AcneFree Severe Acne Treatment System

I never leave reviews but given how much I rely on reviews, I figured it was about time I started contributing! I had fairly heavy acne growing up, especially in my t-zone, which came under control when I began birth control pills when I turned 18. For the past 10 years, I have been fortunate enough to not have difficulties with acne except for the occasional zit. However, a few months ago I stopped taking birth control and I was dismayed to see that the acne had returned, albeit not as bad as when I was a teenager, and had moved more to my jawline/cheeks. I began washing religiously and using toner but it didn't seem to make a difference - as soon as one would go away, two more would pop up. At 28, I felt that I was TOO OLD to be having these problems! But there they were. I tried ProActiv for a month and was pretty pleased with the results. It cleared the majority of my acne and the big cystic ones stopped coming. However, I was still regularly getting very small zits which would typically clear within a few days. All in all, I was pleased and figured I could deal with the occasional small zit that could be covered relatively easily with make up. After about 3 weeks, I noticed that my supply was getting low and it was time to re-order. I wasn't crazy about spending all that money, but was happy with the results so I was ready to do it......until I read the reviews for Acne Free Severe. I was hesitant to try it. I didn't want to go back to the way my skin was and I figured if I was pleased, why rock the boat? In the end, I decided if I was going to get a long-term regime, I should at least try the product that was MUCH cheaper than ProActiv and I am SO HAPPHY that I did! Within 3 days of using AcneFree, it cleared the small zits that ProActiv couldn't seem to keep under control. I have been using AcneFree day and night for the last 5 weeks and have not had a single new zit. It also seems to be lightening the scars left from previous breakouts. I have not had the problems of the product severely drying out my skin as others have noted. I use steps 1 and 2 each morning when I wake up and each evening. In the mornings, I follow with step 3 and at night, I skip step 3 and use step 4. A few observations: - AcneFree is not great at removing make up. I have to start with a make up remover (I use Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser) or I have to use 3-4 pads with toner on it to remove everything. If I start with the make up remover and follow with the 3 AcneFree steps, I get a great cleaning and starting with the make up remover only adds a minute to the routine. - I was a bit concerned after switching from ProActiv to AcneFree because I felt the AcneFree wash did not have as many grains as the ProActiv and was concerned that it wouldn't work as well - it works BETTER. If you're switching from ProActiv, don't let that concern you. - AcneFree didn't come with the many instructions provided by ProActiv. Having using ProActiv, I knew that I needed to wash with a dime sized amount. I wonder if those who have had issues with this product drying their skin out are using more than that? - AcneFree will bleach your clothes or towels if you're not careful. Its not as obvious as when you get cleaning products on your clothes that have bleach on it, but I do notice a slight fading on some of my towels. I don't particularly mind because the towels I use for drying my face aren't my 'nice' towels, but this is something to remember. - You do tend to go through the toner more quickly than the other products. I am going to take the advice of another reviewer and pick up the Thayers Witch Hazel to use in its place. - Make sure you never use all four steps or you will likely dry your skin out. It should be steps 1+2 and then 3 OR 4. This has worked so well that my husband, who has always used Retinol A cream (which is not covered by insurance due to him not being a teenager) has decided to switch to this product. I am very excited to have found this product and I am planning on using it long-term. The price is great for the product - At this rate, it looks like I will go through a package about every 2-2.5 months which makes it less than half the cost of ProActiv for the same amount of product.

