I've only used this as a mask twice, so I can't speak too well on its efficacy but my skin did feel nice afterwards. It also calmed down my hormonal acne. I also recently used this as an overnight spot treatment and it worked wonders! I've been a die-hard fan of the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, but I saw greater effects after using this. My blemishes were definitely smaller and less irritated--amazing! I may just switch over to this as my go-to spot treatment! Also, I didn't find the smell too bad and it definitely doesn't deter me from using it. For reference, I'm in my mid-20s and have combination skin with occasional (hormonal) breakouts.