Pro Activ • Renewing Cleanser • Skincare - Face

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Cosmetics4Ever on 12/19/2012 4:46:00 AM more reviews by Cosmetics4Ever

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is my all time favorite cleanser.

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Rebecca753 on 12/4/2012 12:17:00 PM more reviews by Rebecca753

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I used this for years and it worked great when I was younger. Now I prefer to separate my benzyl peroxide and mechanical exfoliating products, I use neutrogena acne cream and simple face scrub and I get the same benefits with less irritation and a lower price. It also doesn't make sense to put benzyl peroxide into a product that you only have on your face for a minute or two, then rinse off. I know pro activ has a benzyl peroxide cream as well, but it seems redundant. I also use alpha hydrox lotion for the glycolic acid component and I feel like it is a better version of proactive.

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Charligurl7 on 10/11/2012 10:42:00 PM more reviews by Charligurl7

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

All I have to say is..... Thank you PROACTIV! I have been going through hormonal acne for about 5-6 months now, and I have tried everything to get rid of it, with no avail. Finally, after much debate- I decided to try Proactiv. I wasn't a huge fan at first because I was concerned on what I had read on how your skin can get "addicted" to this product. I dont even care if my skin gets addicted now, because its something that actually works!!!! I do not use the 3-step system though, because my personal opinion is that there are better products to use with this cleanser. (I use DermaDoctor Aint mis behavin' acne serum, and Philosophy Take a Deep Breathe moisterizer- MORNING. and Juice beauty Blemish Serum with St Ives Colagen Moisterizer @ Night. SPOT TREATMENT is Kate Somerville Eradikate and its the best ever.) Its WORKING!!! Just my opinion... and I've tried nearly everything!

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stargirl114 on 8/30/2012 10:52:00 PM more reviews by stargirl114

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This product is overall great. I love the 2.5% BP in it and even though BP in cleansers isn't as helpful as a BP cream or gel this product definatly helps my acne. I use this cleanser every night because twice a day is way to harsh for my skin and causes it to flake and peel. I love the exfoliating beads that aren't too harsh and don't feel like theyre ripping your skin apart. It did break me out at first but now it in conjunction with the acne.org treatment keep my acne away. The only reason I say I wouldnt buy this again is because I absolutly hate the smell. I can't stand it and I feel like it lingers.

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Panja99 on 8/6/2012 3:06:00 AM more reviews by Panja99

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

The only thing that gets rid of my acne. Been using it for years now. Some say it isn't good for your skin, and others say that it leaves your skin a little inflammed, which it can a little but I don't care so long as my acne's gone =)

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jjenny on 2/29/2012 7:00:00 AM more reviews by jjenny

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

i use this every few days..... just to exfoliate does a great job and my face feels smoother.
clearing up my pimples i dont kno i guess it doesnt

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*TOP REVIEWER* missykeyana on 2/12/2012 6:52:00 PM more reviews by missykeyana

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Neutral   Hair: Black, Kinky, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I used this as a part of the 3-step system years ago. It was okay. It was too gentle for me; I would have liked something that worked a little harder to remove dirt. When I ran out of this, my skin didn't miss it. I moved on to other cleansers to use with the toner and lotion.

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cholielynn on 3/5/2011 11:17:00 AM more reviews by cholielynn

