Proactiv & Proactiv+ Clarifying Night Cream
The Proactiv & Proactiv+ Clarifying Night Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Great (79/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The Proactiv & Proactiv+ Clarifying Night Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 37 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Great (79/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
|
|
Water
(Solvent) |
|
|
|
|
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer
(Emollient, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
Silicone
|
|
|
|
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Agent Occlusive, Perfuming) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
|
|
Sodium Ascorbate
(Antioxidant) |
|
|
|
|
Tocopherol (Vitamin E) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Skin Conditioning, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
PEG-180
(Binding Agent, Humectant, Solvent) |
|
|
|
|
PEG-75
(Binding Agent, Humectant, Solvent) |
|
|
|
|
PEG-8 Cetyl Dimethicone
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Hexylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Emulsifying, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant) |
|
|
|
|
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
|
|
|
|
Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
|
|
|
|
Polysorbate 60
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
|
Dicetyl Phosphate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
|
|
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
(Cleansing, Surfactant) |
|
|
|
|
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
|
|
|
|
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Methylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Ethylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Butylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Masking) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Propylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Perfuming) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Isobutylparaben
(Preservative) |
Paraben
|
|
|
|
Fragrance
(Deodorant, Masking, Perfuming) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
Sodium Ascorbate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.
Salicylic Acid
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
From the community
Used this product? Rate it in 10 seconds
Alternatives