two and will only use as needed.As with all products, you have to find what works for YOUR specific type of skin. Thankfully, this worked for me. I’ll definitely buy again.

This product has helped immensely, but before my personal review, I want to address a lot of the issues people who have rated this product lower.1: Benzoyl peroxide will bleach clothes/ towels/ eyebrows etc. I used Proactiv (which is 2.5%) and it bleached everything, I personally have had less of a problem with this one, but it still happens.2. Benzoyl is one of the strongest acne treatments you can use. It will cause drying and redness. Start slow and build up.3. Never start using benzoyl by just slapping it on your face, especially for sensitive skin. Benzoyl can be harsh so swatch it on a small portion of your skin and see how it reacts. That will save you a lot of time and pain.4. You can't treat acne and expect it to work overnight. It takes 30-90 days to start seeing a real change overall in your skin.5. Just want to say it again: BENZOYL PEROXIDE WILL DRY YOUR SKIN! Period, the end. It's battling excess sebum and so it will make your skin dryer. You may want to consider a heavier moisturizer and always drink plenty of water.I've been using this product for 2 months now and it has helped immensely. When I started I had already been using benzoyl 2.5% (which had always worked before, but not anymore) so, desperate as I was I disregarded all I know about skin care and went immediately into applying it twice a day. I did have a lot of redness as a result so I dialed it back to once a day for a week (I suggest to use it at night). To combat dryness I kicked up my moisturizer up a notch (I actually use two moisturizers, but I am using a 10% benzoyl cleanser as well) and my skin is balancing out nicely.One thing that I LOVE about this product is that there is no smell! Proactiv smells TERRIBLE and I expected this to be the same, but there is no scent and I am incredibly thankful for it. It is lightweight and soaks into the skin very quickly.2 months ago I was crying every day because of the huge, painful, cysts that were constantly growing on my face and now I am not. This isn't some miracle product that will just get rid of acne, I have an entire regimen that this is a part of. But before I got all of the other figured out, this was already helping to decrease the size of the cysts and their frequency within the first 15 days or so. For the price, that can't be beaten. (Some products that can help even more can run you $70 + for a month's supply- this is a drop in the bucket).I think if 2.5% isn't doing it for you and 10% is killing your skin, try this out. Just start slow and be patient. Know that, for really bad stubborn acne, this won't be a one and done either. I know that a lot of people using this are used to oily skin and are worried about too much moisturizer. If your skin is over dried you can still get acne. Pay attention to your skin and if it is staying dry maybe find a creamier moisturizer. I, personally, use a vitamin E cream as well. I also suggest products with Hyaluronic acid as it is love.Also, to make sure your skin stays HYDRATED, drink water. Water. Water. Water.I would recommend this product to add to your routine.

This stuff is incredible. I'd been dealing with annoying adult acne for years, and no product I tried did more than help a tiny bit for a week or so. The acne was largely hormonal, so I was beginning to think I couldn't do anything but go to a dermatologist, which is expensive! At 31, I was about ready to give up.I bought this after a friend told me of her experiences with a similar product, and I saw results within days. I've been using it daily for several weeks now, and the results are nothing short of astonishing. I've had three very small pimples in that time - three in a month, when I usually have five or six at once! It's also reduced the amount of redness from past breakouts. My skin hasn't been this good since my teens. I also started using it on my chest and shoulders, with noticeable improvement, so it works for body acne as well.Despite the package warning of dry skin, I always have very dry skin, and it hasn't dried my face out more than it usually is. Be sure to wear sunscreen if you're using this, though. Sunscreen is good regardless, so I didn't have to change my routine, but if you're not already using it be aware that you will burn if you don't.One thing I thought I'd avoided was the bleached fabrics. I use this at night before bed, and make sure my chest is completely dry before putting on pajamas. After a week, my burgundy shirt hadn't changed color at all, so it looked like I was safe... but then I washed the shirt. The chest and shoulder areas on the shirt bleached to a lighter red in the wash! So even if you're careful and don't let the wet product touch your clothes, it looks like it still has the bleaching effect. I wouldn't recommend wearing this in the morning or with clothes you really like, to be safe.

It’s effective although not as fast as my now obsolete favorite BPO product (LaRoche Posay). Respectable price point. Not overly drying when I put on a little grapeseed oil prior to application.