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

i've been using proactive for about 5 months now so i figured i had enough time under my belt to write a review. i started out with the three step stystem. the 19.99/30 day supply one. used the products 2 times a day exactly as directed. (brief description of my terrible skin: EVERY kind of acne you can imagine. no joke. cystic. blackheads (probably the worst you've ever seen and have had them my entire life, whiteheads, bumps that arent quite pimples just kinda there, extremely oily yet flaky and dry at the same time... just a mess for real. oh, and turning 30 is leaving me with some slowly approaching lines and wrinkles. REAL cool.) so i start using the 3 step system and decided to use NOTHING else. no extra moisturiser or spf. i really wanted to give this product a chance to do its stuff and not be "influenced" by any other outside products because i know that just about every product breaks me out. (i did however purchase the proactive spf 30 and the oil free moisturizer which SUCK but i didnt start using those till about a month after i started the proactive system. i'll have to do a seperate review on those.) anywhos, after about a month, i really wasnt happy or dissapointed in the products. no signifigant improvement, but no new huge breakouts either. my pores were still huge and plugged up. i loved the way my skin looked right after i scrubbed it and rinsed away the cleanser, but as soon as i toned and put on the repairing lotion, my pores were back and i got instantly oily. i ran out of the toner before anything else so i stopped using that and never noticed a difference. in the mean time i recieved my next scheduled shipment so started using the 3 steps again. still not happy with the way my pores were looking. so i figured what the hell, how bout just use the cleanser... (at the moment i'm too lazy to look up the actual ingredients for the repairing lotion, but i believe it contains some long list of 'cones that had been the culprit to the continued clogged pores.) so for the past 2 months i have been just using the cleanser and i cannot recommend it highly enough. in my local mall there is a proactive kiosk vending machine thingy and i went there to buy the cleanser by itself. its 20 bucks which i think is pricy, but i havent found a cleanser that even comes close to this. i know theres cleansers in the drug store that contain benzoyl peroxide, but there is nothing out there with scrubbys in it like the proactive. they are absolutly perfect. the amount, the texture, just perfect. screw that Acne Free line. it may be a similar formula, but nowhere near the scrubbing power that proactive has and i really believe thats where the 'magic' is. i've been buying skin care products for well over 13 years and have not come across a formula like this one. if you have "congested" skin like myself with blackheads, huge clogged pores, instead of buying into the 3 step system, i would go get the cleanser itself. it really has changed my skin. i havent gotten a cystic pimple in about 3 1/2 months. my blackheads are reduced by about 45% i would say. may not sound like much, but for me, thats MAJOR.
heres my routine: in the morning, just proactive cleanser and some eye cream. i've been experimenting with putting different moisturizers and spf's on afterwards, but after a day or two, i can tell they break me out. i stop using them, clear skin again. any recommendations would be HIGHLY appreciated for these products cause i'm at a loss for what to use... especially spf products cause summers coming.
in the nighttime, i use purpose cleanser to get my makeup off. 2 pumps in my hand, dont lather or anything, just rub it on my face and use a complexion brush to loosen everything up. rinse that off and than use the proactive cleanser. than eye cream. i was using the mario badescu glycolic toner for a few weeks, but never noticed a difference so i havent even been using that. also, i thought i NEEDED some sort of toner to get any extra gunk makeup off my face after cleansing, but there was never ANY residue left on the cotton ball after using the purpose and proactive so i guess theres no real need for it.
i know this is a long winded review, but i hope it may help someone who is debating on the proactive system. i personally dont think i will ever stray from this cleanser. it cleans, it exfoliates and it prevents acne. everything i've ever wanted in a simple cleanser. and if you can get it at the mall, all the better. i DO NOT recommend getting sucked into the scheduled deliverys and payments. thats never a good idea.
if i didnt anwser answer anything you might be wondering, please email me... i would be happy to give you my 2 cents on this system and if you have any good moisturizer/spf recommendations, please send them my way!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

brittclow69 on 2/1/2011 4:50:00 PM more reviews by brittclow69

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Have use this product for years. I use to have acne problems but now I find I am able to maintain that with this product. I don't use the toner as I have really sensitive skin but I do use the repairing lotion along with the cleanser. I think this product is great for anybody who has acne problems.

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biscotte on 12/22/2010 1:17:00 PM more reviews by biscotte

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

i have used this products a few years ago. I really liked it. It is mild and it has a great little exfoliant in it. I remember the fist i used it. I loved it immediately. I really liked the feeling of the exfoliant.
It can be a little drying, but the toner really balanced it out. ( I used this cleasner as part of the 3 part system )

I loved Pro activ product line because i found everything was made for my skin type. It is gentle and simple to use.
I also loved the little booklet that came with the products, explaning what is acne and all the myths about it.

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sarah2202 on 11/19/2010 2:00:00 PM more reviews by sarah2202

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I like this product as an exfoliator that provides a little bit of acne-fighting power. It makes my skin so smooth when I don't have many pimples!

However, last summer when I was battling cystic acne there was no way I could use this product. The exfoliating crystals would have irritated my skin even more. Definitely stay away from this product if your acne is severe! I find Pro Activ products too harsh and have learned that my acne-prone skin needs to be treated gently, especially during breakout periods.

This cleanser does not CLEANSE. Over the summer for a few days I did not wear makeup (I already knew this cleanser could not remove my mineral makeup), but I figured it could at least get rid of the grime from the day such as my sunscreen. After about 4 days of using the cleanser, I decided to try the toner afterwards. The pad had so much dirt on it!

The bottom line is that you can't use this product on its own to cleanse. I still want to finish it because it was expensive. I plan to remove my makeup with jojoba oil and follow with this cleanser as an exfoliator. I really like how smooth my skin feels after using this.