I suffered from moderate to severe acne for YEARS. I tried every product on the market - Clean & Clear, Proactiv, Neutrogena, Murad and even insanely over-priced Dermalogica. I had mainly white heads, with a few cystic bumbs. I also had DOZENS of tiny bumps on my forehead. I tried steaming my face a lot, applying clay masques, different vitamins, drinking apple cider vinegar (yuck!), and watching what I ate. No matter what I did, there was no change in the appearance of my skin. I then discovered this kit. I used it morning and night...simple enough. At first it didn't seem to be working, all it did was dry out my skin a lot. However, after about 2 weeks of religiously using this product, my skin was clearing up...FAST. My acne scars were fading and the amount of acne I had diminished by half by the 3rd week. It is so simple to use, as well. --Step One: Antibacterial Cleansing Wash The texture of this is very creamy with tiny microbeads in it. It is a good exfoliant for everyday use, but I would recommend to also exfoliate with something more abrasive, once a week. No unpleasant scent, whatsoever. You can feel your pores opening up in the shower as you rub this into your skin. After just using the face wash alone, your skin will feel 10 times cleaner! I love this stuff. --Step Two: Corrective Toner After getting out of the shower, with my face freshly washed with Step One, I apply the toner with a cotton pad. It gets absorbed into the skin VERY quickly, so you don't have to wait around for it to dry. It is very cooling and refreshing. --Step Three: Maximum Strength Repair Lotion This stuff works GREAT, but I do think there are some cons about it. The texture is nice when going on- creamy and cool. However, it leaves a thin layer behind. It is not visibly noticeable, but if you apply makeup soon after...your makeup will not go on smoothly. So, I would recommend waiting at least a half hour before applying makeup. I also use this lotion as a spot treatment. Before I go to bed, I cover any zit I have with it and let it sit overnight. The size and redness of the pimple is greatly reduced the next morning. Step Four: Retinol Corrector I'll be honest, I am not a huge fan of this step. Step Three is supposed to be used in the morning after Step Two, while Step Four is supposed to be used at night after Step Two. However, I usually use Step Three morning and night and only use the Retinol Corrector if my skin is feeling a little tight and dry. This lotion is not oily whatsoever and really does a great job at fixing the moisture balance without causing a breakout like most face lotions I have used. I have now been using this kit for about 6 months now and my acne scars are nearly completely gone and I rarely have a breakout. When I do, it is usually around the time of my period or if I am extremely stessed. Other than that, this product maintains my clear skin perfectly!

*Edit 12/28/2012* This is a look at my 2 years of experience with AcneFree Severe. I found this product because I was looking for a wallet friendly alternative to controlling acne besides accutane or seeing a dermatologist. I want to help you understand the effects of this product but I'll also talk about my routine and I how I use it. (STEP 1) The Antibacterial Cleansing Wash The Antibacterial Wash has Benzoyl peroxide in it which is the standard for fighting acne causing bacteria. Keep this in mind: you are administering a double dose of Benzoyl Peroxide when you use the Antibacterial Wash in combination with the Maximum Strength Repair Lotion in (STEP 3). The Wash itself feels mild, yet creamy, with some granules. I give my face a gentle rub for a couple minutes and rinse with cool water. With the plausibility of dry skin due to the Benzoyl Peroxide, I DO NOT recommend warm or hot water as it breaks down a very fine layer of epithelial lipids that keep skin balmy and protected. (STEP 2) The Renewing Toner The Renewing Toner is definitely a vital component because its primary ingredient is Witch Hazel. It helps balance the facial PH (reducing oil) and hydrate the skin which is subjected to the Benzoyl Peroxide. When putting on the Toner, you should be able to feel the elasticity of your natural skin return and it should ameliorate any dryness or burning with a few swabs applied from a cotton ball. This step should not be ignored. Witch Hazel is an astringent which can be store bought at any old CVS/Walgreens/Walmart for a few dollars. I am currently experimenting with a bottle to see if there is any noticeable difference between AcneFree's Toner and just a regular bottle of Witch Hazel. (STEP 3) The Maximum Strength Healing Lotion (Benzoyl Peroxide) AcneFree has the 10% Benzoyl Peroxide (STEP 3) which is great. 10% is very potent as another reviewer already stated. It does pack a noticeable "cool burning" sensation and it does feel a little like sandpaper. If you don't cake it on, it won't dry your skin out. I would know because the skin around my mouth gets creases/laugh lines easily if my skin is dry. I advise to start with smaller/thinner applications of the Healing Lotion and let your skin adjust over a week. Like I said, the Toner should really be used in conjunction with the lotion. Another great thing about it (for me) is the bottle for the Healing Lotion seems to last really long. I have left overs from 3 boxes ago which I apply on my back and shoulders and chest with great results. Like I said, you don't need to go overboard. If you find yourself just going through bottles, you might be using to much. Twice a day application should help a lot. STEP 4) The Retinol Complex This works great to soften and nourish the skin. I recommend using it after your first week of just STEPS 1-3, to get your skin use to the products. I find myself using it at night and in the morning. The Retinol Complex says it is not to be used in tandem with The Healing Potion (10% Benzoyl Peroxide). What I do is I substitute the Retinol Complex for the Healing Potion a couple days a week or when I have been getting exposed to really dirty conditions or harsh elements (e.g. exercise, winter, beach, dog). I do notice it keeps my skin supple and more colorful. I recently found out retinol is basically vitamin A which is crazy good for keeping skin young looking. My face suffers much less dryness and irritability when I apply it. The Retinol cream is viscous, but it blends into the skin very nicely. It is not oily or noticeable. My Insights Over the years I have experimented with using The Antibacterial Wash, The Benzoyl Peroxide and the Retinol Complex completely by themselves. I have determined for myself that the while the Antibacterial Wash and Benzoyl Peroxide fight acne, it is the Retinol Complex and the Renewing Toner that will "stabilize" your skin. Without The Toner (STEP 2), the potency of The Wash (Step 1) and The Healing Lotion (STEP 3) may dry you out! The good thing is if you make regular and -light- applications of all the steps, it does well. The sad thing is, since the Renewing toner is basically like a liquid consistency, not cream, so it runs out faster than the other two steps. The Retinol Complex is also a smaller "bottle" so if you use it like the others, you'll run out. I reserve it for night time applications as directed. I had already tried Proactive and the regular Acnefree. I started SEVERE Acnefree since I had no where else to look in my budget after off brand homeostasis pills and whatnot. BTW, Proactiv really does suck. I wish I had a box so I could compare active ingredients and topical strengths but I do not. Back when I was in High School it cost a silly price (39.99) and used a lot of celebrity endorsement to gain false credibility (catalogues featuring Vanessa Williams/Jessica Simpson/Avril Lavigne). I used it for a about half a year before ditching it with mediocre results. Anyway, I'm not sure how they actually measured AcneFree Severe to be 4x better, but YES, it performed INFINITELY better than Proactiv for me. Excellent and cost effective product. It smells slightly but it is not a concern for me. While I gave it 5 out of 5 stars, I CANNOT speak for EVERYBODY's skin. This supposedly niche product has performed very well in both fighting my acne and rejuvenating my skin for a $20 package ($18, now that amazon has the subscribe feature). One kit will last me about 4-ish months. I presume the average/new user may consume it in about 2-3 months. I have learned how much my skin needs and how to effectively apply my products overtime. That will take some practice on your part. The Toner usually empties first but pour about 4-5 drops on a normal size cottonball and it should last closer to the other bottles. Just swab lightly so you can really cover on your face without having to apply more. -FINISHING REMARKS- I'm not going to lie, I do get a bump or a pimple here or there. This is not a miracle product, but it does exactly what I was hoping it could do: control my acne, prevent breakouts, and promote skin health. My face is much clearer and I have much more confidence because I know the regime will provide consistent results. I am not"cured" from acne but I cannot blame this product for that because I have a very active and somewhat stressful lifestyle filled with dirt and irritation. That being said, AcneFree SEVERE is 20 bucks and I'm still using it 2 years after I found it :) Protip: Wash your pillow sheets often. All those dead hair and skin cells on your face and the rubbing of skin on dirty fabrics? Those will cause breakouts, just FYI. If you have any questions feel to drop this review a comment I try to stay up to date.

