Benzac AC : Benzoyl Peroxide (5%) Gel

Brand:
Reviews
4.0
142 Reviews

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl peroxide (5%). Inactive Ingredients: Docusate sodium, disodium edetate, poloxamer 182, carbomer 940, propylene glycol, acrylates copolymer, glycerol, silicon dioxide and purified water, citric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH.

The list of ingredients above is provided for informational purposes only. Always check the actual product label in your possession for the most accurate ingredient information due to product changes or upgrades that may not yet be reflected on our web site.

5
48.6%
4
25.4%
3
12.7%
2
7.7%
1
5.6%

Used Benzac AC : Benzoyl Peroxide (5%) Gel? Rate It:

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December 14, 2009

Pros:

-Noticed results in just a couple of times of using, i only put a thin layer on twice, left it on for 2 hours then washed it off.
-I find it works great with Biore as gentle cleanser in the shower and Avene spring water moisture spray and moituriser

Cons:

-Dries out skin a bit.
-Makes skin flaky.

It's so far been a great acne cream. Dries out skin and makes skin flaky but using alot of oil-free moisturiser is helping a fair bit. Overall, this product id great for anyone with light acne to sever acne. I'm only using 2.5% and it's done wonders already. Love it.
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June 28, 2017
The only thing that made a difference
I have struggled with bad acne since i was 11. I had zits on my forehead, cheeks, temples and chin, and blackheads/whiteheads under my eyes, on my nose and on my chin. My acne has always made me very insecure, and sometimes i couldn't even look at myself in the mirror. A year ago (i'm almost 16 now) i began covering it up using makeup, but i still felt so insecure and uncomfortable. I was always so paranoid, thinking that people were staring at my skin and jugding me for it. I have always used natural masks and treatments to cure my acne (or at least make my skin better), and i have tried to remove dairy from my diet thinking that it might be the reason for my acne, but nothing helped. I have always had a strict night and morning skin routine and just done anything to help clear my skin. The only thing i hadn't tried, was to put anything chemical on my skin. I had heard a lot of horror stories about bad reactions and i was so scared it would happen to me. Then two months ago my skin got so bad that i almost broke down crying just looking at myself. So i bought this 5% gel. I honestly didn't think that it would make a difference, and the first 5 days nothing happened. I noticed immediately that my skin got more dry, but my acne didn't change. But after those first 5 days, my skin became a lot smoother, and after a couple of weeks, i could see a difference. I did struggle with dryness and my face could feel a bit painful, but it was worth when i saw and felt the difference in my skin. Its been two months now , and the acne on my forehead, chin, and on the sides of my face, has mostly cleared up. My skin has become more dry, but i just use a good moisterizer to conrol it. I still struggle with some zits on especially one of my cheeks, and blackheads on my chin, but overall my face has cleared up A LOT, and i am now more confident with and without makeup.
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July 28, 2010

Pros:

This benzoyl peroxide works a lot better than cheaper brands I have tried.

Cons:

Slightly drying but dry skin is nothing compared to acne.

Get this because it works!
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July 28, 2016
Truly amazin
I never ever write reviews online but I just had to this time. I've always had problematic skin: sensitive, acne prone and very oily. I started getting acne on my face when I was in high school and it went away after a few months. After that I only got one pimple every month or so until about a year ago (when I just turned 23) I started getting massive pus filled cysts all over my cheeks. Things got so bad that people who hardly knew me started asking why my skin got so bad. By then I had already tried Tea Tree Oil (from The Body Shop) and it seemed to work for a few days but it only got worse as the oil just irritated my skin. I started looking online for something to help me before going to a dermatologist. That's when I heard about Benzoyl Peroxide. After reading great reviews, I went ahead and bought this at a local chemist. I got a 5% variant of Benzac AC. It has been about 4 weeks and my skin shows a noticeable improvement. All the old cysts have dried up. I still do get pimples on my cheeks but they all dry out much faster and they don't leave behind a scar and they're also not as big as they used to before. I have high hopes for this and I think in a few more weeks I will be completely clear skinned (a first for me) Even though your skin might get very VERY dry, it will become much better over time. A MUST try if you suffer from acne. Update: I started using it in June 2016 and today is 13th July 2017. I'm now completely pimple free. I do breakout during my PMS time but it goes away after a couple days. After my pimples started to reduce in their size and number, I switched to the 2.5% of the same product. Also, moisturizing is key. After I started moisturising, i've noticed lesser bumps and smaller pimples (whenever I do breakout). I'm using neutrogena oil free moisturizer if anyone's interested.
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March 22, 2017
Hello, do you recommend to leave benzac 5% ac gel on face overnight(approx 7hrs?) , if not, how long should i leave it on before washing it off? Thanks!
May 19, 2017
Try it on face for a couple hours at first to make sure it doesn't become irritated.
May 19, 2017
Try it on face for a couple hours at first to make sure it doesn't become irritated.
May 19, 2017
Try it on face for a couple hours at first to make sure it doesn't become irritated.
July 16, 2017
What facial wash do you use?
July 17, 2017
I have not been very consistent with my face wash. I used to use Dove soap and now I'm using The body shop's tea tree foaming face wash. For me the face wash has never been a factor to help or hinder in healing my acne.
November 14, 2009

Pros:

It freaken dried them pimples out that i even started feeling sorry for them..lol Great product

Cons:

Like i said it dries...and i mean DRIES!! i use the 5% wash and 5% gel..my skin feels like a dehydrated man in the desert.

