It's an unusually strong acne wash — 10% benzoyl peroxide, the OTC maximum, in a rinse-off cleanser aimed at stubborn teen and body breakouts — updated with purslane and a prebiotic fruit extract to soften the harshness. Most BPO washes stop at 2.5-5%; this goes all the way for resilient, hard-to-clear skin.
A powerful, dirt-cheap maximum-strength 10% benzoyl peroxide cream cleanser for stubborn teen and body acne, updated with purslane, a prebiotic, and a gentler surfactant base to keep a very strong wash usable, and refreshingly fragrance-free. It clears hard-to-treat breakouts effectively — but 10% BPO in a wash is drying, bleaches fabric, and is more strength than most facial acne needs, so it's a specialist wash for resilient oily skin.
The case for it
Same rule for everyone. “Good choice” is the verdict on 9,564 of 45,024 concern verdicts across the catalog; rule R2r decided 408 of them. Unchanged since September 5, 2026, engine 5.1.1.
Brand or formulator? Disclose a concentration or correct a fact →
The studies behind the evidence row
The case for it
What would change this: A researched evidence row for the lead active would replace this with a verdict.
Same rule for everyone. “Supporting role” is the verdict on 8,197 of 45,024 concern verdicts across the catalog; rule R8 decided 4,250 of them. Unchanged since September 5, 2026, engine 5.1.1.
Brand or formulator? Disclose a concentration or correct a fact →
The case for it
What would change this: A researched evidence row for the lead active would replace this with a verdict.
Same rule for everyone. “Supporting role” is the verdict on 8,197 of 45,024 concern verdicts across the catalog; rule R8 decided 4,250 of them. Unchanged since September 5, 2026, engine 5.1.1.
Brand or formulator? Disclose a concentration or correct a fact →
Also listed for Large Pores — the actives here (Benzoyl Peroxide, Purslane Extract, Cleansing Surfactants) are in our research queue for that concern; there is no verdict until their evidence rows are written. That is a gap in our table, not a mark against the product.
Falls shortJudged as a cleanser, it comes up short on: rinses clean without stripping, surfactant mildness. Not measured from the label: pH match to skin.
A verdict is DermApproved’s assessment of how well a product’s ingredients fit a concern — never a claim about what the product treats. Evidence dots and collected reviews sit beside it and are never blended in. Rules 0.5.1 · evidence table ev-2026.09-r228 · how we decide
Most benzoyl peroxide washes play it safe at 2.5 to 5 percent, on the sensible logic that a rinse-off product with a short contact time doesn't need to be brutal. OXY's Maximum Strength Acne Cream Cleanser goes the other way, packing the full 10 percent — the over-the-counter ceiling — into a daily wash. It's a deliberately heavy-duty tool aimed at the stubborn, resilient acne, especially in teens and on the body, that gentler cleansers leave unbothered. As a legacy brand's answer to hard-to-clear breakouts, it's effective; the question is whether your skin needs that much.
The active is the story: benzoyl peroxide at 10%, which floods the skin with antibacterial oxygen to kill acne bacteria and clear pores, and it doesn't drive antibiotic resistance the way topical antibiotics can. In a wash format the contact time is limited, but at 10% there's plenty of firepower for a rinse-off, and it suits the thicker, more resilient skin of the body and the oily, stubborn breakouts of teenage acne. What keeps this from being purely punishing is a modernized base: a gentler olefin-sulfonate-and-betaine surfactant system rather than harsh sulfates alone, glycerin for humectancy, and — a nice contemporary touch — purslane for soothing and rhodomyrtus, a prebiotic-style fruit extract, to support healthy skin flora. It's also fragrance-free, an upgrade over some older OXY formulas.
In use, it's a rich cream that lathers softly and rinses clean, leaving skin deeply clarified with a possible tingle from the strong active. On oily, congested, breakout-prone skin — and on body acne — daily use clears breakouts and blackheads over a few weeks. The fragrance-free formula and the soothing-and-prebiotic additions make it more tolerable than a bare 10% wash would be, which matters when the active is this strong.