I'm 43, female, have had mild cystic acne off and on for 17 years, and in the last few years my go-to remedies (antibiotics and Retin-A) completely stopped working. Two months ago, my acne was getting so bad that I didn't want to leave the house. Since no "one" product had ever worked, I decided to try three products together, and 4 weeks later, my acne is gone. Here are the three products: Yogi Skin DeTox Tea, Acne Free Maximum Strength, and the 0.5mm MT Skin Roller. It took a full 4 weeks to get consistently clear skin. I did get one bump around the two week mark, and I had some old bumps that took a full 4 weeks to clear up. Here's what to do: 1. Drink two cups of Skin DeTox tea daily.(Tastes great hot or cold.) 2.Use the Maximum Strength Acne Free system morning and night. 3. At night, use the MT Roller once a week all over your face over the Acne Free Retinol Complex. Apply a little extra Retinol Complex to problem areas after rolling. 4. At night, use the MT Roller over the Retinol Complex every other day between weekly rollings ONLY on problem areas. You can stop doing this once the problems clear up, or roll only when problems surface. 5. After the first four weeks, continue to use the roller weekly with the Retinol Complex or other products to remove old acne scars. 6. Use a 15-30 spf sunscreen daily. The roller and Retinol Complex will increase sun sensitivity. I used the DeTox tea and Acne Free products for two weeks without rolling, and I saw improvements to my skin tone and texture right away, but the deep cysts remained. It wasn't until I started rolling with the MT Roller that the cysts started shrinking or came to the surface of the skin. I hope this works for other people, particularly people over 40. The MT Roller will be too harsh on 20-something skin. Go easy with the roller if you are under 40 and roll less frequently. Keep a sanitary environment when rolling and clean your roller afterward. Don't roll on broken skin or white pustules. See other websites on how to use and clean your roller. I soak mine in alcohol for 15 minutes after rolling.

