Is Acne Free Better Than Proactiv?
What is AcneFree?
One of the most popular products in the industry, Acne Free is a benzoyl peroxide based acne fighting product with a 3 piece kit. They have a scrub, toner, and moisturizing lotion, and you can generally find their product readily available at common stores such as Walmarts and Rite Aids across the country. Their original formula is based on benzoyl peroxide, and they claim to use a timed release formula making them effectively speaking, better than the competition. But for many, the question still remains, does Acne Free acutally work?
History of AcneFree
Acne Free is the original copycat to the ever popular Proactiv. And they quickly became the most popular alternative. They were first recognized for providing essentially the same product for a cheaper price. But since 2009, many consumers have found that Proactiv dropped their price to match that of the original Acne Free at just $19.99, while still offering free gifts that Acne Free does not. However, Acne Free claims that the difference lies in the idea that clinical studies show that their product works better due to a time released formula. They do not however produce these supposed clinical studies, and their formula as far as we can tell is actually no different than that of Proactiv.
Benefits
Like other benzoyl peroxide based formulas such as Proactiv, Acne Free can get rid of some cases of acne basically by drying out the skin and making it a hostile environment for bacteria. It kills off bacteria quickly, but there are studies that show that it actually makes the skin rebound quite quickly, nurturing greater breakouts should you stop using the product at any point in time.
Side Effects
Side effects of Acne Free are those of benzoyl peroxide. They include redness, itching, dryness, peeling, irritation, and sensitivity to the sun. They are worse for some individuals than others.
Conclusion
As a copycat, though they may be cheaper, Acne Free is no better than its predecessor, Proactiv. It doesn’t work for every case, sometimes even making acne worse during use, and without question causing damage and other side effects to the skin. Our research has shown that there are definitely better alternatives.
Have You Used AcneFree? Rate Your Experience For Future Consumers!
Unedited AcneFree Customer Feedback
----- Original Message -----
Product: acne free severe
“Im using the acne free severe, I dont have severe acne but I liked the fact it has an antbacterial wash. I love the products but i think I may switch to just the clear skin cause the severe burns a little, but it works so wonderfully.”
By: LeyAnna — 01/30/2011 @ 11:30 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free Clear Skin
“I agree with you that Acne Free is a copycat to Proactiv but I have to disagree the whole review. I have tried proactiv and it did NOT work at all. So I gave Acne Free a try and it did WORK and my acne is gone! Proactiv goes in the trash...sorry. That\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s my opinion. Acne Free is my totally stable!”
By: Cassie — 02/01/2011 @ 4:52 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Clear Skin System
“I have been using AcneFree for about a half and a half now. I have sensitive skin so I only use it once a day before I go to bed. It works great. There are a couple downsides. One is that you have to use it on a consistent basis or the acne comes right back. The other is that the lotion bottle is way too small. I go through about 4-5 bottles of lotion per bottle of cleanser. I also go through about 2-3 bottles of toner per bottle of cleanser. I use a small amount of both so it\\\'s not because I\\\'m using too much. I think that the amount of the active ingredients vary in each bottle though. I only say this because recently I got a new bottle of lotion and the first day I used it my face got really red and itchy. So I let it go for a couple days until the redness was gone and tried using it again. My face got even more red and itchy. It took about 3 days before that redness went away. I waited 2 weeks before I used it again and it happened again. There was a spot on one of my cheek bones that even got a little swollen. After a few days the redness went away but I also have dry patches that aren\\\'t going away even with moisturizing. So, needless to say I can\\\'t use that bottle of lotion again and it was kind of a waste of money because I have to go get another one. Overall, I think AcneFree works great.”
By: Kayla — 02/16/2011 @ 3:50 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Redness relief
“I have sensitive skin that often has redness. Not only did this product clear up myrnAcne, it also helped with the redness. I have tried proactiv and it was why too harsh on rnmy skin, made it more red and caused peeling. I like that Acnefree has different productsrnfor different skin types. Love this product and will be using it for a long time.”
