hempem's Full Review: Proactive Solution Repairing Lotion
Introduction
My name is Melissa and I am a 34 year old woman with acne.
I hope you will find this coverage of the Proactiv Solutions Repairing Lotion helpful, and perhaps be influenced in the direction of giving Proactiv a try. Since I am speaking from personal experience with the product, you should know ahead of time that it worked wonders for my acne and my skin in general. This review covers only the Repairing Lotion, but since it is part of a 3-item facial system recommended by the Doctors who created it, my comments will be a bit broader in scope.
~Background on Proactiv:~
The reason this acne-fighting line is called "Proactiv" is precisely because it tries to eliminate blemishes BEFORE they occur. This is a different philosophy than purchasing treatments meant for spot treatment once the pimple has "sprouted".
Infomercials gave Proactiv Solutions its start, and Judith Light from TV's "Who's the Boss" is the celebrity spokesperson for the product. Vanessa Williams has also recently been hired as a spokesperson. I'd like to make fun of the fact that this product was launched via infomercials, but I can't. It was watching this advertisement on a cable channel one evening that introduced me to the Proactiv system. I was 29 years old and refused to go out with my friends due to the acne I felt deeply ashamed of. I realize this was an extreme reaction, but I know many teenagers, young mothers, men and women in their 30's and 40's who suffer from acne and the key word here is suffer.
I listened carefully to Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, the two dermatologists who created Proactiv, and whose credentials were quite impressive. From the Proactiv web site: "Dr. Rodan is Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Dr. Fields is Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco." I was skeptical at first, and had lots of knowledge about what makes acne form and the myths involved in treating it, so I was ready to pounce if they said anything about shrinking pore sizes (impossible) or miracle cures. . .but these ladies were very honest and up front.
For instance, this system should probably be supplemented with an oral anti-biotic for severe cases of acne. It works best for moderate acne, which is the category I fall under. They also stated accurately that there is no CURE for acne, only treatment. I trusted them on some level because I ended up buying the 3-part system. It has helped me enough that I was able to go off the Tetracycline I was taking within 3 months of usage.
~What is the Proactiv System?:~
The system consists of three products: Renewing Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner, and Repairing Lotion. They are sold as a group of three on the official Proactiv website and on national television.
~The Repairing Lotion and my own experience~
The Repairing Lotion in this 3-step system is the very last step and is quite soothing. I would even say it is gentle, considering that the Benzoyl Peroxide content is only 2.5% in strength, but you should AVOID the delicate skin around the eye area at all costs or it will give you premature wrinkles!
Because of the mildness of the Benzoyl Peroxide my face has never gotten red or irritated - not one single time! I have oily skin; so oily that I use blotting paper sometimes on my forehead. If your skin is on the dry end of things, I would recommend applying the lotion only to your troublesome areas. I have read other reviews on this product here and discovered that not all users enjoyed the same trouble-free results that I did, and I noted the majority of those users had listed their skin type as "dry". It would be a great idea to take advantage of the information and experience offered here at Epinions and read several more reviews before making a decision - just keep in mind that the skin type of the reviewer is listed for your convenience and it really does make a difference in how a product will work on someone's skin.
The active ingredient listed on the bottle is Benzoyl Peroxide, an anti-bacterial agent to fight acne. Benzoyl Peroxide has the chemical properties to penetrate INSIDE the skin's surface and unplug pores. This is a potential irritant to skin, but again because of the low percentage (2.5%) and the soothing base it is housed in, my skin has not ONCE been irritated. This is a far different thing than putting pure 10% solutions of over-the-counter Oxy 10 on your blemishes. I will never do that again to my skin. This ingredient also kills bacteria that live on the surface of the skin and cause acne.
No animal by-products are used and no animals are used to test these products, which is a good thing to know.
~A word about the use of Repairing Lotion~
The Repairing Lotion is a translucent white color - it comes in a bottle much like the cleanser does and only a little pea-sized amount will cover your entire face. It spreads very easily on the skin. This lotion is meant to dry out the overly active oil glands somewhat and accelerate the turn-around speed of the skin cells so dead cells don't clog up your pores. DO NOT USE AROUND YOUR EYES! This should be considered as a medicated treatment for acne, and when I have used it around my eyes I had two horrible results.
1. The skin around the eyes began to take on a more "wrinkled" texture
2. The lotion itself bled into my eyes (since any product you place on your eyes that contains an active ingredient can "seep" inside and irritate) and my eyes became blood-shot looking and itchy!
Ingredient List: (Active: Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%) Purified Water, Cyclomethicone, Ethoxydiglycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100, Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearth-20, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Diaz-lindinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance. ** Note: This product does have fragrance. You could have fooled me, but the official website says 4-5 ingredients are used to mask the scent of the Benzoyl Peroxide. It smells like nothing to me - clean and clear.
~I tell My Story~
I started using Proactiv at age 27 when I began taking a medication that aggravates, even CAUSES acne. This devastated me. I was Homecoming Queen at my high school, and used to be teased if I would develop even ONE blemish on my face. Vain? Well yes, but try terribly insecure as well. My skin is so fair that the redness of a pimple will stand out like a red beacon in a snowstorm! I care what others think of me, probably too much so, and the acne I was dealing with consisted of the following.
