Benefit’s Skincare Line – Is the new POREfessional Pore Care Worth it? Review
I was super excited to try the new Benefit POREfessional skin care line when it was offered as a “Beauty Break” gift with purchase from Ulta Beauty. What beauty lover WOULDN’T want smaller pores, right?!
No matter your skin type, the Pore Care Collection is supposed to target the look of pores and pore size. So I grabbed the mini version gift (with purchase) within minutes!
Benefit is known for their OG, best-selling eyebrow products (Precisely My Brow Pencil and Gimme Brow+ Brow Gel), bronzer (Hoola Matte Bronzer), as well as their Mascaras (BADgal Bang Volumizing Mascara). But, their MOST popular product is the POREfessional Primer.
Back in the beauty guru days of Youtube (and social media), a Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional face primer was a MUST to start off any makeup look.
These days, you can find great primers at all price points but Benefit products still stand the test of time.
Does Benefit have skincare now?
Yes! Benefit, known for their best-selling pore care makeup, is now offering 7 Pore Care skincare products.
This new skincare collection targets problem areas like clogged pores, large pores, and uneven skin texture, in addition to their Total Moisture Face Cream which has been sold by the brand for years.
These new products include a Cleansing Oil, Foaming Cleanser, AHA+PHA Toner, Gel-Cream Moisturizer, Pore Mask, Clay Mask, and a Cleansing Wand.
I was able to get my hands on four of the new Benefit Pore Care Skincare Products. Check out my thoughts on the new line of products below!
The POREfessional Pore Care Product Line Includes:
- Get Unblocked Makeup-Removing Cleansing Oil ($18 – $39)
- Good Cleanup Foaming Cleanser ($15 – $29)
- Tight ‘n Toned Pore-Refining AHA+PHA Toner ($19 – $34)
- Smooth Sip Lightweight Gel-Cream Moisturizer ($44)
- Speedy Smooth Pore Mask ($39)
- Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Clay Mask ($20 – $39)
- All in One Mask Wand Pore Care Cleansing Tool ($20)
The Benefit POREfessional Get Unblocked Oil Cleanser Review
Product Claims:
- Visibly melts away dirt, oil & makeup
- Visibly unclogs, unblocks & clears out pores
- Silky-smooth formula feels lightweight & nourishing
Key Ingredients: Grape seed, avocado oil, jojoba seed oil, plum kernel oil.
The Get Unblocked Makeup-Removing Cleansing Oil ($18 – $39) feels very lightweight and yet it’s very effective at removing makeup after a long day (even mascara).
I tend to like oil based cleansers that turn into a milky consistency (that way I can actually see it working), and this oil cleanser does exactly that. It’s hard to formulate an oil cleanser that is this light and effective.
In fact, sometimes oil cleansers can leave a dry film on the skin after cleansing. But the Get Unblocked cleanser doesn’t do that at all.
Bonus feature! You can “lock” the product (by turning the top to the right) so that it won’t leak. Plus, this product is great for traveling or if you have to store your product line down.
I haven’t noticed a “clearing out of pores” or any pore reduction with this oil cleanser, but I do agree that it is lightweight and nourishing (meaning that it doesn’t leave your skin dry) and removes makeup really well (even mascara).
I still suggest removing your makeup, then using the product as a “second cleanse” or using the product twice to be sure all your makeup is removed.
My only critique of the Get Unblocked Makeup-Removing Cleansing Oil is the price. Although this cleanser works just as good as some of my other favorite Oil Cleansers (in a similar price range), The Inkey List makes an Oil Cleanser that I LOVE for just $11.99.
Would I purchase this cleansing oil over my favorites? No, but I really like this product.
The Benefit POREfessional Tight n Toned Toner Review
Product Claims:
- Pores look smaller instantly & over time
- AHAs + PHAs help exfoliate
- Bubbly foam absorbs quickly & applies easily with fingertips
Key Ingredients: yuzu extract, lemon extract, bisabolol
Applying toner is an essential part of my skincare routine, mainly because I want my pores to appear as small as possible.
