5 replies to this topic

[babyblueeyes]

DAY ONE: (with a long-a** history too)

Warning, this will be VERY LONG! Lol

I have to first start off by saying that I was charting my progress with Differin over on the retinoid log forum, however, after a long due realization (I’ll explain this is a sec) I figured I need to try something that is probably a little more suited to what I need help with skin care-wise now. I was using Differin for scarring and pretty uneven skin texture, but sadly the good effects of it started to wear off literally less than 3 months since I started! I know they are more of a long term solution for the skin, but honestly, I just don’t think it’s something I am willing to wait for when there is a product that used to work so quickly and effectively for me. I’m definitely not knocking retinoids though. So….

This Monday I had a day off and had a new few spots pop up (from the stress, I am assuming) and it just wasn't a good skin day for me at all. What’s worse is that I would have expected the Differin I was using to have by now made me be really happy with my skin. WRONG! Anyways, I was going through my scrapbook of my time in New Zealand (I did a year long exchange there about 8 years ago). I just couldn't stop staring at myself in the pictures. I had the least amount of sleep, I ate horrible there, I was under extreme stress with always being busy and towards the end I was sad about leaving, yet excited to be coming home. My hormones were all over the place (I didn't have a period even while on birth control for almost 7 months!) and just overall my health was not the best it could be by any means. Don't get me wrong, that was the best year of my life and I could seriously cry missing all the international friends I made over there! Anyways, with ALL those crazy things going on with my health, you would think my skin would be fricken horrible. But in those pictures I am seriously clear...like model-baby clear skin. And the one thing I can remember oddly enough was that I barely worried about my skin. I mean as an exchange student you do TONS of weekend conferences and school trips and just adventuring, and I really don't think I wore much makeup at all that year just cause I didn't have the time or patience for it when you have weeks where you get maybe 4 hours sleep a night! I was trying to think, well how the hell was all that possible???


One word....Proactiv. Ok yes, this is like a stupid TV ad, but I don't care anymore. At that point I had been using it for about 3 years, and there is no way you would have looked at my skin and said that I ever dealt with acne. This got me WAY more upset because I looked at my skin in the mirror and thought how bad it has gotten and how stupid I was for ever getting off of it! I could still be clear today and never had the bad scarring I do. This makes me very sad

I bought one of those cheap drugstore knock offs and literally in like 3 days the BP had already started working. It was the Neutrogena system, and while I could just use that one instead, I really don't like how the day lotion and cleanser are. The lotion isn't enough moisture in the day and has ALOT of perfume in it, and the cleanser leaves me extrememly tight after washing....plus is smells absolutely disgusting and chemical like. But the night BP lotion was great...just not great enough for me to want to put up with the other two steps long term though.

So in a weaker point, I ordered the Proactiv system. The intial reason why I got off of it had nothing to do with results and dryness. In fact I don't remember ever having a problem with dryness, although I did use just a basic face moisturizer (Olay) so that may be why. I got off of Proactiv because of the cost and the fact that I had to use my mom's credit card for it. Remember this was 8 years ago, so there weren't any mall kiosks and vendng machines like there are now. I was going away to college and living on my own and I just couldn't afford that much a month and I had no way to pay for it either. I'm living on my own now and have a pretty good income so that's not a worry for me. Also I bought it through the shopping channel in Canada here, and I pay only $40 for the two month system (including the mask every two months too!), so unbelievably it's actually much cheaper than going through Proactiv itself. the Shopping Channel has a 60 day return policy, they break the payments into $20 a month and you can change the frequency they ship, just as you would Proactiv. I am so excited about the good deal they had going on when I bought it! And I actually went and bought a 30 day kit at the mall last night just because I couldn't wait two weeks for the shipping, so ya. Like it says at the top, Day 1 starts today!!

I also love the fact that I won't need to rely on Rx med's anymore. I have never been a big prescription person and I have actually been having problems with my birth control causing unexpected and painful side effects, so I have been super tempted to stop using all prescritions together, including Differin. I would love to be able to not have to rely on these pharmaceuticals, because let's face it, there will be a day that I start trying to conceive and have children, and then I won't be allowed to use either Differin or birth control to help my skin. What the hell will my skin be like then?? I shudder to think. The great thing about Proactiv. It doesn't change anything internally like hormones and what-not, and it can be used when I'm pregnant, breastfeeding, WHENEVER! I don't know about other girls, but the thought that I won't ever have to get off this system if I don't want to is very reassuring. Better skin just feels like such a temporary thing with all the Rx stuff I'm on!

Ok, I know this is quite long enough, so I am going to say this. I know Proactive is REALLY hated on this board but I don't care at this point. These logs are for myself and anyone who really does want to hear about my progress. Any questions or whatever I will answer them, but please try and keep the Proactiv bashing or any rude comments to yourself. I am not feeling the greatest about myself still and of course I'm questioning my decision, so anything rude you have to say, trust me...I've thought worse of me already!

Edited by babyblueeyes, 15 June 2010 - 07:54 PM.