I love this product I'v seen wonderful results after starting to use it only 5 day's ago....Iv been shopping aroung and tried almost all products that "are supposed to work" but simply it does not i'v been a great fan of clearasil ultra,but i decided i dont want a product that keeps the pimples under control i want a product that gets rid of the as in totally...i got so deppressed after looking in the mirror once...so i stole my mom's car and the medical aid card and bought Benzac and i dont regret it ....I am already rid of all my bigger pimples but the smaller one's tend to take a little longer to clear up.
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September 18, 2015
Waste of time and money
Terrible product. My face has been red, itchy and swollen for the past three days because of Benzac. Numerous trips to the doctors have had to be made, Doctor strongly recommends not to buy either. Horrible product.
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March 23, 2016
This happen to me now! :( what did you use after that?
August 22, 2016
Its just normal , after 1 week its no longer itchy and red but after 1-2months you will be amazed on its great result :)
August 22, 2016
Its just normal , after 1 week its no longer itchy and red but after 1-2months you will be amazed on its great result :)
August 11, 2009

Pros:

Pimples can stay on your face for weeks. This product dries them out almost instantly. It bloody works!( read that last sentence a ziljion times!) I tried clearasil crap before i found this product. Didnt work at all.
Cheap

Cons:

well ye it dries your skin and stings a bit. It really doesnt matter for me though? if it gets rid of acne i'm happy.
Acne returns when u stop using it. I sometimes wonder will i have to keep using this stuff untill the day i die?

Used everything ! Nothing helped untill i found benzac 5. It completely cleared my skin. After using it 2 years i decided to stop using it. As i never had any pimples anymore. My skin was beautifull for 2 years in a row without a single zit. After that I didnt use any products for about 1 year. The acne is coming back.. Allthough i must say it's obviously a much milder form then what i had before. When u are used not having ANY acne for 2 years, even a few zits/unpure skin is completely unacceptable. So I started using it again a few days ago. My skin is on his way again to perfection. The question remains.. Will I really have to use this product every freaking day of my life untill the day I die ?
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January 25, 2012

Pros:

over the counter and easy to get
good price
can find it in any chemist
theres info about it
not greasy like other products

Cons:

you have to wash it off in 2 hours which is hard if ur out in a shopping centre or something

well i have just got the benzac ac 5% water based gel yesterday and i only used it once last night and it has got most of my black heads away and is working so i hope i can be succesful and be acne free before school stars so wish me luck and i wish you luck to stick to it as acne may go slowly thanx
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March 12, 2012

Pros:

It gets rid of SOME acne.
There was no dryness for me.
Can buy at pretty much any chemistry in Adelaide
Relatively cheap

Cons:

Does not get rid of all acne.
Must use consistently otherwise you will break out again.
Small tube.
White smears if too much application.
Sometimes irritable

Give it a try. Didn't work for me but might work with you When I first bought this and used, it started working (slowly) within one week. I initially had no irritation or dryness - but that was probably due to the fact I had smothered my face with salicylic for the past few months allowing time for my skin to build up and endure the chemicals- (Clearasil). After that week, my skin started peeling and my pimples were more visible. The blackheads on my nose did not all go away. I seem to have concluded that they won't go away unless I pop them .. leaving a pore which gets clogged up leading to another black head. I was pretty much going to give up, but I was told to continue it for 8 weeks because that was when I'd likely see the results. It's 8 weeks soon and I still pretty much am back at square one. But this time instead of having little red pimples, I am developing cystic type pimples that are deep within the skin especially on my forehead and around my temples. From these results, I believe that my acne isn't a result of a dirty face, but a result of hormonal changes requiring a more clinical approach. I've decided to go to the doctor to get his opinion. I am hoping to get prescribed some antibiotics to help reduce the inflammation of the cystic pimples as they hurt. I wear glasses as well and the frame is constantly pressing against them. Sometimes it hurts when I blink as well. Anyway, I'd suggest trying it. It's something I believe would work for those with mild-moderate acne, even though it didnt work with me. If you don't get results, don't fret. Go see you GP. You'll definitely get rid of it in the future with or without products and prescription.
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September 5, 2013
Controls acne, but doesn't get rid of it completely

Pros:

gets acne in control
somewhat reduces new pimples from forming

Cons:

doesn't get rid of acne completely
dries face

When I was in Russia for two months, I did not take any acne treatments with me from the US, thinking that I will just buy something in Russia. I used proactive for like a year, and didn't take it with me to Russia. When I got to Russia, I literally could not find any benzoyl peroxide treatments in stores! All they had were washes and creams with salicylic acid. BUT, I went to a pharmacy, and they did have benzac ac 5%! It was the only benzoyl peroxide treatment I could find anywhere in Russia, so I had no choice but to buy it, because by that time, I had really bad breakouts and my acne was out of control after I stopped using all acne treatments (which were mostly proactiv, but I'm not saying proactiv is bad. I'm just saying I stopped using every acne treatment for a couple weeks). I bought benzac ac 5%, and finally my acne was back in control! I got rid of acne on my cheeks, and it significantly reduced acne on my forehead, but didn't get rid of it completely. It didn't get rid of my whiteheads on my chin though. And it REALLY dried out the skin and made it flaky. I had to use moisturizer like twice a day, and had to put on a couple of layers each time. I used it with clearasil ultra face wash (which has 2% salicylic acid, but it was fine on my skin combining these two products), and a non-comedogenic moisturizer with spf 15 (it was a Russian moisturizer, but I looked up all the ingredients that were in it, and it was non-comedogenic for the most part but it had tocopherol). The acne on my cheeks went away after a week or so of using it (and it was just a few pimples), but the acne on my forehead just reduced, but didn't go away. After a month of using it, the results are the same, acne doesn't go away completely, but it is in control. Doesn't get rid of whiteheads though.
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