ProActiv - yay or nay?

[Julie]

My skin needs some serious help and I was looking into trying either the Murad Acne Kit, Proactiv kit or any other recommendations! I have always had fairly good skin with occassional breakouts but for the past 2 weeks my skin just looks horrible. It is so dry, broken out, dull and irritated. I normally have dry combination skin and I haven't changed my skin care routine so I just don't understand.

 

[mac_obsession]

I use proactiv...Love it. Been using it for about 6 months now...Completely controls breakouts and my skin is much smoother and softer. I didnt have acne, just breakouts that drove me nuts. I love it.

 

[jasper17]

I started using Murad a couple weeks ago (the refreshing cleanser) and it works wonders! I have super-oily skin to the point where within a couple hours of washing my face in the morning, it was a complete greasy mess coupled with a tendency to break out pretty frequently. The cleanser (in conjunction with a moisturizer because it's a little drying sometimes) keeps everything under control - minimized the breakouts and *maybe* by the time it's time to go to bed at night, I've gotten a little shiny but no more oil slick. Definitely worth every penny. If you have a Sephora nearby, they can give you samples of the Murad stuff. Good luck!

 

[Julie]

Thanks mac_obsession and jasper17!

I think I'll try to go to Sephora this weekend (since it is across from my work) and get some samples and if they don't work then I will order some Proactiv from QVC online. I really hope these help because I can't stand my skin any longer!

 

[mac_obsession]

No problem. Glad I could help. I get mine from qvc, autoshipped every 2 months...I dont go through all of it in 2 months so I usually never run out, and youll get the best price on their package deal.

 

[jasper17]

Good luck! Hopefully one of them will work for you =)

 

[matthea]

I've been using proactiv for 2 years now and i love it! My skin is always clear (unless I pick at it which is gross I know!)
Anyone here that uses proactiv notice a change in the product? My new order smells different (kind of like a new pair of shoes) and the face wash grain is finer and more consistant.

 

[CantMAKEUPmyMIND]

I have been using Proactiv for about a month and half now. At first, my skin was great. After about a week/week and half, my skin must have gotten used to it, and started to break out again. I'm on the search for new product. I don't have TERRIBLE acne, but I've had consistant acne (2-3 new flare ups a week or so) for about 11 years now...I've been the derm and nothing but Accutane had worked and my derm won't put me back on...so here I am at square one again.

 

[mac_obsession]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CantMAKEUPmyMIND I have been using Proactiv for about a month and half now. At first, my skin was great. After about a week/week and half, my skin must have gotten used to it, and started to break out again. I'm on the search for new product. I don't have TERRIBLE acne, but I've had consistant acne (2-3 new flare ups a week or so) for about 11 years now...I've been the derm and nothing but Accutane had worked and my derm won't put me back on...so here I am at square one again.

I would continue the proactiv...It gets worse before it gets better. With my skin, the first week i noticed a big difference, the 2-3 weeks I noticed it was bringing up all the breakouts, and after that it squashed them...I wrote to them asking if this was normal and they told me yes, it has to get into your skin to get the "crap" out and then once it does you should be ok. I would wait a week or two, see what happens and if it doesnt get better then d/c it. HTH!

 

[CantMAKEUPmyMIND]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac_obsession Quote: Originally Posted by CantMAKEUPmyMIND I have been using Proactiv for about a month and half now. At first, my skin was great. After about a week/week and half, my skin must have gotten used to it, and started to break out again. I'm on the search for new product. I don't have TERRIBLE acne, but I've had consistant acne (2-3 new flare ups a week or so) for about 11 years now...I've been the derm and nothing but Accutane had worked and my derm won't put me back on...so here I am at square one again. I would continue the proactiv...It gets worse before it gets better. With my skin, the first week i noticed a big difference, the 2-3 weeks I noticed it was bringing up all the breakouts, and after that it squashed them...I wrote to them asking if this was normal and they told me yes, it has to get into your skin to get the "crap" out and then once it does you should be ok. I would wait a week or two, see what happens and if it doesnt get better then d/c it. HTH!

