Humane Benzoyl Peroxide 10% acne treatment body & face wash has positive reviews on Amazon, but does this product really work for reducing acne and oily skin?
Product Description
Humane's acne wash is a prescription free cleanser that can be used as a face and body wash. It is promoted to help kill bacteria-causing acne while preventing new breakouts. Benzoyl Peroxide is the main ingredient and has been shown to help mild to moderate acne. (1)
Benzoyl Peroxide comes in 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. Humane Benzoyl Peroxide wash is a 10% concentration. It is assumed that the larger the percentage the more powerful the concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide.
A study found that a 2.5% concentration was actually equivalent to the higher concentrations.
My opinion is that the 10% strength works pretty well for me. Whether or not the 10% is better is up for debate; what I do know is that the product is effective.
Dosage and Directions
If it is your first time using the Humane face wash you can start to gently apply 1-2 pumps on the affected areas for a few days to see if you react negatively. If you do not experience any irritation then you can leave it on your skin for 3-5 minutes before washing off to prevent future breakouts.
What Are The Benefits Humane Has On The Skin?
I use Benzoyl Peroxide cream occasionally as a spot treatment when I see a blemish appearing. Every single time I use it the redness subsides overnight and the drying effect helps pimples and dead skin cells diminish. I am a firm believer in the power of Benzoyl Peroxide so I had high hopes for this product.
Benzoyl peroxide and retinol serums have similar qualities as they both decrease pore size making pimples harder to form. Using a serum may counteract any excess dryness from Benzoyl Peroxide. Oil-free moisturizers work well too.
Although I do not have acne I do have Rosacea-prone skin. Rosacea is a skin condition characterized by a flushing of the skin which makes its appearance red.
Certain factors can cause a flare-up like staying in the sun for too long, alcohol (particularly wine), and spicy foods. In skin care products fragrance and synthetic ingredients cause my rosacea to flare-up. I am especially cautious about what products I use on my face because of my skin condition and make sure to always wear sunscreen.
I used one small pump as the directions stated for a new user. The consistency is cream-like and does not foam which is a characteristic that I appreciate. My skin felt drier the moment I used it on my face which was a nice surprise. I did not experience any peeling of the top layer of my skin like salicylic acid does.
I use other natural face washes from brands I trust which can still aggravate my face if used too much or left on for too long. I did not experience blotchiness or any sort of irritation from the Humane skin care product as it is gentle and I did not leave it on for long.
The product made my skin dry in that whatever oil was clogged in my pores was completely gone. One tip of advice is that like myself you may need to use a daily moisturizer to counteract the dryness at time.
Since it is not a foaming product make sure you don't use too much at once.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Benzoyl peroxide is very effective but may cause side effects as well. Below are a few common side effects.
- May dry out skin too much.
- Should not be used in direct sun exposure.
- Could cause blotchiness on the skin.
If you experience any of these side effects you should discontinue use or reduce the frequency of use. It is also important to spot test on another part of your body such as your wrist to ensure there is no bad reaction.
Another side effect of benzoyl peroxide is that it can bleach dark fabric. You may want to get dressed after using the product to avoid damage to your clothes.
Ingredients
The main ingredient is Benzoyl Peroxide. It is used in topical skin clear products as it dries out skin, kills bacteria, and reduce inflammation in blemishes. It comes in many forms including creams, gels, and lotions like this product does and works similarly to tea tree oil.
Inactive Ingredients
Aqua (deionized water)
Carbomer- Used as thickening agents in cosmetics.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine- A surfactant which is deemed safe to use in cosmetics. It may be associated with dermatitis and irritation for some people. (2)
Gluconolactone- This is an additive which has antioxidant properties and moisturizing properties. (3)
A study comparing Gluconolactone and Benzoyl Peroxide for the treatment of acne showed that when both were used together lowered the patients acne lesions and less acne side effects were experienced. (4)
Sodium Benzoate- A preservative which is a form of Benzoic Acid. Benzoic Acid is naturally found in some fruits and is added to cosmetics to prevent fungi and bacteria from forming in the product itself.