1. Blackheads on the "mask" area of the face,
(nose, under the eyes,) forehead, and chin
2. Cystic, painful, hardened bumps under jawline
3. Good old-fashioned zits on sides of mouth
I tried Neutrogena, Almay, Prescription Cleocin-T, Stridex, Oxy 10, Aveda Botanical Cleansing Gel, Clean & Clear, Sea Breeze, Noxzema, Mary Kay, Clinque, and several more I am blocking from my memory! I don't want to put down these other products; I am simply stating that the Proactiv system made a visible difference whereas the other products simply irritated my skin.
~Specifically what difference did it make?~
Blackheads were (I am not exaggerating this) close to eliminated on my nose and chin. Cystic breakouts beneath the jaw-line were decreased by about 75%. Acne around my mouth was cut in half. The surface of my skin was smoother, well cleansed and although pores DO NOT open and close (that is a myth), the appearance of pores was that they were smaller. They certainly weren't filled with oil and sebum and traces of makeup as they had been before. In a word? I was amazed. If you would like to see a recent photo of me, go to my Profile Page here and take a look at my skin. You won't find a single blemish. Why? Because I'm a good makeup artist. NO! It's because of the Proactiv System, and note I say "System" as in all three steps working together.
~How does the Lotion work apart from the System?~
As I have stated earlier, I feel this is a truly superior product because of the low concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide and the fact that my skin has never gotten irritated or itchy or red. Benzoyl Peroxide is able to penetrate the skin and the extremely high doses you see marketed in a typical drugstore or grocery store only serve to aggravate acne! It amazes me that the companies continue to produce such lethal doses of Benzoyl Peroxide in lotions because it can cause rebound acne.
If you wanted to purchase an acne lotion, I would definitely recommend this one to you even if you were not interested in the Cleanser or Toner.
~Ease of use? How do I use this stuff?~
1. Cleanse your face. (I use the Proactiv Cleanser!!)
2. Squeeze a small pearl-sized amount onto finger and apply to problem areas. (DO NOT APPLY TO EYE AREA)
3. Apply makeup. (or go to sleep)
~How much product do I get?~
The Repairing Lotion is 4 oz./120 ml. It comes in a white plastic bottle with green lettering. Very simple packaging. This can last months at a time, but you MUST use a pearl sized amount. Concentrate the product on the troubled areas of skin, i.e. for me it was the T-zone and under the jaw.
~What does this cost - can I buy it individually?~
I found this product listed separately for $21.00 at www.QVC.com. along with an amazing amount of other Proactiv products I had no idea existed! This was the only site I found that listed Proactiv items separately. They do offer a grouped option for $41.00 + $4.42 shipping and handling.
If you are uncertain about this system, why not try the "Proactiv Mini-Maintenance System" with once ounce bottles each (so cute!) of Cleanser, Toner and Repairing Lotion for $15.00 + $4.22 shipping.
The Proactiv website offers only a grouped option of Cleanser, Toner, Lotion and Mask for $39.95 + $5.95 in shipping and handling, but you get signed up for the "Clear Skin Club" in which every two months you are shipped another batch and charged the same amount to your credit card. In my humble opinion? Skip the Club. I've made my products last for 4-5 months and I have personally read testimonies of those that signed up for the Club and had gobs of product left over.
~I can't buy this product anywhere but QVC?~
Well, if you are willing to do a little extra you can. I have been unemployed for months and moved in with my parents at age 34 to save rent money. Here is what I do. People that have joined the Proactiv Club get delivered far too many products. The products sit around collecting dust. Try typing the word "Proactiv" (WATCH THE SPELLING - even our lovely website here has added an "e" to the end of Proactiv) in on eBay. You will see a lot of listings for Proactiv products - (Be sure to figure in the shipping costs before bidding and also ask the seller what the expiration date on the product is!)
Another option is to go to an acne support group such as one found at www.google.com (click the "groups" tab at the top of the screen) and post a message requesting that if anyone has extra Proactiv stuff you are interested in buying it.
The curious part about Proactiv is that they will send you a catalog in which you CAN order things individually. (See the 1-800 number I will list below.)
All in all, if you could just afford to pay face value for the Repairing Toner, I believe you would see results but I truly feel you will only experience the BEST results by using the entire system. Hey - you are WORTH IT! Acne cannot be "cured" but it can be managed. I had a co-worker tell me, "Let's play connect the dots on Melissa's back!" when I wore a summer dress that revealed my poor acne riddled back. Comments like that hurt. If you decide to buy the entire Proactiv system and use it carefully, you will see definite results for your skin (remember - my experience is coming from my OILY perspective!) and I feel it is worth the investment. Life is just too short to suffer from acne symptoms!
~In Conclusion~
I'd like to thank you for reading my thoughts about Proactiv Repairing Lotion and the Proactiv System in general. I hope you will consider giving it a try because truthfully, it drastically changed my skin for the better and enabled me to go off of the antibiotics my dermatologist had given me. There are no miracle cures for acne, and yet as someone who has been helped by this product it sure feels like one. I have yet to find a lotion that is so effective and yet so GENTLE. ProActiv offers a superior product in their Repairing Lotion, and NO, I am not a paid representative for the company!
I rate this product as "Excellent" and encourage you to email me from my profile page with any questions you may have. I have also written reviews on the Proactiv Renewing Cleanser and the Revitalizing Toner that I have referenced below if you care to take a looksie!
*~Thanks again for reading! I wish you clear skin!~*
____________________________________________________________
For More Information and to ORDER:
http://www.proactiv.com
http://www.qvc.com
1-800-333-0153 (toll-free 24 hrs 7 days a week)
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