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Proactiv Solution Reviews
People have asked me about Proactiv® so much that I decided to try it so I could give my feedback. I found it to be surprisingly irritating and utterly ineffective. However, Proactiv is on the right track in recommending benzoyl peroxide, and specifically recommending it in 2.5% strength.
Where I think Proactiv veers off track:
- Cleanser: The Proactiv Cleanser contains scrubbing beads, and Proactiv recommends washing for 1-2 minutes with this cleanser. I am quite stunned at both of these oversights. It is absolutely vital to avoid irritation when treating acne, especially inflammatory acne—the kind most of us have. Scrubbing beads, and washing for this amount of time introduces unnecessary and damaging irritation, perpetuating the acne cycle.
- Toner: I think the Proactiv toner is fine, albeit unnecessary to achieve clear skin.
- Treatment: Over my 20+ years of benzoyl peroxide research and experience, I have found that for benzoyl peroxide to completely clear acne, people must apply it generously. “Use a lot!,” is my simple mantra. It is amazing what this simple act will do toward achieving completely clear skin. Unfortunately, Proactiv packages its treatment in a 1oz. container. The small size of Proactiv ’s treatment bottle leaves people skimping and often disappointed in results. Next, Proactiv combines their benzoyl peroxide treatment with moisturizer. One of the main reasons benzoyl peroxide works so well is because it is a drying and peeling agent, which helps prevent clogged pores. For this reason, it is a good idea to apply benzoyl peroxide without moisturizer, and let the benzoyl peroxide do its thing for a few minutes (5-15) before introducing moisture. Unfortunately, you don’t have that choice with the Proactiv treatment. Lastly, the treatment is heavily scented. I personally avoid scented products because they must be applied right under the nose, and tend to linger and leave me feeling a little nauseated throughout the day.
My suggestion: To completely clear acne, it will prove far more beneficial to buy a gentle cleanser without scrubbing beads, a large, unscented 2.5% benzoyl peroxide medication, and a non-comedogenic moisturizer. Then follow these steps precisely to achieve completely clear skin.
If you currently own Proactiv Solution products, don't throw out the Repairing Treatment. If you can handle the smell, it should work in a pinch, as long as you are generous with it. I would not recommend using the Proactiv cleanser. I would also forgo the toner until you’re completely clear. Then feel free to add it in if you’d like and see how things go.
As a final note, I am thankful that Proactiv hires celebrities to talk about acne. This helps reduce stigma, so thumbs up on that!
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Anonymous from QC, Canada
November 29, 2011
| Pros | limited benefits initially |
|---|---|
| Cons | Ceased to work after a few months Makes skin EXTREMELY sensitive to sunburns Skin started to badly react to benzoyl peroxide |
| Bottom line | Increasing my skin's sensitivity to sunburns has made this a dealbreaker. (Getting sunburns after about only 15 minutes of exposure on a moderatly cloudy day.) Proper sun exposure is necessary for vitamin D production, but sunburns are very damaging to the skin. A product which increases sunburn sensitivity by such an insense amount is NONSENSE to me. |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $50.00 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Anonymous
November 29, 2011
| Pros | Quick results Really does help with breakouts |
|---|---|
| Cons | Over time, can be extremely dehydrating Bleaches clothes |
| Bottom line | Proactiv reminds me a little of the double-edged sword that is chemotherapy. Yes, chemo can kill cancer, but it also almost kills you in the process. The same is true with Proactiv - the BP will kill your acne, but it will also strip your skin of many essential oils and nutrients. I used this for years, only going off of it when my skin got clear enough that I felt that constantly applying BP to good skin would be damaging. What I noticed was that as much as my breakouts were kept at bay, Proactiv ultimately made my skin more sensitive and dry, as well as rougher in texture. What scared me was the fact that after accidentally wiping a tiny bit of my shirt, the cotton bleached and eventually became thinner and thinner until it formed a hole. The idea that I was putting such a harsh chemical on my FACE every day kind of freaked me out. I think there are natural methods to improving skin that are far better than creams/lotions like Proactiv that basically kill everything. |
Amy from LA
November 29, 2011
| Pros | It's less irritating for my skin than other programs I've tried. |
|---|---|
| Cons | Over-drying, abrasive, has fragrance. |