When mixed with Asorbic Acid or Benzene Sodium Benozate can be carcinogenic, but you would have to ingest it orally in very large amounts.
It is rare that skin reactions occur from this ingredient. A study showed that only 5 patients out of 2045 experienced irritation from a patch test. (5)
The information concerning skin reactions caused by benzoic acid or sodium benzoate in the general population is limited. In a study with 2045 patients of dermatological clinics, only 5 persons (approximately 0.2%) showed a positive reaction in patch tests (Brasch et al., 1993), while 34 of 5202 patients (approximately 0.7%) with contact urticaria reacted positively (Broeckx et al., 1987). From these data, it can be concluded that skin reactions caused by benzoic acid or sodium benzoate in the healthy general population are rare.
Sodium Hydroxide- It is also known at "Lye" and is added to cosmetics and soap to help retain the pH of the product. On it's own it can be very dangerous to the skin and eyes, but for cosmetic use it is added in very small amounts. It is a reagent in that it is a substance used in a chemical reaction to produce another substance.
Humane Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Acne Treatment Reviews on Amazon
Their star count on Amazon is 4.4 out of 5 stars. Many people have experienced results using Humane Benzoyl Peroxide acne wash as shown in before and after images in their reviews.
We have not noticed any evidence of manufactured reviews. We really believe they are a genuine company and sell a good product. We recommend you check out Humane acne wash reviews.
UPDATE 2024
Recent humane acne wash reviews continue to say that people like the product.
Sometimes products can lower in quality from batch to batch, but this ones seems consistent.
We believe though that topical treatments are a bit too reactionary though and suggest looking into taking Acnetame as it can help your issue from the inside out.
What Is The Price & Where to Buy?
The Humane Benzoyl Peroxide wash in 10% is available on Amazon, from an online site by the company, and on the Walmart website.
We have not seen it sold in other countries like the UK or Australia and Humane's online site does not ship internationally.
A full 8 ounce bottle costs $21.95 plus free shipping for Prime Members as of 2017.
Subscribe & Save is also available.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Does not contain animal based products and is not tested on animals.
- Does not contain Parabens or SLS. These are chemical additives which can be harmful to our health.
- Does not contain fragrance which exacerbates skin issues.
CONS
- If overused, the skin can become dry and flaky.
- Avoid use on sensitive skin.
- Not effective for blackheads.
CONCLUSION: Does Benzoyl Peroxide Work for Acne?
This is the best over the counter benzoyl peroxide face wash to use on oily and acne prone skin. It may help severe acne, but you may want to address that problem with a dermatologist who can provide a stronger solution like a medication to clear your skin. If you are someone who is also very active this acne and body wash can be beneficial to you and is a good choice. Since I bought this product I have been using it every day after my gym and sauna session.
UPDATE* I have been using this skincare treatment two times a day for weeks and I am still noticing a great deep cleansing effect. It does not help clean off makeup well, but in terms of clearing oil and control of breakouts it works well. This is a product that you can take for months in a row as long as you do not experience irritation.
I have been using a toner which is the second step of my beauty routine followed by a light moisturizing gel. Don't use moisturizer if your skin is already oily.
We recommend taking an acne supplement along with this topical for maximum results so that you are not only treating breakouts from the outside, but from the inside as well. The combination of treatment products may help normal skin types and severe cystic acne, but will not treat the issue permanently as we also need to eat a healthy diet and live an active lifestyle.
Acne Tame is the best acne pill to stack with the Humane skin care product because of it's ingredients which are specifically formulated for oily skin, redness, and inflammation.
Because Acne Tame and Humane are dry skin causing it is recommended that you first contact your doctor before taking the products together. Always read warnings and research the formula of each product before use.
We would love to read a list of the skin care product that you use. Please share them in the comments below and in the future we may possibly review them.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19761357
- https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701520/COCAMIDOPROPYL_BETAINE/#.WosChxPwaqA
- https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/gluconolactone#section=Use-and-Manufacturing
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1303072?dopt=Abstract
- http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad26.htm