I'm pretty sure this is just the skin getting dry on the surface, and it will eventually just flake off that rough outer layer... but I'm interested to see if anyone has anything to add to this!

Yes completely normal! I have been on the regimen for ten months and am 100% clear to this day. Your skin will stop feeling like that once you have stopped increasing BP for about more or less 2 weeks. Depends on your skin. But trust me they will go away! Just stay consistent and do not give up!

Stay strong! This is the hardest time on the regimen, and the time when it is the easiest to give up! I urge you to stick with it!

I think Dan called it something like "the hardening effect"? Anyway, it is your skin getting used to the BP. Your skin texture will be dryer, rougher, redder and it just feels like its shedding basically. It does go away once your face gets used to the BP.