Vichy NormaDerm Tri-Active Masque Review and Photos

In March, Vichy Laboratories launched two new products in their Normaderm collection. The Normaderm collection is meant for acne-prone skin. Beauty Squared was sent the new Tri-Activ Masque and Total Mat Oil and Shine Control for review. Since neither Jill or I are prone to regularly occurring acne, we thought it best to wait until summer when our skin was oilier and more prone to breakouts. 

The Tri-Activ Masque is a mask for imperfection-prone and sensitive skin. The "tri-activ" refers to three actions:

1. Purifies - eliminates sebum and impurities
2. Exfoliates - to unclog pores
3. Mattifies - clarifies complexion for a purer and mattified skin

It contains a combination of clay, salicylic acid and glycolic acid and can be used as a face mask or as a cleanser. According to Vichy this product immediately purifies skin eliminating excess sebum, leaving skin mattified for 3 days. In addition this product is suitable for sensitive skin, contains soothing agents to leave the skin without discomfort and dehydration, and is paraben, soap and alcohol free.

The Tri-Activ Masque comes in a 125 mL tube and costs approximately $19.95 CDN. 

A close-up of the instructions on the back of the tube.

Tri-Activ Masque 

Jill: I have combination skin, with a oily t-zone and normal cheeks. I live in a very dry climate and the warm weather of summer makes my t-zone even oilier. I do suffer from acne when I'm stressed or sleep deprived, but my breakouts generally consist of one or two cystic acne pimples in my t-zone (I do not suffer from large scale breakouts).


This product reminds me of a more sophisticated version of Noxzema, it has a similar scent and creamy texture which I find pleasant. I found it refreshing as a cleanser, and it left my skin feeling clean and oil free. For my t-zone, this cleanser was great, but I did find it a touch drying on my cheeks. I would definitely use this cleanser in the summer, but it would be too drying for my cheeks in the winter and fall months. And while I did find the product to reduce my excess sebum, I did not find it left my t-zone mattifed for 3 days. 


I did prefer using this product as a mask once or twice a week, and as a mask I found it to offer a deep, but not overly aggressive cleansing. Using Tri-Activ as a mask is nice because you only need to apply a thin layer of mask and it dries very quickly so it's fast but effective. Like Catherine I found I had to work the mask quite heavily with water to remove it, but in removing it you do get some exfoliation.


Generally I found this cleanser to be good for a product aimed at acne prone skin. It cleanses and mattifies quite thoroughly but in a gentle manner. 


Grade: B

Catherine: My skin tends to be oily in the t-zone and normal on the cheeks. I live in a climate that is often quite steamy and hot in the summer. My skin tends towards very shiny in the summer, both from oil, moisture in the air and perspiration.

I used the Tri-Activ Masque as both a cleanser and a mask and I liked the effects of both. As you might imagine, as a cleanser it has a similar but less intensive effect than as a mask. I am really impressed with how well it sucks up all the oil from my skin and leaves it smooth and soft. I leave the mask on until it dries and in order to rinse it off, you need to work the residue with your fingers so you're exfoliating at the same time. Adding water to the dried mask and working it creates a creamy residue so it's pleasant to use.

I do find that it's difficult to completely rinse off the mask once it's dried. I really need to work at it and I always use a toner to make sure that my skin is as clean as possible. I've been using it on my throat, chest and upper back as well, since I get breakouts in those areas in the summer. It has a refreshing, tingling, tightening effect and definitely reduces the oil production of my skin.

Grade: B