Hers Skincare Review: Prescription Anti-Aging and Acne Cream

Our Hers skincare review in one paragraph: Hers sells two custom, compounded prescription creams, one for anti-aging and one for acne, after an online consultation with a licensed provider. The anti-aging cream combines tretinoin, niacinamide and azelaic acid; the acne cream adds clindamycin. The ingredients have solid evidence behind them. The finished blends are compounded, so the FDA hasn't approved them as products.

Below we cover what's in each formula, how the consult works, what you can expect month by month, how the cost compares with buying generic tretinoin through another telehealth service, and who should skip Hers and see a dermatologist in person. This is an ingredient-and-evidence review; we didn't order or test the creams.

Is there a better alternative?

It depends on what you need. If you want a prescription retinoid, Hers is one of several services that can provide it, and the rest of this review is about whether it's a good one. If what you want is to understand your skin first, track how it changes, and check whether products on your shelf suit your skin type, start with Pori, our iPhone app. A selfie returns a 0–100 skin score with sub-scores for Hydration & Moisture, Pores & Texture, Pigmentation & Tone and Anti-aging & Elasticity, plus a skin-age estimate, and the Pro ingredient scanner flags each ingredient on a label as beneficial, use with caution or avoid for your skin type. Pori doesn't prescribe anything or diagnose conditions, so it can sit alongside a prescription service; it can't stand in for one.

Other prescription services worth comparing include Curology and its anti-aging brand Agency; our roundup of Curology alternatives covers them side by side.

What is in the Hers anti-aging cream?

The Hers anti-aging cream lists three active ingredients on its product page: tretinoin, niacinamide and azelaic acid, combined in one custom formula. It's only available if a provider prescribes it after the online consultation. Each ingredient does a different job:

• Tretinoin is the prescription retinoid with the strongest evidence for fine wrinkles. MedlinePlus, the NIH's consumer drug reference, says topical tretinoin is used for acne and fine wrinkles and warns that it may take 3 to 4 months, or up to 6 months, before you notice improvement in wrinkles, and that the benefit may fade if you stop. Our tretinoin explainer goes deeper.
• Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is a well-tolerated supporting ingredient. In a split-face trial of 50 women, twice-daily 5% niacinamide for 12 weeks reduced fine lines, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness and sallowness.
• Azelaic acid targets redness, breakouts and uneven tone. DermNet describes it as a treatment for mild to moderate acne that also helps fade post-acne pigmentation and melasma, and notes it is generally well tolerated.

The exact strength of each ingredient in your jar is set by your provider, within the ranges Hers works to. Ask for the exact percentages on your prescription label; you'll want them if you ever switch services or see a dermatologist.

What is in the Hers acne cream?

The Hers acne cream contains tretinoin, niacinamide, azelaic acid and clindamycin, with tretinoin listed at up to 0.055% and niacinamide at up to 4% on the product page. Clindamycin is a topical antibiotic. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says a topical antibiotic reduces both the inflammation that causes acne and acne-causing bacteria, and that dermatologists commonly pair it with benzoyl peroxide in combination products for mild to moderate acne.

That pairing matters. The 2024 AAD acne guidelines give strong recommendations to benzoyl peroxide, topical retinoids and topical antibiotics and include a good-practice statement on limiting antibiotic use. The Hers acne cream itself doesn't list benzoyl peroxide, so it's reasonable to ask your provider whether you should add an over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide wash alongside it.

If your breakouts cluster on the jaw and chin and flare before your period, you may be dealing with hormonal acne, which topical creams alone often don't fully control. The AAD notes that combined birth control pills and spironolactone are the hormonal options dermatologists use. On the Hers site, spironolactone appears as a hair-loss pill, and its acne product is the topical cream, so if hormonal acne is your main problem, read our Nurx review, which covers a service that lists spironolactone for acne.

How do the two Hers creams compare?

How does the Hers consultation work?

