My Proven Skincare Review
Custom skincare formulated especially for you and what your skin needs now.
How many times have you bought a product that boasted the ability to fix a specific skincare concern you had, but after a few weeks you felt disappointed? Proven Skincare is a service that helps customers "create your own personalized skincare that’s clinically effective and unique to your skin, environment, and lifestyle." I have tried out A LOT of skincare formulas. Heck, I even use some things that probably aren't exactly ideal for my face because it is important to try the things I am reviewing here on the site. The thought of custom formulas made specifically for me was super exciting, and Proven has an intuitive quiz that helped get to the heart of what I was looking for in just minutes. I ended up using these products daily for a few weeks, and though it took me a few uses to really appreciate the formulas, I ended up feeling pretty impressed. If you have ever wanted to basically build your own skincare routine, read on to find out more!
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code MSA99 to get your first skincare set for $99 ($30 off)!
CODE: MSA99
About Proven Skincare
The Box: Proven Skincare
The Cost: $119.00/bi-monthly
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code MSA99 to get your first skincare set for $99 ($30 off)!
CODE: MSA99
The Products: A 3-product skincare system specially built for your skin by an intuitive AI
Ships To: The U.S.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Pros & Cons
| The Pros |
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| The Cons |
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| Is It Worth It? |
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| I’d Recommend Perfect Image If You |
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The Proven Skincare Brand
Proven Skincare was founded by Ming Zhao and Dr. Amy Yuan. Both were tired of trying product after product and not noticing any real results from their skincare. With an emphasis on the value of hard data and a mission to make skincare better, together they formed The Skin Genome Project. Now, if you aren't into the science-y stuff behind skincare formulas, you might want to skip to the next section. But if you are a big ingredient nerd like myself, strap in. The Skin Genome Project is "the most comprehensive skincare database ever created". It would be easy to shrug at that claim (lots of false claims float around in the beauty market) but it was also the winner of MIT’s 2018 Artificial Intelligence Award. Yeah, we are getting into artificial intelligence here! Basically, The Skin Genome Project AI has analyzed over 8 million skincare reviews, over 100,000 products, 20,000 ingredients, and thousands of academic journals and pared all of that information down into useful data that can be utilized to custom build formulas especially for your individual skin needs. They even take it a step further and gather info specific to your zip code, like the local UV index and humidity levels. If you are feeling awed, me too! If you are feeling overwhelmed... I promise you don't have to understand (or really even care!) about any of this. Just know that it boils down to really, REALLY smart skincare.
The Sign-Up Process
While the Proven Skincare quiz isn't hard or even time-consuming, it is in depth. I have reviewed quite a few personalized services and the quizzes that go along with them, and this is by far one of the most thorough. It took me about 3-5 minutes and was very comprehensive.
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One of my favorite little features in this quiz was that each time I answered a question, a new ingredient would pop up on a side panel to the right of my screen. It was adding ingredients specifically suited to my skin. Again, I am a total ingredient nerd, and this was SO cool.
My Kit
For as involved as the signup process felt, my kit felt pretty minimal! My three formulas arrived in futuristic metallic containers and straightforward and helpful info cards accompanied each one. There was also a little lip balm for me too, hidden behind a cardboard door.
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Here is a peek at the info cards:
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It also included the ingredient lists for each formula and insights on usage and key ingredients.
The Items
Want to see the formulas themselves? Let's dive in.
My Personalized Cleanser
When I was processing my initial quiz and order, I was given the opportunity to change some things about my formulation and was shown active ingredients as well as a full ingredient list.
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Proven Skincare Cleanser, 1.7 fl oz
Here are the ingredients in my formula:
Water, Sepiplus 400, Pureact SLI, Azelaic acid, L-Mandelic Acid, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Non-sensitizing herb and flower extracts
I liked this cleaner a lot. It was a great mix of ingredients that checked off a lot of boxes for my needs: a little Azelaic acid (acne-fighting, anti-redness/soothing), some Mandelic acid (an AHA exfoliant), Evening Primrose Oil (healing and soothing), and some hyaluronic acid (hydration) too. It has a light botanical scent that was pleasant and the creamy finish had just a little lather. It left my face feeling clean but not stripped, and extra soft.
My Personalized SPF Moisturizer
Again, during my initial sign-up, there were options to modify this formula.
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Proven SPF Moisturizer, 1 fl oz
Here are the ingredients in my formula:
Water , Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Polyester-7 Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol PEG-75, Stearate Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Lysolecithin Sclerotlum Gum, Dimethiconol/Octylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Pullulan Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethiconol/Propylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Dicrateria Rotunda Oil, Ruttnera Lamellosa Oil, Lecithin, Silica Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Sodium Ascorbate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
My Personalized Night Cream
Like my other two formulas, customization was thorough and I was able to change and edit this formula.
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Proven Night Cream, 0.5 fl oz
Here are the ingredients in my formula:
Water, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed (Marula) Oil, Niacinamide, Beta Glucan (Oat Extract), Simulgel EG, Promulgen-D, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Azelaic acid, Shea Butter, Allantoin, Lecithin, Olivem 800 (Olive Derivative), Curcumin Extract (Turmeric Extract), Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Lincoserve WPH LO, Vitamin E,. Sulfur, Xanthan Gum
This was perhaps the formula that took me the longest time to love. The first time I applied it, I really disliked the texture. Mostly because it ended up pilling when in combination with my vitamin C serum. It also had a slightly odd scent which I attribute to the sulfur inside. The ingredient list though? It is a freaking dream. My dry skin loves Marula oil because it hydrates and soothes and those oat extracts are awesome for helping to tone down redness. Azelic acid is great for congestion, green tea antioxidants make my skin very happy, and the list goes on and on with beneficial ingredients like lecithin, shea, and allantoin. So I stuck with it and I am glad I did. Pilling just sometimes happens and the following nights it didn't seem like much of an issue. Skin can be weird. The benefits greatly outweighed any of that and I can happily report that my face feels calmer and firmer each morning that I sleep in this stuff.
Proven Skincare USDA Organic Peppermint Lip Balm
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This little tube was kind of an added bonus, but I liked it so much that it is worth mentioning. I am not normally a peppermint fan. Like, not at all. But this formula reminded me a lot of Burt's Bees and the tingle was refreshing rather than artificial. I plan on using this for a long as I can before Will discovers it and "borrows" it forever.
My Verdict
Proven Skincare felt really different than a lot of other custom skincare services out there. It feels too impersonal to describe such a personalized approach to skincare as clinical, but it certainly felt super grounded in science and data. All of us love skincare for a ton of different reasons: it's fun, it's beautiful, it's beneficial, and on and on. This is one of those perfect services for the science-based skincare enthusiast and the ingredient junkie who wants to deep dive into what is going into their formulations and why. Even if you aren't as interested in those detail though, you can totally benefit from this brand's approach to skincare that has actual results based in facts and data. And even with the arguably steep price tag, you are spending essentially $60 a month (this service is $119 bi-monthly) which is a steal compared to buying three individual products every other month if you shop somewhere like Sephora. So, if you are curious, try this one out. I really think you are going to love it.
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code MSA99 to get your first skincare set for $99 ($30 off)!
CODE: MSA99
What did you think of Proven Skincare?
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