Proactiv: actually good or just good infomercials?

#1 Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 2:24 am

I've been watching those commercials at 2am for years. The celebrities, the before and afters, the "I was so embarrassed" voiceover. I finally caved and ordered the 3-step kit and it came yesterday.

Before I start: has anyone here used it? Is it going to bleach every towel I own? Because I'm hearing it bleaches every towel you own.

My girlfriend says I play too much. She's not wrong.

#2 Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:49 am

It will bleach every towel you own. And your pillowcases. And the collar of whatever shirt you put on in the morning. Buy cheap white towels and accept your fate.

#3 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:20 am

It worked for me for about 6 months and then just... stopped working? Also the auto-ship thing is a nightmare to cancel. Write down the phone number before you need it.

#4 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 7:39 am

The main active ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. You can get the same thing at the drugstore for a fraction of the price. Not saying it doesn't work, just that you're paying a lot for the commercials.

~*~ lilac dreams & 56k screams ~*~

#5 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:13 am

sagegamer wrote:The main active ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. You can get the same thing at the drugstore for a fraction of the price. Not saying it doesn't work, just that you're paying a lot for the commercials.

wait really? it's just benzoyl peroxide? the box makes it sound like something from a lab in Switzerland

My girlfriend says I play too much. She's not wrong.

#6 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:47 pm

@spriteraider7 lol yep. 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, check the back of the bottle. Neutrogena and Clean & Clear make basically the same thing, and there's a big tube on acne.org that people swear by.

~*~ lilac dreams & 56k screams ~*~

#7 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:56 pm

Gonna be the one person who says it really helped me. I was 17, my skin was a mess, and Proactiv was the first thing that made a difference. Did I keep using it after? No, too expensive. But it was a good start.

#8 Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:04 pm

Update for anyone who finds this later: week 2, my skin is drier than it's ever been and my nice purple towel is now a sad pink towel. Breakouts are a bit better though. Going to keep going and get a cheap moisturizer.

My girlfriend says I play too much. She's not wrong.

#9 Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:05 pm

spriteraider7 wrote:Update for anyone who finds this later: week 2, my skin is drier than it's ever been and my nice purple towel is now a sad pink towel. Breakouts are a bit better though. Going to keep going and get a cheap moisturizer.

RIP purple towel. it had a good life