You fill in an online consultation about your skin, health history and goals, and a licensed healthcare provider decides whether a prescription is appropriate. Hers states that its prescription skincare is only available if prescribed after an online consultation. If you're prescribed a cream, it ships to your door on a recurring plan.

Some practical points to plan for before you start:

1. Have good photos ready. Clear, evenly lit photos of your face help any remote prescriber judge your skin. Face a window, skip makeup and filters, and keep the camera at eye level.
2. List what you already use. Mention retinol, acids, benzoyl peroxide and any oral medications so the provider can set the right strength.
3. Be upfront about pregnancy plans. MedlinePlus says to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding before using tretinoin, and Nurx, another service, says tretinoin should not be used by patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.
4. Know how to cancel. Check the subscription terms in your account before the first renewal.

Is a compounded cream a problem?

It's a trade-off worth understanding. A compounded cream is mixed by a pharmacy for an individual prescription, which is how Hers can combine three or four actives in one jar. The FDA is direct about what that means: compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. The individual ingredients have been studied, but the specific blend in your jar hasn't gone through the same approval process as a branded tretinoin cream.

For most people with mild concerns, that's an acceptable trade for convenience. If you want an FDA-approved product, ask a prescriber for generic tretinoin cream or gel instead, and add niacinamide or azelaic acid as separate products.

How much does Hers skincare cost?

Hers shows the price of the custom cream on its product pages and at checkout, and the figure depends on the plan length you choose. Prices on Hers' own pages have changed over time and we couldn't confirm a single current monthly figure, so check the exact cost and renewal schedule at checkout before you subscribe. Check too whether any consultation fee applies to your order.

For a benchmark, here is what Nurx publishes for plain generic tretinoin, as of October 2026:

If the Hers price for your plan is close to that, you're paying for convenience and the extra actives. If it's well above, generic tretinoin plus an inexpensive niacinamide serum may get you most of the way.

What results can women in their 30s and 40s expect?

Expect slow, cumulative change. With tretinoin, MedlinePlus describes a wait of 3 to 4 months, sometimes up to 6, for visible wrinkle improvement, along with early dryness, peeling, redness and stinging while skin adjusts. Our guide to peeling from retinoids has tips for that phase.

A rough timeline looks like this:

• Weeks 1 to 4: dryness and flaking are common. Use the cream as directed, often every other night at first, with a plain moisturizer.
• Months 2 to 3: texture and tone may start to look more even; acne-focused formulas should show fewer breakouts by now, per the AAD's 6 to 8 week guidance.
• Months 3 to 6: the point to judge fine lines.

None of it works without sunscreen. The AAD calls sun protection the foundation of every anti-aging skin-care plan and recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher every day. Tretinoin also makes skin more sun-sensitive, so this isn't optional. For the rest of the routine, see our skincare routine for your 30s.

Taking consistent progress photos helps you judge month 4 against month 0 fairly, because our memory of how skin looked is unreliable.

Who should skip Hers and see a dermatologist?

A telehealth cream suits mild acne and early signs of aging. See a board-certified dermatologist in person instead if you have:

• deep, painful or scarring acne, or acne that hasn't improved after a few months of treatment;
• a suspected condition such as rosacea, melasma or perioral dermatitis that needs a diagnosis first;
• a mole or spot that is changing, bleeding or itching;
• pregnancy, plans to conceive, or breastfeeding.

The verdict

Hers offers a sensible formula built on ingredients with good evidence: tretinoin for lines, niacinamide and azelaic acid for tone and redness, and clindamycin for inflamed acne. The weak points are that the finished creams are compounded, the exact strengths in your jar are set by the provider rather than chosen by you, and pricing takes some checking at checkout. If you value one jar and an online prescriber, it's a reasonable choice. If you want an FDA-approved product or have hormonal or severe acne, generic tretinoin from another prescriber or an in-person dermatologist is the better route.