The honest limitations are all about that strength, and they include an important reframe. Ten percent benzoyl peroxide is drying, even in a wash, so this needs gradual introduction — once daily to start — and diligent moisturizing. It bleaches colored fabric readily, so white towels are essential. It increases sun sensitivity, so sunscreen matters. And here's the key point most people miss: for typical facial acne, 10% isn't actually better than 2.5%. The research consistently shows lower strengths clear facial acne about as well with far less irritation, so the 10% is genuinely justified for stubborn, widespread, or body acne on resilient skin — not as a 'stronger must be better' default. Dry and sensitive skin should reach for OXY's sensitive 5% version instead. Benzoyl peroxide's pregnancy safety is also debated, warranting a doctor's input. On the plus side, it's fungal-acne safe.
The prebiotic addition is worth a skeptical but fair word, since it's the formula's trendiest claim. 'Prebiotic' skincare — ingredients meant to feed and support the beneficial bacteria of the skin microbiome — is a genuinely interesting and active area of research, but it's also a marketing buzzword that outruns the evidence in many products. Here, the rhodomyrtus fruit extract is present low on the ingredient list, and in a wash that's on the skin for a minute before rinsing, its microbiome benefit is realistically modest. That's not a knock on the concept, which has real scientific promise, so much as a reminder not to buy this cleanser for the prebiotic. Buy it for the 10% benzoyl peroxide, which is the thing doing the actual work; treat the purslane and prebiotic as pleasant, tolerability-improving extras rather than the reason to choose it. Setting that expectation keeps the focus on what genuinely clears acne here.
What it offers is serious clearing power for the acne that shrugs off gentler products, at a bargain price, in a fragrance-free formula that's kinder than its strength suggests. For a resilient teen with stubborn breakouts or anyone dealing with tough body acne, it's a legitimately useful heavy-duty option.
Value is excellent. Eight dollars for a 5-ounce tube of a maximum-strength, fragrance-free BPO wash with soothing and prebiotic extras is a strong deal, and a tube lasts two to three months. The dual face-and-body suitability adds practical value for anyone with breakouts in multiple areas. One affordable tube serving as both a facial acne wash and a body-acne treatment is a real simplification for a teen breaking out on the face, chest, and back at once.
Who should buy it? Resilient oily and combination skin — teens especially — with stubborn, widespread facial or body acne who want a powerful, cheap, fragrance-free benzoyl peroxide wash and will introduce it gradually with moisturizer and sunscreen. It's a heavy-duty tool for hard-to-clear breakouts. Who should skip: dry, sensitive, rosacea-, and eczema-prone skin (use OXY's sensitive 5% version), anyone with mild facial acne that doesn't need 10%, those who can't manage fabric-bleaching, and pregnant users pending medical advice. Judged as a maximum-strength acne wash for stubborn and body breakouts, it delivers real clearing power for the right, resilient skin.
The hero actives that drive this product's performance.
| Ingredient | Function | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Benzoyl Peroxide 10% (Maximum Strength) (10%) | The maximum over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide dose in a rinse-off wash — unusually strong for a cleanser, it floods the skin with antibacterial oxygen to tackle stubborn, widespread breakouts, aimed at oily, resilient, teen-and-body acne. | Regulator-approved for Acne · well-established certainty |
| Portulaca Oleracea (Purslane) & Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa Extracts | Soothing and microbiome-supporting botanicals — purslane calms while rhodomyrtus (a prebiotic-style fruit extract) supports healthy skin flora — a modern touch that takes some edge off the harsh 10% benzoyl peroxide. | Not yet assessed |
| Gentle Surfactant Blend & Glycerin | A milder olefin-sulfonate-and-betaine surfactant system with glycerin humectancy that lets a very strong acne wash cleanse without being as barrier-stripping as its 10% active alone would suggest. | Not yet assessed |
Ingredient standings describe the active at treatment-level doses and vehicles; this product's own condition grades weigh its actual formula.