I tend to use two types of toner in my skincare routine: one to target pores and texture, and one to hydrate. The Tight ‘n Toned Pore-Refining AHA+PHA Toner ($19 – $34) packs a punch when it comes to pore maintenance (in a good way).
This foaming toner is easy to apply, and effective but I don’t think it’s for beginners (or beauties with sensitive skin). I noticed smaller pores and smoother skin after just 1 use of the product, and that’s what acids are meant to do!
Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) products work wonders for smoothing out skin! However, some products tingle in a way that skincare newbies may not be ready for.
(Read: Acids Decoded: What Are AHAs, BHAs And PHAs In Skincare?)
It could be the lemon extract that makes this product tingle, or the Acid(s). Either way, I would caution those who don’t use AHAs regularly to start slow and use the Tight ‘n Toned Pore-Refining AHA+PHA Toner 2-3x per week to start.
Overall I really like this product, I think its formulated well.
The Benefit POREfessional Smooth Sip Moisturizer Review
Product Claims:
- Visibly improves skin texture
- 12-hour* hydration
- Lightweight gel-cream formula feels refreshing & absorbs quickly
Key Ingredients: niacinamide, celery seed extract, flax seed extracts, omega 3-s, peptides
I am not picky when it comes to moisturizers. I moisturize my skin based on; how my skin is feeling, the weather conditions, where I am at the time, etc.
The Smooth Sip Lightweight Gel-Cream Moisturizer ($44) is hydrating (but not greasy feeling) and definitely absorbs quickly.
But, I didn’t notice any improved skin texture on days when I used just this product (from the POREfessional line).
Also, the coconut scent is almost too strong for me.
I love coconut and don’t mind scent in my skincare products, but sheesh!
Overall the Smooth Sip Lightweight Gel-Cream Moisturizer is nice, my skin feels moisturized after each use. But, this product is not distinct enough for me to purchase a full size.
The Benefit POREfessional Deep Retreat Mask Review
Product Claims:
- Deep clears pores
- 12-hour mattifying
- Smooth, creamy clay feels gentle & comfortable
Key Ingredients: sea fennel extract, mineral-rich kaolin clay, prickly pear flower extract
I don’t love clay masks. Many of the clay masks I’ve tried in the past, are pore shrinking (in the moment) but leave my skin feeling too dry.
The Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Clay Mask ($20 – $39) seems to clear and reduce my pores, but doesn’t give me dry skin at all.
The immediate finish is softly matte, but I didn’t test the “12 hour mattifying” claim.
I have no idea how they were able to formulate this amazing clay mask. It’s gentle, smooths the skin, and reduces the appearance of pores, all without dryness… I love it.
I would definitely purchase a full size of the Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Clay Mask.
Overall review of the Benefit POREfessional Pore Care Skincare Line
The Benefit POREfessional Pore Care Skincare line is impressive. I was happy to use and finish all of the sample sized skin care products. The Get Unblocked Oil Cleanser, and Deep Retreat Mask were my favorites!
You can tell that Benefit put a lot of thought into their product formulations. Each product matched their POREfessional brand and gave real results.
My only critiques are the prices and the packaging.
Benefit is a mid-tier priced brand, but the POREfessional line is priced slightly higher than their makeup products.
The product ingredients and effectiveness align with the cost (in my opinion), but Benefit as a brand seems to market to a younger audience.
In fact, my issue with the packaging is that it feels too young. The brand chose to go with eco-friendly, recyclable packaging (which is awesome).
However, this type of packaging often feels young and cheap. So, although Benefit loves its younger audience, can that audience afford $44 moisturizer?!…
I would love this product line more, if the packaging was recyclable AND felt higher end. But, maybe I’m just being picky.
Overall, this is a great product line and the products I tried are worth trying. I will jump at the chance to try more samples or if I catch ANY of the full-size versions on sale.
You will like this product line if:
- You are looking to improve skin texture
- You are looking to visibly reduce the size of pores
- You want to buy a complete skincare line with coordinating products
You may not like this product line if:
- You like high end packaging with your high end prices
- You are new to skincare, specifically ingredients like AHAs
Other Popular Benefit POREfessional Products