By: April — 02/18/2011 @ 07:42 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Three Step System
“I\'ve had severe acne for years. i tried Proactive and it make my skin so much worse than it was before, I got AcneFree and within two weeks my acne cleared. I love AcneFree its so much better and cheaper than ProActiv”
By: Amy — 02/26/2011 @ 11:26 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: acnefree severe
“I used proactive and didnt like that I couldn\\\'t purchase more when I needed it I had to wait for it to be shipped and it cost more. Acnefree works just as good and I can get it at my local drug store or wal-mart for almost half of what I was paying for proactive. This is a great product.”
By: Jessica — 03/29/2011 @ 11:57 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: acne free severe
“i used the acne free severe for 4 days, to no avail. My acne didnt go away, my face became itchy, red and it started to peel so I had to stop using it. I was so disappointed. It has been a couple of days since I stopped using it and my face is still red, itchy and dry.”
By: amanda — 04/08/2011 @ 6:17 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: acnefree purifying cleanser
“this product is putting huge blotches on my skin and i reviewed this product a bunch of times and it only says consult a doctor if you are sensitive to benzoyl peroxide but it says nothing about huge f*cking spots appearing on your face!rni will NOT be using this product in the future! and THIS company is LUCKY im not SUING them!”
By: jacob — 04/14/2011 @ 8:30 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne free
“well , i have a bit acne not that bad i guess but i just bought acne free and im not sure to use it i read the reviews and they seem horrible so i dont know someone help mee !”
By: martha — 05/25/2011 @ 2:32 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Three Step
“I decided to buy AcneFree for my 13 year old daughter after reading unfavorable reviews about Proactiv. She has moderate acne. We are very pleased with the results. It never cleared her acne up completely but improved it very much. Suddenly I noticed that she was having a serious breakout and when I mentioned it to her she said that she had run out of the cleanser a week before. I bought the 3 step system again and her acne improved immediately. Highly recommended!”
By: Jenn — 06/02/2011 @ 2:08 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: acne free
“I have had acne since my teen years have used any and everything to clear it up. Decided to try this 3step system and it cleared up my skin within three days very very happy with the results and now I\'m more confident and not embarrassed for ppl to look at me..thank you acnefree I am very pleased.with my outcome!!!!”
By: Mya — 06/06/2011 @ 02:13 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneeFree Kit
“This product does not work. For the first week I saw no improvement. The only thing I experienced was incredibly dry skin. Then for a few days my skin was pretty clear but the dry skin problem intensified. I continued following the directions for use and a week later my face broke out even worse than when I started. I have since stopped using this product because it does nothing to draw more attention to the problem I was trying to get rid of.”
By: Jeanine — 06/09/2011 @ 11:12 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Sensitive System
“I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'m a 30-yr-old female with light skin, battling acne since I was 17yrs. My face breaks out (extremely) easily, but anything with BP would burn my skin instantly, so I thought I was allergic to BP. One of the many systems I used was Proactiv, but it did not work (it burnt my skin on contact). I would used products with SA, but they would only decreased (not vanished) my acne (and they also were expensive). When I saw Acnefree at my local retailer, I thought, \\\\\\\"what the heck? I\\\\\\\'ve already spend so much money on other products, why not try a $20-dollar product system?\\\\\\\" I went for the sensitive skin AcneFree, because it was the only with SA, not BP (even though the \\\\\\\'terminator\\\\\\\' has BP). I started using it, and on the first wash my face felt clean and normal (not dry, sticky, itchy, etc.) I added the Ph Balancing moisturizer and it still felt normal. So... \\\\\\\"let\\\\\\\'s go all the way\\\\\\\", I said, and I used the Terminator as a spot treatment. I honestly waited by the bathroom sink ready to wash my face if burning sensations started... as it had happened MANY times before (when trying products with BP)... and guess what?... nothing, absolutely nothing happened!! My face still felt normal. My acne, now, has vanished and under control!! I thought I was never going to be able to said that. Wow! Thank you, AcneFree.”