Active: Benzoyl Peroxide 10%. Inactive: Water, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Capryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Portulaca Oleracea (Purslane) Extract, Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
cleanser
AM & PM
Treat it as your morning or evening acne wash, beginning once daily so skin adjusts to the strong 10% benzoyl peroxide. Massage onto damp skin, leave a minute, then rinse. Follow with moisturizer, wear daily sunscreen, and use white towels since benzoyl peroxide bleaches fabric. It works on the body too.
Skin feels deeply cleaned and clarified immediately. Breakouts and blackheads typically improve over two to four weeks of daily use as the benzoyl peroxide works; because it's maximum strength, watch for dryness in the first weeks and adjust frequency.
This wash delivers the strongest over-the-counter acne active in a rinse-off format. Benzoyl peroxide releases free-radical oxygen in the follicle that is bactericidal against Cutibacterium acnes without promoting antibiotic resistance, with mild comedolytic action and decades of first-line evidence. At the 10% monograph maximum, the concentration is unusually high for a cleanser; however, the dose-response literature is important context — multiple studies find 2.5% benzoyl peroxide comparably effective to 5% and 10% for most facial acne with markedly less irritation, so 10% is best reserved for stubborn, widespread, or truncal (body) acne on resilient skin, where the higher dose and easy large-area coverage help. The formulation mitigates harshness through a milder surfactant system (sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and amphoteric betaine with sarcosinate, rather than sulfates alone), glycerin humectancy, and two modern additions: purslane (Portulaca oleracea) extract for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory soothing, and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa fruit extract, marketed as a prebiotic to support the skin microbiome. The fragrance-free, oil-free base avoids common irritants and fungal-acne triggers. The intrinsic benzoyl peroxide caveats apply: expected dryness warranting gradual use and moisturization, fabric-bleaching oxidation, photosensitivity mandating sunscreen, and debated pregnancy safety. The honest read is an effective, appropriately-modernized maximum-strength wash whose strength should be matched to acne severity rather than chosen by default.
Benzoyl peroxide is a cornerstone of acne treatment, but dermatologists frequently favor lower concentrations like 2.5% for facial acne, since evidence shows comparable efficacy with less irritation. A 10% wash has a defined role — stubborn, widespread, or truncal acne on resilient skin — rather than as a default for typical or sensitive facial acne. The formulation's gentler surfactant base, glycerin, purslane, and prebiotic extract, plus the fragrance-free design, reflect sensible harm-reduction for a strong active. Standard guidance applies: start once daily and build up, moisturize consistently, use daily sunscreen given the photosensitizing active, and use white linens because of fabric-bleaching. Dry, sensitive, rosacea-, and eczema-prone skin should use a lower strength (the brand's 5% sensitive version), and benzoyl peroxide's pregnancy use warrants physician input. For resilient teen or body acne, it's a reasonable heavy-duty option; for mild facial acne, a gentler concentration is the better clinical choice.
Work it into your routine as an everyday acne wash, easing in at once daily so skin adjusts to the strong 10% benzoyl peroxide. Massage it over damp skin — face or body — leave it on for about a minute so the active works, then rinse thoroughly. Follow with a moisturizer to counter the dryness, and wear daily broad-spectrum sunscreen since benzoyl peroxide increases sun sensitivity. Use white towels and pillowcases, as it readily bleaches colored fabric. Build to twice daily only if tolerated, don't stack it with a retinoid or other acids in the same routine at first, and check with a doctor before use if pregnant.
At $8.00 for 5 fluid ounces, this is excellent value for a maximum-strength, fragrance-free benzoyl peroxide wash with soothing and prebiotic additions — comparable strong BPO cleansers cost similar or more, often without the gentler base or the fragrance-free formulation. A tube lasts two to three months of daily use, and because it works on both face and body, it can cover breakouts in multiple areas with one product. The value is highest for the specific user with stubborn or body acne who genuinely needs the strength. The honest caveat is that for mild facial acne, the 10% is overkill — a cheaper or gentler lower-strength wash would clear it with less irritation — so the value depends on matching the product to the severity. For resilient, hard-to-clear skin, it's an effective, affordable heavy-duty buy.
