Sulfur, the active ingredient in this mask, is one of the oldest acne treatments known. Yes, sulfur smells bad (rotten eggs come to mind), but it is effective. The nice part is tha you don't have to leave the mask on your face very long (that'll just dry your skin out)- put it on a damp face after cleansing, brush your teeth, pet your dog, and wash it right off. The sulfur in this mask is antibacterial (the root cause of acne), improves cell turnover to speed up healing of old pimples/scars, and dries out existing blemishes. Used a couple times a week for active breakouts and maybe once a week for effectual prevention of new pimples, this product has earned a place in my acne fighting arsenal.

elizaleona

CT, USA

Whenever my face has a bad breakout, I ALWAYS turn to the Proactiv Refining Mask. I don't know what it is, but this product just works incredibly well. After one use, two or more days later, I can notice my face getting clearer, and clearer. I also use it with the Proactiv three step bundle because they all work together so well. It just makes sense. :)

MeaghanW

USA

I used Proactive three step for about a year. With minimal results, I decided to stop, however, I kept using my Proactive Solution Refining mask, which usually came as a free gift. This mask makes your skin feel and look better. It helps present future breakouts! Although the directions say to use for about 30 minutes, most of the time, I slept with this mask on. When I rinsed it off the next morning, my skin felt so refreshed and new! Obviously, it is very important to keep your skin moist when using a mask, so I would always moisturize right after washing this off my face. It was like a little face lift overnight! I noticed by just using the refining mask, I had less breakouts and my skin and pores looked and felt clearer. My blackheads were gone, with the exception of a few. The pimples I had, went away overnight, and future breakouts were stopped ahead of time! Proactive refining mask saved me from a lot of embarrassing breakouts during my high school years!

Kbyrnes7

USA

The Proactiv Refining Mask is amazing! It comes in a tiny tube, but it lasts a while because you are only supposed to use it once a week. It has a very thick consistency, but it's easy to spread across my face. You only put on a thin layer. It says to leave it on for about ten minutes, but sometimes it takes close to fifteen minutes for all of it to dry. When it's dry, you have to wipe it off. This is not a peel off mask. Getting the mask off your face is the hardest part. Sometimes, I have to scrub really hard to get it all off. It's frustrating, but it's worth it! This mask leaves my skin so soft! All the blackheads on my chin and nose completely vanish. The morning after using the mask, my acne is reduced by about fifty percent. I wish I could use it more than once a week, but I think that might irritate my sensitive skin. I am not a fan of the Proactiv regimen, but I will always use this refining mask.

kaylan5838

USA

I absolutely love this product. It came as a free sample with my proactive order. I fell in love and liked it better than the entire regimen. It's hard to explain how wonderful your skin will feel after this mask. It is very easy to apply. Just a thin layer on your entire face except eyes and mouth. You're supposed to leave it on for about 10 minutes but you can leave it on longer. I've actually fallen asleep with it on. I feel like the longer it stays on, the better the results. It just starts to crack and peel on its own after a while. When you're ready to remove it, just use a warm wet washcloth to remove it. Water alone will not work. It's too thick. I don't know what magical ingredients are in this thing but it will deep clean your face like never before. Your face will feel so soft. No traces of dirt, oil, or makeup will be left behind. It will feel fresh and clean. The scent is also very refreshing. Please do your face a favor and try this mask at least once in your life. You will be happy you did.

conkit

Undisclosed

Burns my skin, makes it red for ever, and doesn't do a very good job with helping to remove and prevent acne. Also really dried my skin up Effectiveness Didn't prevent or treat acne Side Effects Dried up my skin, burnt my skin, and made it red for hours after application. Immediacy Didn't notice any results from using this product.

Kassieavila0

USA

When I first ordered the Proactiv Solution Refining Mask, I was very excited since I have heard great things about the product. Upon receiving the package though, I was left a little disappointed. The tube was actually really small, and for the price I paid, I thought it was going to be a bit bigger. Since the price of this face mask was a little higher than I had hoped for, I assumed that the product was going to be of a decent quality. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed after using the Proactive Solution Refining Mask. While it was easy to apply, and it didn't sting my skin during use, it did dry my skin out quite a bit and it felt dehydrated after using it. I hoped it would have dried out my acne, but instead I noticed I was breaking out even more, and I don't break out that often! For the price, I was expecting a much higher quality, but it was comparable to some of the inexpensive face masks at the drugstore.

Gabreally22

USA

Okay, first off this stuff smells like rotten eggs because it is all sulfur. However, it is that sulfur that is supposed to kill bacteria, penetrate the skin, and clear up acne. I have had numerous bottles of this stuff in varying sizes over the years. I want it to work, I honestly do. Unfortunately though, I can't say as I have every seen an improvement in my acne. An worse, that smell lingers forever. At least that sulfur penetrates deep because you can literally smell it when you sweat or re-wash your face. It burns a bit, especially if you are already irritated, as more acne prone skin is. If you over use it, you'll peel and get red. It will irritate the skin around the eyes and mouth so be careful when you apply it. Also, it will ruin your wash clothes. The sulfur with color fast them and remain smelly even after washing them. I have found that it is useful when you have a popped zit that you'd like to dry up, even over night. Just dot some on the area and go to bed. It will be less red and inflamed in the morning. A word of caution about allergies, do not ever use this if you suspect you have a sulfur allergy or even mildly react to sulfites in wines. If you have bad acne, believe me you'll try anything. Because all skin is different, it may work for you. Buy a little sample bottle first though, because the big bottle is an expensive waste if it doesn't work or you're allergic.

java28

USA

I received this as a sample with my Proactiv kit. I didn't really pay attention to the Proactiv mask until I got a huge breakout on my chin. Ifigured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. I put a layer over the breakout before I went to bed and it actually stayed there all night and didn't rub or flake off. The next morning I had to scrub a little to get it to come off bit the breakout was significantly smaller. Not gone, but smaller. I didn't expect a miracle like the commercials made me want to believe but this worked pretty good. I use this now and again if I get a large breakout. I haven't tried it as a mask yet. I also won't repurchase this because it is pricey and I can only find it online. Effectiveness Works really well on acne spots Ease of Application Dab some on spots or apply layer on face, pretty easy to do. Convenience Simple to store, can only buy online though. Side Effects Didn't cause any for me. Immediacy Helped reduce size of acne overnight.

Georgia91

USA

I tried using the Proactiv solution when I was in High School, and needless to say, it did NOT work for me, at all. All it did was inflame my skin and make me breakout more. However, I received a free tube of this during one my shipments and it worked amazing! I used it as an overnight mask or spot treatment, and in the morning when I woke up my skin felt amazingly smooth and I noticed my pimples had shrunk a good amount. One or two nights of this and the big obnoxious pimples would dry up and be gone. I recommend this Proactiv product, but I feel the face washes are just way too harsh.

brynneav

USA