By: Itzel Richarte — 07/13/2011 @ 11:23 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Clear Skin Treatments
“I thought long and hard before I went to my local CVS to purchace AcneFree. I used to use Clean & Clear, but got tired of not seeing any results after a month. Tomorrow I will start using AcneFree and I\\\'m hoping that my acne will get better (I\\\'ve had acne for 2, going on 3 years). I\\\'m a teenager, and I read many reviews saying that people\\\'s teenage children have gotten really good results using AcneFree I\\\'ll post back in two days to give an update on if AcneFree was a good investment or a waist of cash!”
By: Jessica — 07/25/2011 @ 5:04 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Clear Skin 3 Step System
“I was deeply unsatisfied with the AcneFree\\\\\\\'s Clear Skin 3 Step System. I was expecting at least ProActiv results since marketing spent much energy misleading cosumers by comparing the two products. Within days, I had blemishes covering my face. I have never broken out like that before. I was disgusted. As soon as I ceased using the product, my face cleared up. I spent even more money trying to mend my skin with additional (alternate company) products and even a facial. I would recommend this product to no one and strongly suggest a change in marketing since AcneFree is NOT comparable to ProActiv.”
By: Pam J. — 07/27/2011 @ 12:51 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free Clear Skin
“Where has this product been all of my life..... I have used expensive products that the dermatologist recommended. I was paying $225.00 for Finacea Gel and it did not work. This product is by far the best. My chest would break out. I have been using the 3 step product and my face and chest are looking AWESOME. Thank you so much for this product.”
By: Melissa — 08/17/2011 @ 09:37 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: acne free trio pack
“horrible product. not only did I get 5-7 more pimples while using it, the ones I already had didnt go away......they got bigger. and surrounding all this acne was dry flaky skin because of the ingredients in this junk dries out your good skin but doesnt do anything to make the acne go away. A waste of money and I plan to return it. both you and proactiv are liars! I emailed you with my complaints and you never got back to me!”
By: sue lumbard — 08/21/2011 @ 5:07 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free
“I LOVE Acne Free. I was a loyal Proactive user for years, but I got tired of having to order, and paying so much, so when Acne Free came out, I gave it a try. I like it even better than Proactive. My skin care routine is to use Acne Free in the morning (but I don\\\'t use the toner, I feel it is not necessary), and then I use 0.025% retin-a at night. My skin has never been clearer, and I have had pretty moderate acne since I was about 14 years old. Now in my 30\\\'s, I finally have clear skin that I love :)”
By: Jenny — 09/21/2011 @ 07:32 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Sensitive Skin Care
“I Have Used AcneFree. AND IT WORKS!!! :DrnrnAlthough WHen You Use The Terminator it kinda burns. or something feeling like that. But Hey! It WOrks! Thats What matter! :D USE IT NOW ^^”
By: Noel — 10/03/2011 @ 12:14 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free Severe
“Well i was using this awhile ago and as being 13 i didnt think it was it was working but others did. So recently (14 now)I was using natural remidies didnt work fast and plus my dad thought it was a waste. Used Loreal go 360 clean nice scrublet but sadly didnt work. Went to the dermatoligist he gave me a lotion didnt work. Used Biore only worked for so long but sometimes I didnt use a moisturizer so I bet it would have changed things but that was before i did alot of resaerch on acne. My dad,and my grandma said my face is looking worse have i beeen using my products, I was so embarrsed! So my dad said I should go back to Acne Free casue it worked so I did let me see about 3 weeks ago. After a week i started noticing major changes not as many whiteheads or blackheads. But the downside is if you forget to put it on! I forgot last night to use the lotion and i got like 3-4 new bumps crazy right! But the day before i got the acne spot treatment form Acne Free which i put on in the midddle of the day becasue I play sports and get all sweaty but overall AMAZING PRODUCT! Love it Im happy it was made, works perfectley for me reducing acne everyday. Soon i will be Acne Free and will continue to use this casue acne can always come back!”