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Court25 on 7/10/2010 2:54:00 PM more reviews by Court25

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I hate this stuff. I used it in high school. It worked for about four months than completely stopped working. By that time I had signed up to get it in the mail automatically which was a huge mistake. I thought I wad maybe having a bad month. So by the time I figured out It was no longer going to work at all I had a couple of full unopened packages. Its expensive $40. It just does not work. Every time I see the infomercial I get mad and they put ads in a lot my catalogs. I wonder how many of those people it still works for or if it ever worked for them. I know those celebrities get paid like a million or two to be on them. I guess if someone offered me that much money I say it worked too. I know a lot of people who tried it. All of them said it did not work. Its a huge waste of money. If you have acne go to a dermatologist. That is what I did and my skin is clear now. If you have insurance it is cheaper to go to a dermatologist than to buy this crap. Plus you will have way more luck at a dermatologist.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

salsagirl on 6/17/2010 11:52:00 PM more reviews by salsagirl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I used this years ago and had to stop because of irritation. Now that I am in my 40ies I really don't break out like I used to, but I do get clogged pores, black heads, and small bumps on my forehead and temple. So, I decided to try this again after not having luck with anything else. Amazing!!! After 4 days I would say my bumps and black heads are 75% gone! I remember how this became ineffective and irritating after a while in the past, so I plan on going down to 2 times a week once I get a bit clearer. Maybe even 1 time a week in the Winter when my skin is drier. The exfoliation is great. My skin is also looking a lot brighter. Edit: I stopped using this because it started irritating my skin. I also started using Arcona products and so far they are way more effective, are more natural, and don't irritate my skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* BrownEyes01 on 3/18/2010 7:09:00 PM more reviews by BrownEyes01

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

At first, I liked this cleanser. Has exfoliating beads and I thought that would be good for my oily, acne-prone skin. But it dried out my skin terribly!! I found that if I use Cetaphil to cleanse my skin and then follow with the Proactiv toner and Repairing Lotion, that works much better for me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LuvsMakeup82 on 3/6/2010 9:34:00 PM more reviews by LuvsMakeup82

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is my go-to exfoliating wash of choice. While it's not classified as an exfoliator, the grainy texture makes it one for me. I used to use this every day years ago, but it became ineffective over time and may have been too harsh. I don't use it every day- I use Dove, but I will use this maybe once or twice a week depending on the way my skin feels. Used this way, for me, it doesn't strip or aggravate my skin at all, and is just a nice part of my skincare routine! Will probably always have this in my skincare regime.

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*TOP REVIEWER* haleyhay on 2/18/2010 6:21:00 PM more reviews by haleyhay

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Dry, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

The Pro Activ cleanser is awesome. Out of all the products in the 3-step system it is the only one that is worth anything. It gets rid of acne so fast. It is kind of expensive and I find the crystal beads annoying because they are hard to get rid of. The acne free cleanser is a great dupe for this and there arn't as many beads to get rid of. This is a great cleanser though and I feel Pro Activ is treated unfairly.

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*TOP REVIEWER* DCookiemonster25 on 1/9/2010 1:35:00 AM more reviews by DCookiemonster25

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This works and makes ur face feel fresh afterwords.

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Danik2 on 1/8/2010 4:17:00 PM more reviews by Danik2

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

So I know that everyone isn't a fan of this skincare line. I have to say that I don't have acne and never have, but I do get blackhead and whiteheads and this is the only product that keeps them at bay. I think that the whole line is a little harsh and I only use this one product and the mask which is amazing. But this cleanser used once every other day keeps my pores clean. I don't realize how much I love this until I run out of it, which just happened last week, and already I have blackheads showing up on my nose and chin. I'm heading to the mall after work to pick up another one of these babies.

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*TOP REVIEWER* KaiserMimiVII on 12/27/2009 9:41:00 AM more reviews by KaiserMimiVII

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I think this is the most drying component of the 3 step program. I used this for a few months, and my mom commented on how I did have a few less pimples overall, but my face had this lightly bleached look that stopped at the jaw line. I would have continued to use this but it was really hurting my face (even though I had reduced usage down to every few days) and stripped my face of absolutely every oil (terrible for dry winters!) which was rather impressive, in a bad way, since I had adolescent greasy combination skin. For me, the progression of my face turning pasty was a sign for me to back away from this product. I did however, like the slight grittiness of the cleanser, it was a mild exfoliant. I think if I had very bad acne, I would use this product, as well as the whole system.

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Bexalicious on 10/12/2009 7:35:00 AM more reviews by Bexalicious

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I started off using the Three Step System but i found using all three products two times a day began to dry my skin out and cause it to flake. I decided the Renewing Cleanser seemed to be the most beneficial for me because of the tiny exfoliating particles, so i began using it on its own. Since making this change, my skin changed back to normal, it felt smoother, and i haven't had any major breakouts. I use the cleanser in the morning using warm water to moisten my face first, wash it off with warm water, then splash my face with cold water (cold water acts as a natural toner to close pores), and finish with Garnier Regenerating Moisturiser. Sometimes if my skin appears oily at the end of the day, i use the cleanser on the oiler areas (e.g. T-Zone). Overall im happy with the product, and would recommend it for people who do not have severe acne, but are rather looking to prevent breakouts from occuring.

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