Well, guys, we made it. It’s been a few weeks since I started putting Proactiv to the test and I have some very interesting results to share! When I started photographing for this review I had to pose by my favorite quote on my bedroom wall, “fake it work it until you make it” because I think this totally holds true with skincare:
you can try to fake bad skin as much as you can with foundations and concealers but why not work it out with a good skin care regimen that really gets to the root of the problem?
So let’s start with some quick background about my skin and why I jumped to the Proactiv bandwagon: I have combo skin, oily in the t-zone, and severely dry everywhere else with lots of acne. Kind of a mess, I know, so I tried Proactiv to help with the acne portion. Here’s how my skin has changed:
- It’s become drier. I knew this was going to happen since Proactiv is all about oil control and any kind of acne medication is drying.
- I no longer have acne on my cheeks.
- The acne bumps on my forehead have gone down. Not completely, but they’ve gotten better.
- The acne that does show up isn’t as bad. I haven’t gotten any cystic acne or bad zits, so I’m hoping this is a trend that will continue.
So my advice is, try out the 3-step system (Renewing Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner, Repairing Treatment) but don’t use it on areas of your face that are severely dry, because this will only make it worse. Concentrate this on the areas of your face where you have bad oil and acne but make sure you use lots of the moisturizer because it’s so important to rehydrate your face often, especially when using a strong anti-acne medication.
Side note-your skin will absolutely hate you for about 3 weeks. Everybody goes through it when they change skincare, but I definitely noticed that my skin got a lot worse before it started to calm down.

So if you’re any more interested in Proactiv-and I hope you are!-you can check out their products online and see if this is the system for you. You can also check out my first impressions of trying this out and see how it compares to my overall review!
I’d love to know, how do you work to control problem areas in your skin?
Thanks for reading,
We signed up for a “free one month trial” for my soon year before last, I figured if it worked for him, I’d go ahead and shell out for us both, even though funds are limited here. This is what happened:
Customer reviews:
Lynn Moss
We got the package, complete with rotating brush, after paying over $5 S/H. Then my bank account went into the red. Looking at the statement, I noticed a $90 charge. I called the number and was told that by signing up for the “1-month trial,” I’d actually agreed to try and be charged for a THREE MONTH supply.
I said we didn’t get a three month supply and was told that they would come. I said we didn’t want it and to cancel the order. She said she couldn’t because I’d already been charged, and it was past the date I could cancel. We’d had the stuff three days. Full days, not business days. I told her to take our name off future mailings.
She said it was done. I thought the matter was done–and then I got another shipment of ProActive, along with a $30 charge. Another call only to be told I had gotten my order too late to do anything. I told three operator id canceled last time. He “checked” and said that wasn’t in their records.
I told him I wanted to cancel and my name taken off the records. Yes, ma’am!! Until I got stiffed for $63.95. Yet another call, this time to be told that LAST TIME I’d been sent the ‘rest of” my three-month order. Excuse me??? I didn’t place a three-month order!!! Yes ma’am, when you signed up. I delayed the events of the left two calls; they weren’t in the system, and we record our calls for just this reason!
I, of course, got the package too late to do anything…except this time I’d not gotten anything. Fed up, I said I was going to dispute tree payment and report them; suddenly they were helpful…slightly. They could refund HALF of my last shipment…if I sent it back.
I just needed to pay a $10 return fee. So I’m going to get $30(minus shipping)on a $63.95 order I NEVER GOT?!? I hung up and called my bank. They were very helpful and got back for the last two monthly payments. Unfortunately, it was too late to fix all the damage the initial payment had done to my finances after having put my account way in the negative.
Insult to injury? My son used the ProActiv we DID have twice a day, faithfully…and it didn’t work. That company now could not pay me cash money to use anything from their company. Sorry, this was so long, but I needed to share it. As far as I’m concerned, ProActiv is one of the most famous scams on the market.