By: Jordan — 10/04/2011 @ 6:09 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: ACNE FREE
“omg this is a life changer i have tried everything over the counter that was sold. Nutrogena, clean and clear, everything but this is amazing my skin cleared right up and it KEEPS BREAK OUTS FORM HAPPENIG! take it from me i sweat alot and im a a VERY active person this stuff works!!!”
By: amanda — 10/22/2011 @ 9:57 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Severe
“I love this product! It works for me. My skin got clearer in one day. I started breaking out from eating tons of junk food and this cleared it. I have oily skin and it has not dried out my skin one bit. It has a \\\\\\\"retinol renwel complex\\\\\\\" lotin-ish thing which helped my skin from drying. I really recommend this product!”
By: Tigua — 10/30/2011 @ 10:48 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Clear Skin System
“AcneFree is a miracle worker ! Being 13 has its downs, and of course, acne is one of them. I bought AcneFree at a local Ulta store, and I just LOVE IT. It has cleared up my acne for GOOD. I use it, morning and night. And let me say, the Terminator is a live saver. It gets rid of blackheads so quickly, it\\\'s like they weren\\\'t even there ! I love AcneFree and it\\\'s definitely something you should try. Tip : Be sure you moisturize your face often because AcneFree does dry your skin out severely. It is a bit of a time consumer to apply everything, but it\\\'s worth it in the end.”
By: Alexis Stapleton — 10/30/2011 @ 2:47 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree 3-Step System(not the severe one)
“AcneFree works. It may not work for everyone (because we all have different skin types and chemistry), but it worked immediately the first time I used it. I use the toner pads instead of the toner (since i used it up pretty quickly) occasionally, and the night foam is a great addition to it. I love it, and it\\\'s super affordable for a college kid. Give it a try ^_^”
By: Mary Jane Rdz. — 11/20/2011 @ 01:27 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acnefree
“Im 14 and I started to break out horribly on my forehead, it was bad. So my mom had AcneFree in her bathroom, that she NEVER used, So i decided to use it, And in about 24 hours I saw results! My face, got clearer and soft, my friends started to see a diffrence, I love AcneFree thats the only thing I actually keep up with because it does me such wonders! Highly recommended, it truly is an amazing product. (:”
By: Nina — 12/09/2011 @ 12:36 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free Clear Skin System
“I am 15 and I wear makeup often I lose self confidence when I have acne, I have tried almost everything on the market. My skin did feel clean using this product although, my zits did go away they came right back. I washed my face twice a day, after they came back I slowed down to using it once a day. It did the same thing once again. So I just gave up. Is it impossible to find a cure? I\'m considering Murad.”
By: Can't find something — 12/22/2011 @ 12:33 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free
“For the longest I have always had the worst bacne, (at least in my opinion). It was to the point where I was ashamed and embarrassed to wear any backless shirts. I felt dirty and uncomfortable. I have tried Benzoyl Peroxide that my dermatologist recommended and it helped...with my FACE acne. Not my back. The percentage was too low to clear up my back. I have tried a lot. Neutrogena body wash, Clean and Clear, and just regular soap. Nothing worked. One day I went to CVS and I saw Acne Free. I saw that it contained Benzoyl Peroxide but at a higher percentage. I gave it a try because it not only contained acne fighting ingredients but it was on sale. The whole kit for only 15 bucks. So I ended up trying the Acne Free kit on my back and after about 3-4 weeks..I noticed a difference. It actually worked. After completing the kit, I can say my bacne is much clearer then before. I\\\\\\\'m extremely satisfied with my results and would love to buy another kit to finally completely clear up my skin. Plus, it came with a free tube of Blemish cream which was a nice touch to helping clear my bacne. Acne Free works and is a great price!”
