This Benefit skincare review is all about what’s left of their skincare line. Bbecause let’s be real, Benefit used to do the whole thing: moisturisers, creams, the works for all skin types. Now? It’s all about pores. Only about the pores. The POREfessional skincare range is the only skincare they’ve kept, and it’s packed with toners, cleansers, and masks that promise to smooth, shrink, and blur the look of pores. But is any of it actually worth using, or is it just cute packaging doing all the heavy lifting? Let’s break it down. But first…
About The Brand: Benefit
Benefit cosmetics started in San Francisco in the ’70s, and let’s be honest: they’ve always been more about fun, fast beauty than serious skin science. Think iconic brow products, cheeky names, and packaging that looks like it belongs on your vanity. But for a while, they did have a full skincare line: hydrators, eye creams, the works. That’s all been phased out now. What’s left is pore-focused skincare that fits the vibe of their bestselling POREfessional primer. It’s skincare that feels like makeup prep-designed to give you that smooth, “I woke up like this” base without piling on product. But are these pore skin care products all just surface-level smoothing, or can they actually help your skin over time? We’re about to find out how these new products really perform:
Benefit The POREfessional Deep Retreat ($39.00)
This is Benefit’s take on a clay mask: meant to clean out your pores without drying you out. It’s got kaolin to absorb oil, glycerin and butylene glycol to keep your skin hydrated, and a bunch of extras like jojoba oil, bisabolol, and cactus flower extract to calm things down. The texture’s creamy, not crusty, and it spreads on like a dream. The ingredient list is a mix of real skincare stuff and Benefit’s usual flair (yep, there’s fragrance and mica for that glowy finish). Oh, and unlike other clay masks, this one is purple. How cool is that? Overall, it does what it says: draws out gunk, smooths things over, and doesn’t leave your face feeling like a raisin. If you have oily skin or your pores need a reset, this one is a great option to try. There’s a mini version available too, if you want to try it before committing to the full size.
Active ingredients: Mineral-rich kaolin clay.
Benefits: Absorbs excess oil without drying out skin.
Cons: Messy to use. Contains fragrance.
Skin type: Oily and acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Get Unblocked ($39.00)
Get Unblocked is a classic cleansing oil with a Benefit spin-nourishing, non-stripping, and designed to dissolve sunscreen and makeup without leaving your skin feeling greasy. It’s powered by jojoba, and grape seed, and avocado oils, with a boost of ceramides and bisabolol to calm things down post-cleanse. It does a solid job melting off grime and rinses away clean with water, no double cleanse needed (but you still can if you’re acne-prone). The only downside? This oil cleanser is fragranced. If your skin’s chill, that won’t be an issue. But if you’re reactive, this could be a dealbreaker.
Active ingredients: Jojoba and avocado oils.
Benefits: Absorbs excess oil without drying out skin.
Cons: Contains fragrance.
Skin type: Combination and dry skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Shrink Wrap ($46.00)
Feels fancy, works okay. It’s packed with surface exfoliants (glycolic acid, lactic acid, gluconolactone), and niacinamide so your skin looks smoother and a little brighter after using it. Nice texture, soaks in fast, doesn’t sting. But here’s the thing: it’s missing salicylic acid, which is the one acid that actually gets inside your pores and clears out the junk making them look big in the first place. This one just buffs the surface. Great if you want glow, not so great if your pores are full of gunk. Expect it to improve your skin texture, not shrink your pore size.
Active ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, gluconolactone), and niacinamide
Benefits: Exfoliates skin, reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother skin, and brightens the complexion.
Cons: Can’t exfoliate pores, so it won’t reduce their size.
Skin type: Combination and dry skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: AHAs VS BHA: Which Exfoliant Is Right For You?
Benefit The POREfessional Speedy Smooth Pore Mask ($39.00)
It’s one fo those quick face masks that soak up oil, smooth your skin, and chill any puffiness in under 5 minutes. Kaolin, sea silt, and silica do the oil control, while squalane and hyaluronic acid keep it from feeling dry or tight. Good for when your skin looks a bit blah and you need a quick reset before makeup. Just know it’s a temporary fix. The “pore-smoothing” claim is mostly visual. When you remove excess oil, there’s less crap that sticks into your pores, so their size looks smaller. But nothing here changes your skin long term. It just makes you look better fast, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Active ingredients: Kaolin and silica.
Benefits: Absorbs excess oil.
Cons: Doesn’t change pore size.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone, and combination skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Good Cleanup ($29.00)
Basic gel foaming cleanser that does the job. Key ingredients here are gentle surfactants like coco-betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate that cleanse without stripping, plus glycerin to keep things soft. Texture’s light, lathers well, rinses clean. Smells fresh, thanks to the added fragrance, so if you have sensitive skin, maybe don’t add it to your skincare routine. There’s nothing bad here, but nothing groundbreaking either. It’s a cleanser that feels nice, looks cute in your bathroom, and gets your face clean without drying it out. Just don’t expect miracles. It’s fine. That’s it.