| Bottom line | I keep coming back to Proactiv after trying other products because it seems to break me out the least. But it still breaks me out. It's impossible to use Proactiv while on The Regimen because the cleanser has exfoliating beads. |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $60.00 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Lucy from England
November 29, 2011
| Pros | - Leaves skin feeling soft - Gets rid of a little acne |
|---|---|
| Cons | - Expensive - Doesn't work swell as TV advert says it does - Doesn't get rid of most of my acne - Lotions give me a really oily feeling after 30 minuets |
| Bottom line | I wouldn't advise getting this product if you still haven't tried other cheaper products. I stopped using it a week ago and started using different products and my face looks so much healthier already. It didn't work for me but that doesn't mean it won't work for you. MY ROUTINE I have very oily/blemish prone skin. My new routine is - St Ives Apricot Scrub - Garnier Blackhead clearing scrub - Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Cleansing & Toning Lotion - Garnier Spot fighting 24hr moisturiser |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $60.00 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Eddie from Kentucky
November 28, 2011
| Pros | helped acne a little. face cleared up some |
|---|---|
| Cons | dried skin out didn't clear up all of skin did nothing on blackheads a hassle to do all three steps twice a day |
| Bottom line | i recommend it if you have light acne, but if moderate or worse don't get it. it will help a little bit but not enough. |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $30.00 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Anonymous
November 28, 2011
| Pros | None |
|---|---|
| Cons | -Overdrying -Expensive -And when you try to cancel within 60 days they acuse you of lying about when you sent it back until you prove when you mailed it back!! |
| Bottom line | Proactiv is a very expensive system which is very overdrying and they are a dishonest company! If you return the product to get your money back within the 60 days....they do not process the return until after your return date and try to tell you that it is your responsibility to prove you actually mailed it - which thank goodness I have proof of mailing - other wise they just screw you! |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $30.00 |
| Acne severity | light |
Anonymous
November 28, 2011
| Pros | works good |
|---|---|
| Cons | HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. If you ever need a refund dont expect your money back for months. I spoke to 4 different reps and got 4 different answers. There whole company is lies and excuses. Apparently it takes 3 weeks to mail a check. And you barley ever get someone you can understand. |
| Bottom line | If you can buy it at a mall or kiosk. Dont buy online it is a pain in the neck. You will never get answers to questions |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $160.00 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Brooke from Kentucky
November 27, 2011
| Pros | It's a wonderful product! It's made my face cleanup so much. It's a miracle Ive tried EVERYTHING for my skin and nothing works like proactive does. I absolutely love it! And the refining mask.. Is my best friend! |
|---|---|
| Cons | None |
| Bottom line | Buy it. It's worth every penny |
| Recommended | Yes |
| Price paid | $0.60 |
| Acne severity | moderate |
Nikola from Perth, Australia
November 27, 2011
| Pros | Nothing!!!!! It is not as it seems it the tv adds, my face actually got worse after the first use!! |
|---|---|
| Cons | The products made my skin worse, it was also a complete rip off, especially if you are ordering from Australia, do not order it! They have an unreliable system that is not on time on the first order and you don't get a month to decide before the second order comes, it's more like a week and a half! And then they force you to pay for their stuff which they initially promised would work otherwise you get your money back! Do not buy! |
| Bottom line | Please use the money on a dermatologist instead... Proactiv is a total scam. I wish I never ordered it. :( |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $120.00 |
| Acne severity | severe |
Cormac from Ireland
November 27, 2011
| Pros | NONE |
|---|---|
| Cons | Make my acne so much worse. Dry skin Overpriced Over-advertised Very small bottles Stains fabric. |
| Bottom line | If you want absolutly terrible skin, then proactiv is the product for you. The adverts drove me crazy, so I bought some, and was I sorry. My skin was red and horrible. And it stains clothes really bad, so if it can do that to fabric, then think of what it can do to your skin. |
| Recommended | No |
| Price paid | $100.00 |
| Acne severity | severe |
Total results: 5,960 Viewing page: 12 of 596
