Benzac Acne Solutions Review: Do They Work?
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Introducing Benzac Acne Solutions – something new in acne products. With an ingredient that just might be something you are wearing on your wrists right now…
Sandalwood!
Now, about that word “new”…it might be news to me, but besides smelling good, Sandalwood is an ancient healer. So, I’m actually a bit late to the game on this one. Like thousands of years late.
Benzac Acne Solutions Review
Benzac Acne Solutions is a trio of products (available here); cleanser, spot treatment, and moisturizer. A three-step process to banish acne.
It’s from Galderma, the maker of the tried and true drugstore hero Cetaphil. And I think they may just have a few more heroes on their hands.
Like many acne products, Benzac contains Salicylic Acid, known for exfoliating skin and clearing pimples by unclogging pores. But unlike any acne products that I’m aware of is the addition of East Indian Sandalwood oil.
The oil calms the skin with its anti-inflammatory properties, soothing redness and irritation. It’s also antibacterial and contains moisturizing fatty acids and antioxidants. Why have my wrists been hogging all this goodness all these years?!
Other powerful natural ingredients found in the trio include Kakadu plum (with a high concentration of Vitamin C) and onion extract (which has shown to prevent and reduce the appearance of scars), amongst others.
Let’s look at the individual products…
Benzac Acne Solutions Skin Balancing Foaming Cleanser
The Skin Balancing Foaming Cleanser is step one (purchase here) and I instantly loved this wash. It’s a foaming cleanser with .5% Salicylic Acid.
There’s nothing I hate more than a bubble that disappears almost instantly. Not the case here. You get bubbles that linger until you wash them off.
Bonus, they smell like sandalwood. I think you can even feel the oil in this; not heavy or oily in any way, it just feel luxurious.
Benzac Acne Solutions Intensive Spot Treatment
Step two is the Intensive Spot Treatment (available here). This tube is the powerhouse of the bunch with 2% Salicylic Acid, the “OMG I have a pimple!” product.
I find when I use this on newly forming pimples, they look better by morning and don’t seem to reach their full ugly potential.
In fact, I have been using this every night around my mouth (my pimple freak out region) and I have kept them at bay.
I will say that the delivery system seems to need some work on this packaging. I have a hard time dispersing just a little bit, it tends to shoot out too much every time. I don’t notice any sandalwood scent.
Benzac Acne Solutions Blemish Clearing Hydrator
The Blemish Clearing Hydrator (available here) rounds out the trio. Like the Foaming Cleanser, this serum contains .5% Salicylic Acid.
It’s very light, with almost a gel-like consistency that absorbs instantly. Mmmm, and the sandalwood scent is back!
I’ve been using this like the Spot Treatment, only on problem spots, and it has really helped keep me relatively pimple free.
None of the products have made me dry.
I truly do think the East Indian Sandalwood oil is helping to calm and moisturize the skin while the Salicylic Acid is doing the dirty work.
And despite my fear of using anything with oil in it on my oily skin, these not only did not make me oily, I actually seemed less oily.
Worth noting: poaching and over-harvesting has greatly decreased the number of East Indian Sandalwood trees in Indian.
The ingredients for the Benzac trio are harvested in northern Australia at a plantation dedicated to the cultivation and sustainability of the tree.
So we heartsters if you have acne, give this ancient healer a try, via Benzac!
I was so excited to see a review of all these products, since I’ve been using the Intensive Spot Treatment for a couple of weeks and was really tempted by the other two! I found the same packaging issue–huge blobs come out even if you’re really careful, and it felt like there wasn’t a ton of product in the tube to begin with. However, the Intensive Spot Treatment was not drying at all, and it worked well. Now that I know the sandalwood is more evident in the other products, I’m definitely picking them up.
Nice! Glad it’s working for you :)
Does this work on African American skin? Not trying to sound dense, but I want to be certain before purchasing.
I have only been using this for 2 days and while I can’t yet determine if it really works for my skin, it has NOT irritated my skin like most other products I’ve tried in the past. HOWEVER, the one thing I already am not fond of is the smell of the Hydrator (step 3). It is absolutely awful!! What does it smell like to me…..? Cat Vomit! I’ve smelled some stinky acne products over the years, but this is by far the most rancid one to date. The smell does go away after it dries, but waiting for it to dry makes me nauseated. Ew.
For christmas, I received the intensive spot treatment as a stocking stuffer. I was really excited to try a new product on my face. When I took it out of the box, the tube didn’t seem to have that much product inside, which is a bummer. While still in the tube, it smelled like rubbing alcohol or vodka, but once on my face, I can smell a somewhat pleasant smell, which I am guessing was from the Indian oil. I’ve been using this for the past 3 days, which I can’t give a full review yet, but since using it these past few days, my pimples have started to shrink. I tend to have a lot of redness on my face, the redness seemed to go down a lot, because of this product and I am really excited and eager to try this along with the other two products as well. I will update my review once I have tried all three.
I actually recently found this at the dollar store and gave it a try. I’ve ben struggling with adult acne for YEARS. Ive only been using the foaming wash and moisturizer but my skin is completely clear FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER after three weeks of morning and night use. ITS AMAZING.
Recently found this at my local dollar tree. I had seen it at target but was to cheap to purchase! So I was excited when I found it for only a dollar. (Only have the facial cleanser) it is awesome!! I am African American and have very sensitive skin! It works wonders…have not had one break out since I’ve started using it. Been getting so many compliments on my skin. So yea its a ? for me!
Just bought this from my local dollar tree. I got all three for just $3!!!! I’ve only used them once and I’m already noticing a difference! Love it! Definitely going to buy more!
I love this stuff…it’s magic in a pump?