{"id":605842899250,"title":"Proven Skincare Review: An Ingredient Analysis","created_at":"2023-07-08T23:43:15-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Proven Skincare Review: An Ingredient Analysis\",\n \"keywords\": \"proven skincare, proven skincare review, proven skincare reviews, proven skincare shark tank, does proven skincare work, is proven skincare good\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in two of Proven Skincare's most popular products based on medical studies to give our take on whether they're likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money. We share our concerns about their personalized skincare options.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/proven-skincare-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Beth Lertzman\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/beth-lertzman\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/beth-lertzman-md-856619118\/\",\n \"https:\/\/health.usnews.com\/doctors\/beth-lertzman-517042\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Dermatology Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"skincare, collagen, cosmetics, surgery, wrinkles, ingredients, formulation, clinical trials, clinical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of Delaware\",\n \"Drexel University College of Medicine\",\n \"University of Rochester\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Proven_Skincare_Thumbnail.png?v=1688874565\",\n\"width\": \"3873\",\n\"height\": \"3873\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5758347\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30513536\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4471117\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ordolava-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/spoiled-child-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30287361\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24471735\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30681787\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Shark Tank\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"TODAY\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"L-mandelic acid\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Papain\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Green tea extract\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"fragrance\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Cassandra Bankson\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"hannyybakes\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-07-08\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Proven_Skincare_Review_Article__Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1688874175\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eP\u003c\/span\u003eroven is a personalized skincare brand that was featured on Shark Tank and the TODAY show. The brand describes their product line as “personalized, clinically effective skincare formulated for you based on your skin.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut is personalized skincare legit, or is it just a marketing gimmick? Does Proven use research-backed ingredients for improving skin quality? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Proven Skincare?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Proven’s formulations based on medical studies to give our take on whether the brand is likely to improve skin quality or if it’s a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll share our concerns about the full ingredient lists (or lack thereof) and feature unsponsored Proven customer reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMissing Personalized Ingredient Lists\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn researching this article, we submitted test responses on Proven’s website to see what a full “personalized” formulation would look like.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, when we reached the stage of the personalized formulation checkout, the full ingredient lists were missing, as shown below:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Proven_Skincare_Missing_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1688874375\" alt=\"Proven Skincare missing ingredients example\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis appears to be just a technical bug, since not a single ingredient is showing, but this is a consumer safety issue and we urge Proven to immediately rectify this.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eConsumers need to know what the ingredients are in their skincare products so they can make informed, safe purchase decisions and avoid ingredients they may be allergic or sensitive to.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eProven does sell some standard, non-personalized cosmetics which we’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eProven Ingredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Proven_Cleanser_Ingredient_Analysis_Optimized.png?v=1688874357\" alt=\"Proven Cleanser ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Proven’s cleanser are shown above. This product contains a number of research-backed ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePanax ginseng\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a 2017 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5758347\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to have a potent anti-aging effect. The study authors described that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe appearance of wrinkles: “...remarkably improved with [\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePanax ginseng\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e] administration. Ginsenoside Rb1 reduced the increase in skin wrinkling.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-mandelic acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown to improve lower eyelid skin elasticity by 25% and skin firmness by 24% in a 2018 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30513536\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. This ingredient may also have anti-acne effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePapain\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a strange choice for a topical product in our opinion. This enzyme was shown to cause water loss and have a strong allergenic effect in human cells in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4471117\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJournal of Investigative Dermatology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe human cells component of this trial was an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein vitro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (test tube) study, which is a weaker standard of evidence than a trial with live human participants.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGreen tea extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a powerful natural moisturizer, as we documented in our review of a green tea mask brand called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ordolava-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOrdolava\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider this cleanser highly likely to improve skin quality and provide a moisturizing effect. It’s free of unhealthy fragrance and preservative chemicals, and if it didn’t contain papain, we would recommend it from a formulation perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe brand’s Day Moisturizer contains two ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003efragrance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ephenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe former of these ingredients was described in a 2016 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e as a risk to human health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would recommend Proven’s cleanser over the brand’s moisturizer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of Proven Skincare? We’ll feature some unsponsored customer reviews in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Users Review Proven Skincare\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named Cassandra Bankson reviewed Proven Skincare along with two other personalized skincare brands. We’ve timestamped the video below to start when she begins discussing Proven:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bSRRUFx44xE?start=4451\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “hannyybakes” had a more favorable review of Proven Skincare:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GiXewNUPPQk?start=4451\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Personalized Skincare Overrated?