I'm 23 and have had acne issues since I was about 17, started mild, then got bad starting about age 19. I have used Clearasil, Pro-Active, Oxy, and countless other treatments, but this product has worked the best for me. I would say when using mild acne treatments i would get about a lot of pimples with a bunch of redness on my face. After using this product I get about 4-5 pimples a month and little to no redness on face. For a lot of the month my skin looks great with no visible acne! I have been using Acne Free Sever for about 8-12 months now and it has proven to work well for me. I do caution others those (as many other reviewers have pointed out) THIS STUFF IS POTENT. The lotion burned for about the first week of application, then my skin got used to it. Another suggestion that I highly recommend would be using an oil free moisturizer with the product. Now I know a lot of guys don't use moisturizer, but honestly guys, this product WILL dry out your skin and which would you rather have, dry flaky skin or smooth soft skin? Overall I really like this product, but I am currently looking for other products. I know its wierd to write in a review with a 5 star rating, but the truth of the matter is that this stuff is about the strongest thing you can get over the counter. If something less potent can get me close to the results of the product, I'm going to use it as I'm sure it would be better for my skin. But if you have tried a bunch of other products and they didn't seem to work for you, or if regular strength Acne Free worked well, but just not well enough this may be the product for you.

I waited 6-8 weeks before reviewing this product because I wanted to give it the entire chance before deciding if it was working or not. (The product states it may take up to 8 weeks to work fully for severe acne.) I used the product diligently, twice a day as directed, all steps. I would consider myself having moderate to severe acne -- usually peaking during PMS and less severe during the rest of the month. I am 31 years old and have had acne since a teenager. I took accutane in my early 20s but I think hormones continue to get the best of my face and it reappeared a few years later. I used Proactiv previously which seemed to help at first but quickly lost its vigor and I felt like the only thing it was good for was bleaching my towels. So I run across Acne Free which seemed to have pretty good reviews & thought it was worth a try. I started the product during PMS (which may or may not have been a good idea). I consider myself to have sensitive skin but didn't have any problems with this product itching, peeling, redness or anything. Maybe my skin was previously conditioned by the Proactiv but it was fine nonetheless. Here is a warning for people who actually have pretty bad skin: the first week, my skin was a nightmare. It reminded me of my teenage days when I would have 8-10 (or more) pimples at a time - rather than my usual 4-5 during PMS. However, I actually felt like it was doing something: purging the impurities, bringing it all to the surface - unlike Proactiv. After about a week and a half of madness, things started to clear up like magic. I had a blissful period of 3 weeks with nary a pimple. Then PMS rolled around again & the breakout began -- but much, much less severe. For the weeks following, I would say that I have experienced about 1 pimple per week on average. The pimples that I do get are much smaller, surface quickly and go away quickly. There has been a significant improvement in my skin. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the product because I have seen an overall improvement in my skin and I believe it's probably the best product out there.

Omg this changed my life!! I had bad acne and it also helps with dark spots

I had very severe acne. Especially on 2 chin, and some areas on my neck. not on my forehead. When i received this product, i used about 10 days following the normal direction. No difference shown. Later, about 10 days after i decided to skip STEP 2 (ph balancer) and 4 (retinol) for while. So i just used STEP 1 after then STEP 3 (high amount). I especially used 1 hour before when i go to sleep. It dries in up to 30 minutes. So you wouldnt wipe it off on your pillow when you at sleep. Soon i purchased ACNEFREE GREEN TEA MOISTURIZER, i m using it now though. THIS IS JUST MY DIRECTION THOUGH. STEP 4 direction was "only apply at morning" - but you cant apply at morning because this treatment lotion is too white and doesnt absorbs quickly as like Proactiv STEP 3. I just want to tell those who gave 1 star on feedback: JUST USE STEP 1,2,3 , few days later step 2 will finishes (i mean it will run off) then just use STEP 1 and 3, 8.10 am MORNING step 1, very little amount of STEP 3, THEN evening 7 pm when i came back from my work JUST STEP 1, BEFORE SLEEP 11 or 12 pm STEP 1 with HIGH AMOUNT OF STEP 3. THEN WAIT FOR 30 minutes. DRY OFF. SLEEP. (I'm using step 4 once a week, not every night) STEP 4 IS JUST FOR FIXING THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE FROM STEP 3. Use it when you needed. Above direction is for only who has REALLY SEVERE ACNE (I MEAN SEVERE.. REAL SEVERE, not just 5 or 6 pimples , im talking about 20 or more big zits, cyst, pain under face, WHO cried several times alone in the toilet because of acne.) I hope this direction will help you guys. Good luck. REMIND: I'M NON BENZOYL PEROXIDE ALLERGIC, i've normal skin (slightly oily), AND i'm not a ACNEFREE staff who just advertising this product. I'm advertising it because this 20$ product bring me back, which is saved my life. Thank you.