Thanks for your input! I plan to continue using ProAciv until it runs out, which should be shortly. If it doesn't work I am going to return it to the mall kiosk for a refund (as stated I can do in the "Welcome to ProActiv!" letter) $50 seems to be a lot of money to waste on something that didn't work.

 

[Jennifer]

julie, maybe it's just your skin has gotten used to it and is immune (maybe that's the word?) to it now. maybe you should try a whole new routine before starting things that expensive.

FYI: jessica simpson's a spokesperson for proactiv and swears by it, but she used accutane before proactiv, so don't believe everything you read/hear about it :|

 

[Julie]

Thanks everyone!

I have been using Exuviance Blemish Treatment Gel and my skin has completely cleared up. I was looking for the Neostrata Acne gel and Neostrata toner because sassy*girl uses these and has amazing skin but I couldn't find it so I bought the Exuviance one because it is made by Neostrata and I found it at Ulta. I also stopped using my usual routine (Thanks Jennifer I think you're right).

 

[haha_noodlez]

The only complaint I've heard bout Proactive is that you have to RELIGIOUSLY use it. I've always used the body shop's tea tree oil wash and my face has been break-out free for a couple of years. Me and commentent don't work.

 

[thaodotcom]

i have sensative skin. it really dried out my skin and made it itchy after the application of the lotion. BUT, it really DOES WORK i INSTANTLY saw the diffrence. but i could not stand the side effects i recieved from the product it got so bad my whole face started peeling and red and my lips got swollen. I KNOW this because after i stopped using it nothing was wrong with my face...how is MURAD?

 

[mac_obsession]

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthea I've been using proactiv for 2 years now and i love it! My skin is always clear (unless I pick at it which is gross I know!) Anyone here that uses proactiv notice a change in the product? My new order smells different (kind of like a new pair of shoes) and the face wash grain is finer and more consistant.

Yeah I noticed the difference with my last shipment. I quite like it actually, I dont notice the smell, but the grain is almost like dr. brandts microdermabrasion which is much more expensive. I <3 proactiv.

 

[Isabel]

I've also been using Proactiv for a year now. I've been very lucky and have never really had acne...until this past winter. I broke out like crazy on my forehead and I couldn't figure out why (I believe it was the Studio Fix foundation I was using) and I would use Proactiv everyday, but it wasn't helping at all.

My skin just started getting better again and I have slowly been trying to wien my face off of proactiv because I don't want to be dependent on it.

Lately my only problem has been the post acne marks. Does anyone know of any products that will help get rid of it?

 

[valley]

I've done the proactiv for a year now, and I find that if I stop using it.....about a week or two later it gets seriously bad. But, it's been super great. I get by with not using very much either (I've been on the same kit for..... 8 months now. I just use it really lightly)

My chin was pretty bad. And I was thinking about buying some sort of bleaching cream...I hear that works for the post acne little scars/darker spots. I just dont know what's good....

 

[Lo-Fi_Thriller]

i use proactiv and it works swell and dandy and i have ULTRA sensitive skin to medical tropic acne stuff. but this stuff works instantly!

 

[Pascal]

Proactive - I really must protest

Okay let me begin with this, I keep seeing Jessica Simpson on tv talking about how she uses PROACTIVE, and how it so works and everything. But it's a load of shit, I have troubled skin and I finally tried Proacvtive, and it dried the hell out of my skin, it works for a while then it starts to destroy your face. How can a celebrity like Jessica Simpson or even Vanessa Williams swear up and down that they use that shit and they have so much money, come on now a celeb using a product that costs only $75.00, and it includes cleanser, toner moisterizer and a bunch of other products in the set. I'm sorry but I won't sugar coat it or beat around the bush. Jessica is such a liar.

 

[pumpkincat210]

When I'm diligent about using it, it works like a dream. But like any product what works for someone else may not work for you.