Resilient oily and combination skin — teens especially — with stubborn, widespread facial or body acne who want a powerful, cheap, fragrance-free benzoyl peroxide wash and will introduce it gradually with moisturizer and sunscreen. It's a heavy-duty tool for the breakouts gentler cleansers can't clear.
Dry, sensitive, rosacea-, and eczema-prone skin should use OXY's sensitive 5% version instead, and anyone with mild facial acne doesn't need 10% strength. Those who can't manage benzoyl peroxide's fabric-bleaching, and pregnant users pending medical advice, should also pass.
Ready to try OXY Maximum Strength Acne Cream Cleanser?
Buy at Amazon ♥A rich cream cleanser that works into a soft lather and rinses clean.
Fragrance-free, with the faint characteristic note of benzoyl peroxide.
A 5 fl oz tube — practical for daily use.
Skin feels deeply cleaned and clarified, with a possible tingle from the strong 10% benzoyl peroxide. There's no fragrance. Start once daily; the max strength means dryness can come on fast, so moisturize and adjust. It bleaches colored fabric.
The 5 fl oz tube lasts roughly two to three months of once-daily use.
All Year
OXY has been a teen-acne staple for decades, and this maximum-strength cream cleanser is its heavy-duty daily wash. It pairs the strongest OTC benzoyl peroxide with a modernized base — a gentler surfactant system, purslane, and a prebiotic — to keep a very strong active usable.
OXY is a long-running drugstore acne brand built on benzoyl peroxide, popular with teens; this maximum-strength 10% BPO cream cleanser is its heavy-duty daily wash for stubborn breakouts, updated with purslane and a prebiotic extract.
A 10% benzoyl peroxide wash is always better than a lower-strength one.
For most facial acne, 2.5% benzoyl peroxide is nearly as effective as 10% with far less irritation. The 10% strength here is best for stubborn, widespread, or body acne on resilient skin — for typical or sensitive skin, a lower-strength wash usually clears just as well with less dryness.
If it's a wash, I can use a strong BPO cleanser as often as I like.
At 10%, even a rinse-off wash is drying, so more isn't better. Start once daily, moisturize afterward, and cut back if skin gets tight or flaky — over-washing with strong benzoyl peroxide can irritate and worsen the situation.
It contains 10% benzoyl peroxide, the highest over-the-counter concentration — unusually strong for a rinse-off wash, which is why it's aimed at stubborn, widespread teen and body acne on resilient skin. It's buffered with purslane and a prebiotic, but it's still a powerful, drying wash best introduced gradually.
For resilient, oily, stubborn-acne skin it can be used daily, but start once a day and watch for dryness. For most facial acne, a lower 2.5-5% strength clears about as well with less irritation, so this is really for hard-to-clear or body acne rather than a default daily wash for all skin.
Yes — its strength and rinse-off format suit chest, back, and shoulder breakouts, where skin is more resilient. Lather it on, leave it a minute, rinse, and moisturize. Use white towels, since benzoyl peroxide bleaches colored fabric, and wear sunscreen on exposed treated areas.
Likely, at least at first — 10% benzoyl peroxide is drying even in a wash. This formula softens it with a gentler surfactant base, glycerin, purslane, and a prebiotic, but you should still start once daily, always moisturize, and dry or sensitive skin should use the brand's sensitive 5% version instead.
Yes — benzoyl peroxide is an oxidizer that bleaches colored towels, pillowcases, and clothing, and at 10% it does so readily. Use white towels and be careful with fabric near treated areas. It's harmless to skin but permanent on colored fabric.
Yes — unlike some older OXY products, this cream cleanser is fragrance-free, which is better for reactive skin. It still contains a strong 10% active, though, so sensitive skin should be cautious regardless of the lack of fragrance.
Recurring themes our editors read across retailer reviews of this product — summaries in our words, not quotations, and not a substitute for your own patch test.
Strong on stubborn teen and body acne
Purslane and prebiotic soften the harshness
Fragrance-free
Cheap and effective
10% BPO is drying, even as a wash
Bleaches towels and fabric
Too strong for sensitive or dry skin