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePersonalized skincare makes sense logically: everyone has a unique skin biome and unique genetics, which suggests that tailored skincare formulations could yield optimal results.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, we haven’t come across much convincing medical evidence that personalized skincare is actually effective based on current technology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we discussed at length in our review of personalized cosmetics brand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/spoiled-child-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSpoiled Child\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e we haven’t come across any clinical studies comparing personalized skincare to off-the-shelf skincare products and finding personalized skincare to be more effective.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eProven Skincare does appear to be clinically tested, which is a good sign of the brand’s legitimacy, but without a comparison to standard skincare formulations we cannot confirm the necessity or benefit of personalized formulations like those sold by Proven.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Skincare Picks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Skincare_Products_Image_Optimized.png?v=1664754145\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are skincare products that contain ingredients shown in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality generally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"http:\/\/track.revoffers.com\/aff_c?offer_id=155\u0026amp;aff_id=7240\u0026amp;url_id=2077\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnie Mak Vitamin C Serum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is our top skin cream pick because of its effective and clean formulation. It contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ehyaluronic acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e which was described as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"skin-rejuvenating biomedicine\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30287361\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"http:\/\/track.revoffers.com\/aff_c?offer_id=155\u0026amp;aff_id=7240\u0026amp;url_id=2077\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the official brand's website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"http:\/\/track.revoffers.com\/aff_c?offer_id=159\u0026amp;aff_id=7240\u0026amp;url_id=2174\"\u003eHydraglow\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis our top moisturizer pick. It features\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ebakuchiol\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas an active ingredient which was described in a 2014 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24471735\/\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/a\u003e as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"clinically proven to have anti-aging effects.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out HydraGlow\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"http:\/\/track.revoffers.com\/aff_c?offer_id=159\u0026amp;aff_id=7240\u0026amp;url_id=2174\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the official brand's website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe only oral supplement we recommend for skin quality improvement is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/c\/3271428\/1278011\/9221\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBulletproof Collagen Powder\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOral \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecollagen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e supplementation was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30681787\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJournal of Drugs in Dermatology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eto improve visible signs of skin aging as well as improve skin elasticity and skin hydration\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Powder \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/c\/3271428\/1278011\/9221\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the brand's official website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNone of the products recommended in this section contain additive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Proven Skincare\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Proven Skincare in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClinically tested\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCleanser should improve skin quality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMoisturizer should improve skin hydration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCleanser has no inactive ingredients we consider questionable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIngredient lists for personalized products are missing based on our test\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe can’t find convincing evidence for personalized skincare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMoisturizer contains fragrance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMoisturizer contains phenoxyethanol\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExpensive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eProven is a skincare brand that fails to differentiate itself from other personalized skincare brands in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s a good sign that the company has funded clinical tests on their products, and we do consider both of the Proven formulations that we reviewed (cleanser and moisturizer) likely to be effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, when we submitted test responses to get a personalized skincare formulation, the ingredient list was entirely missing, which is concerning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe hope that Proven fixes this because consumers deserve access to full ingredient lists so that they can make safe purchase decisions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe haven’t come across much convincing medical evidence that personalized skincare is more effective than “standard” skincare. While the idea makes sense in theory, we haven’t come across one single clinical trial that tested the effects of a personalized skincare routine and found it to be superior to a “standard,” non-personalized skincare routine using off-the-shelf products.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing a Proven Skincare product, we would recommend the brand’s cleanser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-07-08T23:54:28-04:00","updated_at":"2023-07-19T17:22:21-04:00","summary_html":"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in two of Proven Skincare's most popular products based on medical studies to give our take on whether they're likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money. We share our concerns about their personalized skincare options.","template_suffix":"","handle":"proven-skincare-review","tags":"_related:skincare"}

