Proven is a skincare brand that uses a short quiz to make custom formulas — I tried it, and the night cream worked so well that after 5 weeks, the fine lines on my neck are barely visible anymore

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• Proven is a skincare company that creates custom formulas based on an in-depth skin quiz. The kit you'll receive includes a cleanser, day moisturizer, and night cream, though you can opt for just a single product.
• Questions like skin tone, age, zip code, and how much water you drink each day dictate the specialized formula they send.
• The Proven team sent me a skincare kit based on my quiz results, and the night cream was my favorite product. It helped reduce the fine lines on my neck in just a short period of time.
• The Proven kit is pricy at $145, but in my experience, the formulas work well enough to justify the cost.

Table of Contents: Static

If you ever wanted someone to just hand you a list of the right products to buy for your skin type rather than having to piece together the right formulas on your own, then let me tell you about Proven.

Proven is a skincare brand that makes custom formulas based on a 3-minute survey you take about your skin. Some of the questions you'll be asked include things like if your skin is oily, dry or combination, as well as your age and geographic location. The brand then formulates each product tailored to your specific needs.

After completing the survey, Proven will send you a kit that includes a cleanser, day moisturizer, and night cream, taking the guesswork out of which ingredients our products you should be mixing and matching. You can also opt for single products if you just want to incorporate one of them into your routine at a time.

The Proven team sent me a code to take the quiz and test its products for the purpose of this review. I've been using them for over 5 weeks and have seen serious improvements in the fine lines on my neck and the texture of my skin.

What the quiz covers

The process started with an in-depth quiz about my skin. Some examples of questions included if I was oily vs. dry; how my face feels after a shower; what my skin tone is (aka my melanin level); what age group I fall under; if I was breastfeeding; what my dietary habits look like; what types of products are in my current skincare routine; and, since where you live affects your skin, they also asked me to enter my zip code. Your answers are then used to create a set that comes with a cleanser, moisturizer, and night cream, all tailored to fit your specific skin type.

My set included information cards that helped me understand how the results of my quiz translated to the ingredients in the products. For example, my cleanser contained the ingredient mandelic acid because it helps to reduce the appearance of sun damage since I spend a lot of time outdoors, a factor that I included in my quiz.

The company recommends you take the quiz every 5 to 7 weeks if you plan to reorder products so that it can take into account any changes your skin has experienced over time.

What my cleanser was like

The face cleanser was so powerful that it removed a full face of makeup (including mascara) without leaving any residue behind. What I loved most was that even though it thoroughly cleansed the dirt and makeup from my face, it didn't strip my skin or make it feel dry. When I received my products, the information card explained that the Proven cleanser was not only a face wash, but also a toner and exfoliator in one. The bottle is pretty small at 1.7 ounces, but two pumps (about a dime-sized amount) was enough to do the job.

What my daytime moisturizer was like

I am generally adamant about using sunscreen on my face every day, even having a generous amount of melanin, because I do a lot of outdoor activities like walks in the parks, jogging, and walking to the grocery store. The one-ounce moisturizer included mineral sunscreen (at SPF 30), which I really appreciated.

Around three pumps of the moisturizer was enough to cover my whole face. Initially, the moisturizer looked like it was going to leave a slightly chalky layer on my brown skin, but once it was fully rubbed in, it blended well.

What my night cream was like (with before and after photos)

The night cream was definitely my favorite product since it made my skin feel extremely hydrated and was the main factor in reducing the fine lines on my neck (not something I thought would happen, but it was a nice surprise). The 1-ounce night cream felt silky and rich in my hands, and when rubbed on my face, it left a hydrating finish that wasn't too heavy. Even after a full night of sleep, my skin still felt moisturized.

The tranexamic acid, kojic acid, mulberry extract, and niacinamide in the night cream helped to fight against signs of aging in my skin and helped to firm it up in such a short period of time. Granactive retinoids in the formula also helped to smooth out the fine lines in my neck area. In general, my skin feels significantly firmer and more hydrated than before I started using the product.

Cons to consider

Proven is definitely not cheap. At $145 for a cleanser, moisturizer, and night cream, you're paying an average of about $50 per product. But if you can get over the price, the formulas really are worth it, in my opinion. When comparing the cleanser to brands like Cetaphil, which are around $6 in convenience stores, the Proven formula wins out. Universal cleansers like Cetaphil just don't cater to all skin types, and I find they leave my skin dry afterward. I like Proven's specialized process aimed at addressing a multitude of my skin's specific needs — therefore, I think the benefits outweigh the price.

The bottom line

Overall, I feel that Proven helped me find a routine that worked and required very little effort on my part.

The cleanser, SPF moisturizer, and night cream offer a three-pronged approach to skincare that I have been using religiously since receiving the set 5 weeks ago, but it's a nice benefit that you can just purchase a single product if you want. The quiz and resulting set of custom formulas allow for a uniquely personalized experience, and after testing a set made for my specific skin concerns and needs, I would recommend Proven's kit to anyone who can reasonably afford it.