[babyblueeyes]

DAY 4:

Well so far so good. No bad reactions at all and not one hint of dryness. I have one major surprise though that I was not expecting though. I hear about how drying Proactiv is, and especially the Repairing lotion which has the BP in it. The thing is that even though my skin is more on the drier side, I don't have to use a moisturizer on top of the lotion in the evening. I was prepared to use the Green Tea one or even my basic Olay moisturizer, but I really have not needed to use either! I'm so surprised by that. I know it may change later on in the log, but I would have suspected that if my skin was to get really irritated or dry from Proactiv it would have been pretty noticeable within the first few days?! Did anyone experience this as well?

I'm actually having a couple extra spots pop up since starting as well, and even though I have heard some people complain that Proactiv made their skin worse, I know there's a reason behind it. The Revitalizing toner has a pretty good amount of Glycolic acid in it, so it only makes sense that the skin goes through a purging process with the system. Even with the BP in the cleanser and the lotion these things popping up were probably dormant for a few weeks before even starting to use the BP. Supposedly it takes 2-3 weeks for a pimple to form, so if I have some that were just starting under the skin, it would seem right to me that the glycolic acid is now bringing them more quickly to the surface of my skin.

But ya, so far so good. I don't know if anyone else is like this, but I personally think Proactiv's packaging is one of my favorites in skin care products. I love the look of the clean, white bottles and green is one of my fav colors. I have this little vanity set up in my bathroom and I think it looks so cute compared to some uglier packaging like Clean & Clear, or my ultimate-hated Clearasil. I also love how the bottles are very travel friendly yet still easy to open in say the shower or something. Plus I love how the smaller bottles (like the 2 week and 30 day supplies) are refillable, which again makes them even better for travel!

Ok, again, this is way to long! I am bad for just babbling on here

Edited by babyblueeyes, 18 June 2010 - 10:48 AM.

[24/7swimmer]

I am so glad to find another proactiv user (:
I've been using it for a little over 2 months, and the results were great! About a week ago, the only trace I had were the post-hyperpigmentation marks, which were fading.
However, I swim twice a day and my face gets extremely dry between the two. I used Proactiv's Lotion (not green tea), but that didn't help at all! I've turned to Cerave to see if that will help..

My question for you is: Does your moisturizer work well, or do you need to reapply it frequently? I wouldn't mind giving yours a try...

[babyblueeyes]

Hey 24/7!

Yay for another Proactiv user...I'm super surprised at how few of them there are here! In my opinion it's no better or worse than using a BP lotion regimen like what Dan's is. And congrats on the great results! I'm almost at a full week using it and I have to say so far so good. I think the AHA's in the toner brought some spots to the surface, so I am having a bit of a breakout right now, but it's nothing I can't handle. I was pretty darn excited to give Proactive another try!

Anywho, I completely understand what you say about wanting to find a good moisturizer. No matter what skin routine I follow I have to moisturize my skin because of how dry it is! Are you looking for a moisturizer for the daytime, like something with SPF? Or are you needing just a general moisturizer for night or anytime? I use the 3 steps of Proactiv and then in the morning I use Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Moisturizer, and then in the evening I use the Original Olay Beauty fluid (you know, the pink one). I love them both and have used them for months with no bad reactions so ya.

Just to let you know though, I am waiting for a reformulated moisturizer to come back out so I can use it day and night. The Olay Sensitive SPF 15 used to be my absolute favorite moisturizer for years and years but then they changed the formulas and it just sucks! I'm not sure if you know too much about this or have read the updates that Dan posts on this website, but it's a pretty popular product around here. Or at least it was. It's such a great light moisturizer that also has SPF and didn't seem to break anyone out. It's got everything you could want in a face lotion!Anyways, Olay is actually bringing back the old, better formula and it was originally supposed to be out in April but now people are saying late June or July. And I'm in Canada so it will probably take even longer! But ya, when that one eventually comes back onto the shelves I plan to use it as my morning and night moisturizer just cause it worked so well for my skin. Plus I need to use an SPF in the day because I'm so pale, and thankfully SPF 15 is low enough that I don't mind using it at night even though there's no sun.

Hope this helps you!!

Edited by babyblueeyes, 22 June 2010 - 07:04 PM.

[doublehawk]

Hey, how's this working out for you? You haven't been back for a bit, which would seem to indicate success!

[babyblueeyes]

Hey, how's this working out for you? You haven't been back for a bit, which would seem to indicate success!

Hey doublehawk,

lol That's funny, cause I am actually having a great time with it. I have been really slacking because life's been pretty dang busy for me so far. I mean I wanted to do progress pictures and everything, and I've barely had time to log on to acne.org in the past few weeks!

Anyways, I think it's about Day 18 if I am right, and so far so good. I've had NO extra dryness and no flaking at all which is kinda something I was expecting to be honest! I use the Repairing lotion only once a day cause I find I can get away without it in the morning and just use my SPF moisturizer straight after the toner, which is nice. It's kinda cool to have that flexibility but I could use the lotion twice a day if I'm breaking out bad or something. I am also planning to possibly get the Green Tea Moisturizer as well as the SPF 15 Moisturizer to try out, but for right now they're a little out of my budget! And I have had to use my beloved Dove soap too as a makeup remover in the evening before the Renewing Cleanser, just because it alone does not remove enough of my makeup, and I really don't want to put that stuff around my eyes if I can help it.

Hope that helps! How's the Differin been going so far for you?