The Proactiv Solution Company Line
“Proactiv Solution is a revolutionary, dermatologist-developed Combination Therapy® system that helps the skin heal the blemishes you have now - and helps stop new ones from forming - in three quick, easy steps.”
The Bottom Line
Jessica Simpson. Elle MacPherson. Vanessa Williams. Kelly Clarkson. Even Sean Combs! Pretty serious celebrity endorsements for a brand that built awareness from back-of-magazine ads and word-of-mouth. Such is the mystique and allure of the Proactiv line. Developed by two Stanford-trained dermatologists, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, Proactiv says it bases its reputation on two words: it works. How? According to Proactiv, Fields and Rodan developed their Proactiv management system for acne by looking at acne from a different angle. They aimed to treat the problem rather than the symptoms, which resulted in targeted care that treats the whole face vs. just the “spots” where outbreaks occur.
Did you know?
According to a New York Times interview with Proactiv’s founding dermatologists, Proactiv was originally created in response to the doctors’ “older” patients who would seek medical care for “monthly breakouts”—rather than use the ugly word “acne”. Seeing a need—and a void in the marketplace for an appropriate ongoing acne management system, Proactiv was born. And no wonder most of its celebrity endorsers aren’t a bunch of kids themselves!
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Proactiv products
Proactiv Renewing CleanserProactiv Revitalising Toner
Proactiv Repairing Lotion
i always hear that proactive is a waste of money...not that it doesnt work...but cheaper solutions are out there.
anyone beg to differ?
I am 42, have rosacea and very sensitive skin. I developed cyst like acne on my chin and neck that would not go away. I went to the dermatologist who prescribed Differin Gel. I used the gel for four years and it did help with the acne, but did not eliminate the monthly breakouts on my jawline, neck and chin. (It also helped to keep my fine lines fine.) I tried Proactiv. It worked immediately. I have not had a breakout since. Nothing on my jawline or neck. (Yes, I have had an occasional pimple, but a normal pimple and if I keep my hands off it, it goes away quickly.)
I would caution anyone with rosacea and/or sensitive skin to go easy on the regime. I use the system very other day, rather than every day. I do use the mask on or around my nose where I have the rosacea as it burns and aggravates it.
Since I only use the product every other day, I only have to order it twice a year for around $120 total, which is less than I spent on over the counter treatments.
I use the Proactiv line every day. At first the cleanser was irritating my skin so I stopped using it. I tried it again a few weeks later (during summer and sweating alot) and the irritant was gone. I get comments all the time now from people "who knew me before" and I have to admit, my skin has cleared up. I hardly get blemishes now, maybe once or twice a year but then I just use the mask it comes with and it's gone in a day or two.
Don't give up on Proactiv Yet! I started using the product about 7 years ago for breakouts that I had never had when I was younger. I ordered from a T.V. ad and figured it was another waste of money with all the other beauty products I had bought through the years. The bottom line is through time I have learned a few ways to tweak the application process that gave me better results and may help someone else. First, rather than applying the cleanser and immediately washing it off,I leave it on my face for 3-5 minutes. Also instead of rinsing it off, I use a warm wet cloth,appying pressure in circular motions. I KNOW my face is cleaner doing it this way. Last tip: Do not apply the repairing lotion until the toner is thoroughly dry. Hope this helps someone who is sitting around with a whole bunch of Proactiv thinking it's a dud.
In my experience with talking with those who've had acne--and I'm talking about breakouts that can be managed with over-the-counter topical treatments, people are either fans of benzoyl peroxide (which is in ProActiv) or fans of salicylic acid. It just seems to depend on which works best for you--and to your point, often it requires using the product for a more extended period of time to see the efficacy. One word of caution--you mention to that removing the cleanser with a warm wet cloth while applying pressure in circular motions has worked for you--others may find that doing so can aggravate skin further.