Proven Skincare Review: An Ingredient Analysis

Proven Skincare Review: An Ingredient Analysis


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Proven is a personalized skincare brand that was featured on Shark Tank and the TODAY show. The brand describes their product line as “personalized, clinically effective skincare formulated for you based on your skin.”

But is personalized skincare legit, or is it just a marketing gimmick? Does Proven use research-backed ingredients for improving skin quality? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Proven Skincare?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Proven’s formulations based on medical studies to give our take on whether the brand is likely to improve skin quality or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll share our concerns about the full ingredient lists (or lack thereof) and feature unsponsored Proven customer reviews.

Missing Personalized Ingredient Lists

In researching this article, we submitted test responses on Proven’s website to see what a full “personalized” formulation would look like.

However, when we reached the stage of the personalized formulation checkout, the full ingredient lists were missing, as shown below:

Proven Skincare missing ingredients example

This appears to be just a technical bug, since not a single ingredient is showing, but this is a consumer safety issue and we urge Proven to immediately rectify this.

Consumers need to know what the ingredients are in their skincare products so they can make informed, safe purchase decisions and avoid ingredients they may be allergic or sensitive to.

Proven does sell some standard, non-personalized cosmetics which we’ll review in the next section.

Proven Ingredient Analysis

Proven Cleanser ingredients

The ingredients in Proven’s cleanser are shown above. This product contains a number of research-backed ingredients.

Panax ginseng extract was shown in a 2017 medical review to have a potent anti-aging effect. The study authors described that the appearance of wrinkles: “...remarkably improved with [Panax ginseng] administration. Ginsenoside Rb1 reduced the increase in skin wrinkling.”

L-mandelic acid was shown to improve lower eyelid skin elasticity by 25% and skin firmness by 24% in a 2018 clinical trial. This ingredient may also have anti-acne effects.

Papain is a strange choice for a topical product in our opinion. This enzyme was shown to cause water loss and have a strong allergenic effect in human cells in a clinical trial published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

The human cells component of this trial was an in vitro (test tube) study, which is a weaker standard of evidence than a trial with live human participants.

Green tea extract is a powerful natural moisturizer, as we documented in our review of a green tea mask brand called Ordolava.

We consider this cleanser highly likely to improve skin quality and provide a moisturizing effect. It’s free of unhealthy fragrance and preservative chemicals, and if it didn’t contain papain, we would recommend it from a formulation perspective.

The brand’s Day Moisturizer contains two ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective: fragrance and phenoxyethanol.

The former of these ingredients was described in a 2016 medical review as a risk to human health.

We would recommend Proven’s cleanser over the brand’s moisturizer.

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Proven Skincare? We’ll feature some unsponsored customer reviews in the next section.

Real Users Review Proven Skincare

A YouTube creator named Cassandra Bankson reviewed Proven Skincare along with two other personalized skincare brands. We’ve timestamped the video below to start when she begins discussing Proven:

A YouTube creator named “hannyybakes” had a more favorable review of Proven Skincare:

Is Personalized Skincare Overrated?

Personalized skincare makes sense logically: everyone has a unique skin biome and unique genetics, which suggests that tailored skincare formulations could yield optimal results.

However, we haven’t come across much convincing medical evidence that personalized skincare is actually effective based on current technology.

As we discussed at length in our review of personalized cosmetics brand Spoiled Child, we haven’t come across any clinical studies comparing personalized skincare to off-the-shelf skincare products and finding personalized skincare to be more effective.

Proven Skincare does appear to be clinically tested, which is a good sign of the brand’s legitimacy, but without a comparison to standard skincare formulations we cannot confirm the necessity or benefit of personalized formulations like those sold by Proven.

Our Clean Skincare Picks

There are skincare products that contain ingredients shown in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality generally.

Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top skin cream pick because of its effective and clean formulation. It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.

Interested consumers can check out Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.

Hydraglow is our top moisturizer pick. It features bakuchiol as an active ingredient which was described in a 2014 clinical trial as "clinically proven to have anti-aging effects."

Interested consumers can check out HydraGlow at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.

The only oral supplement we recommend for skin quality improvement is Bulletproof Collagen Powder.

Oral collagen supplementation was shown in a medical review published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology to improve visible signs of skin aging as well as improve skin elasticity and skin hydration.

Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Powder at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.

None of the products recommended in this section contain additive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.

Pros and Cons of Proven Skincare

Here are the pros and cons of Proven Skincare in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Clinically tested
  • Cleanser should improve skin quality
  • Moisturizer should improve skin hydration
  • Cleanser has no inactive ingredients we consider questionable

Cons:

  • Ingredient lists for personalized products are missing based on our test
  • We can’t find convincing evidence for personalized skincare
  • Moisturizer contains fragrance
  • Moisturizer contains phenoxyethanol
  • Expensive
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Conclusion

Proven is a skincare brand that fails to differentiate itself from other personalized skincare brands in our opinion.

It’s a good sign that the company has funded clinical tests on their products, and we do consider both of the Proven formulations that we reviewed (cleanser and moisturizer) likely to be effective.

However, when we submitted test responses to get a personalized skincare formulation, the ingredient list was entirely missing, which is concerning.

We hope that Proven fixes this because consumers deserve access to full ingredient lists so that they can make safe purchase decisions.

We haven’t come across much convincing medical evidence that personalized skincare is more effective than “standard” skincare. While the idea makes sense in theory, we haven’t come across one single clinical trial that tested the effects of a personalized skincare routine and found it to be superior to a “standard,” non-personalized skincare routine using off-the-shelf products.

For consumers intent on purchasing a Proven Skincare product, we would recommend the brand’s cleanser.




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