Active ingredients: Coco-betaine.
Benefits: A good cleanup cleanser that removes grime without irritating skin.
Cons: Contains fragrance.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone, and combination skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Hydro Pop ($76.00)
This is Benefit’s hydrating toner-essence hybrid, and it’s trying to be everything at once: pore-refining, moisturising, glow-boosting. It’s got witch hazel water, niacinamide, and a bunch of fermented and botanical extracts. Plus hyaluronic acid and meadowfoam seed oil to smooth things out. Problem is, it sounds way more exciting than it feels. It’s fine, but there’s nothing in here you can’t get from a better, cheaper toner (and frankly, you don’t need toners or essences at all….) It hydrates. It sinks in. That’s about it. You won’t hate it, but you also won’t care if you never buy it again.
Active ingredients: Niacinamide.
Benefits: Hydrates, skin feels softer and plumper.
Cons: It’s a fairly basic formula and you don’t really need a toner.
Skin type: All skin types, including dehydrated skin. Just not suitable for sensitive skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Wow Polish ($49.00)
This is Benefit’s physical exfoliator. It’s got perlite, corn starch, and tapioca starch to give it that scrubby feel, plus kaolin clay and lactic acid to help with texture. It’s not too harsh, but you’ll definitely feel the grit. Personally? Not a fan. Scrubs just don’t do much beyond temporary smoothness, and if you’ve got sensitive or breakout-prone skin, they can irritate your skin and make things worse. On that note, a little goes a long way. There are way better ways to exfoliate than dragging grains across your face.Plus, if you really want to shrink pores, yuo need salicylic acid. Period. Why does Benefit insist on NOT using it?!
Active ingredients: Perlite, corn starch, tapioca starch, and lactic acid.
Benefits: Smoothens out the surface of the skin.
Cons: Forget smaller pores. It just exfoliates the surface of your skin and is likely to irritate it too!
Skin type: I don’t recommend it to anyone.
Fragrance-free: No.
Benefit The POREfessional Tight ‘N Toned ($34.00)
This is Benefit’s version of a liquid toner with glycolic acid and gluconolactone to exfoliate the surface of the skin. It gives a quick glow and helps smooth things out over time. Plus it’s got a little cooling effect for that “fresh” feeling after cleansing. But honestly, toners are optional and this one’s not life-changing. It doesn’t have salicylic acid, which is what you actually need if you’re trying to shrink the look of clogged pores. So it’s more glow-up than clean-out.
Active ingredients: Glycolic acid and gluconolactone.
Benefits: An alpha hydroxy acid exfoliant to brighten the complexion and makes skin softer and smoother.
Cons: Doesn’t contain salicylic acid, which is what you need to reduce the look of pores.
Skin type: Dry skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Benefit The POREfessional Smooth Sip ($44.00)
Lightweight gel-cream that hydrates without feeling greasy. It’s got niacinamide, squalane, and glycerin, so it does the basics: moisturises, softens, plays nice under makeup. Texture’s smooth, finish is soft, not sticky or heavy. But overall? Pretty standard. It’s a good product that does what it says on the tin, but there’s nothing in here that makes it stand out in a sea of moisturisers. If you want something that feels nice, this works. If you want something that does more, this isn’t it.
Active ingredients: Niacinamide and squalane.
Benefits: Makes skin softer and smoother without clogging pores.
Cons: Doesn’t have anti-aging properties.
Skin type: Oily, combination, and acne-prone skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Availability
Benefit cosmetics, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Sephora, and Ulta
Is Benefit Cruelty-Free?
Nope. Benefit sells in China, where animal testing is still required by law, so even if they say they don’t test, someone else does it for them. That means they’re not considered cruelty-free by most standards. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, you’ll want to skip.
The Pros Of Benefit Skincare
- Fun packaging and nice textures
- Hydrates without feeling heavy
- Great if you just want your skin to look smoother fast
- Doesn’t strip or irritate most skin types
The Cons Of Benefit Skincare
- No salicylic acid in pore care products, meaning they can’t do anything to shrink pores
- Frequently fragranced, which may irritate sensitive skin
- Limited innovation outside surface-level smoothing
- Not cruelty-free or vegan – sells in markets that legally require animal testing
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes shine, pimples, and blackheads? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Oily Skin” cheatsheet to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):
The Bottom Line
Benefit pore care collection is all surface polish, not deep clean. Cute, easy-to-use products that help your skin look smoother, but if clogged pores or acne are your issue, there’s no real hero ingredient doing the heavy lifting. And if being cruelty-free matters, Benefit’s skincare products aren’t for you.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