By: Jackie — 12/24/2011 @ 08:02 AM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree Severe
“I will just start this review by saying that I do not normally write reviews. But this stuff deserves one!! I have struggled with acne since I was about 13 years old. I would say that I have mild-severe acne, although it has gotten a little better over time. One day at Target, I was browsing the Acne aisle as I normally do to try to find yet something else to try. (I have gone to the dermatologist as well, without 100% results). I decided to use some of my Christmas money to try AcneFree Severe. I am so happy I did!!! I have so much more confidence now... I almost spent $80.00 on the Clinique Acne Solutions and am happy I tried this before hand! In one day, my redness was gone. After about a week, my acne started to dry up and go away (without over-drying the rest of my face). I now make sure that I use this stuff religiously morning and night!! I also bought \\\\\\\"The Terminator\\\\\\\" Which is 10% Benzoyl Peroxide ($5) as well for acne spots that come up during the day (Just be careful how much you use...read the instructions on the box). I would suggest anyone and everyone with mild-severe acne to try this!! It\\\\\\\'s honestly the best I have found!! Go out and buy some...you will be eccstatic with your results!”
By: Caitlin — 01/09/2012 @ 10:46 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: AcneFree
“When i first started using AcneFree, i could already see that it was working over night! After a while it realy does clear up your skin! Sometimes you do get little bumps coming back, but if you use the product night and day, and scrub well, you will never see imflamed, big, puffy, nasty acne again! If you have sesitive skin, I don\\\'t recomend using this, although they have another type for sensitive skin. I had moderate acne, but now i have nothing! And when your a young teenager like me, you are going to break out, but acne free will put a stop to that! I love it! Thumbs up Yes!!!!!!!!!! :) :)”
By: Elainah — 01/14/2012 @ 6:51 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Sensitive Skin 3stepkit, AcneFree Oatmeal and Jojoba Gentle Scrub, Terminator, Sulfur Mask
“As you can see above, I use many AcneFree products. I swear, if one of their products work for you - all of them will.rnrnMy experience with the sensitive skin 3 step system:rnrnI\\\'m not going to lie, it didn\\\'t work over night, or in 2 days. But I did see differences within a week. In my opinion, acne products don\\\'t work over night, it\\\'s just not possible. With that said, the product didn\\\'t irritate me, and it didn\\\'t dry me out (I have really sensitive, dry, acne prone skin). Smells okay, and it just doesn\\\'t clear pimples, it makes your skin soft, and it glows. It also prevents new pimples. Within 2 weeks, I was completely clear. I paid 19.99, and it was worth every penny. rnrnThe Oatmeal and Jojoba Gentle Scrub:rnrnI use this 3x a week after the cleanser to exfoliate. You shouldn\\\'t exfoliate every day, and should only do it 1-3x a week. It smells good, gentle, not drying, reveals smooth and fresh skin, and a nice addition to my skin care routine.rnrnThe Terminator:rnrnThis is amazing. It does what it claims, \\\"terminates\\\". Before my acne seriously started clearing (2weeks) I still had some cystic pimples, (I haven\\\'t had ONE since starting the system, knock on wood.) This helps DRAMATICALLY and really reduces redness. Its magic in a bottle, it works so well. rnrnSulfur Mask:rnrnThis is really good. It doesn\\\'t make acne disappear, but it flattens bumps, and REALLY tightens pores. It makes your skin glow, too. Again, a wonderful addition to my skin care routine. Honestly, I\\\'m going to buy every thing on their line, because everything works so well for me. rnrnrnI would totally recommend to anyone.”
By: Shiann Camacho — 01/19/2012 @ 5:03 PM
----- Original Message -----
Product: Acne Free- Sensitive Skin
“\"I used this product as the directions advise and inspite of that the product caused me to have a terrible red rash with the texture of sand paper all over my face. I called their Customer Service for a refund of the amount I paid for at Target which was about $14.95. I did not have my receit so they told me that I would have to pay to ship the product back to them and they would pay me the lowest retail market price for it. Because of that I automatically know they will not give me a justifiable refund back. WHY Should I Have To Pay For Shipping!\"”
By: Tamela Bellamy — 01/19/2012 @ 6:31 PM
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