ProActive. Does it realy work? And what's in it?

The Proactiv acne treatment line of products has become well known in recent years due mainly to heavy advertising campaigns that feature paid endorsements from stars like Jessica Simpson, Vanessa Williams, Lindsay Lohan, Ella McPherson, and Kelly Clarkson. No matter how much these celebs brag about Proactiv, the fact is that it is only the ingredients contained by the products that could possibly possess healing powers for your face.

*NOTE* For a full listing of each and every ingredient in each and every Proactiv product please scroll to the bottom of this article.

So, what are Proactiv’s ingredients? Let’s take a look: Proactiv acne solutions basic three-component stock package is composed of the Renewing Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner, and the Repairing Lotion. The Renewing Cleanser is first applied. It provides finely macerated apricot pits to unclog pores thus allowing the active ingredient, 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, to penetrate individual hair follicles and attack bacterium. The inactive ingredients are water and about twenty others that are unknown to all except the chemical engineers amongst us.

The Revitalizing Toner is an alcohol-free substance that further removes dead skin cells and unplugs the pores. Thus it helps to prevent future outbreaks. It lists no active ingredients. It is comprised of water, witch hazel, and several extracts of flowers and fruits. It also contains soothing botanicals such as panthenol and allantoin. It is said to leave the skin in a baby-new, radiant, and fragile state.

The final step of the Proactiv regime is the Repairing Lotion. As with the first step, its only active ingredient is 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide. This is said to be milled, prescription-grade benzoyl peroxide. Other inactive ingredients are again water combined with several hard-to-pronounce chemical elements.

To put it all in a nutshell, Proactiv’s interesting ingredients are benzoyl peroxide, witch hazel, and some herbal extracts. The remainders of the products are simply combinations of water and other inert components. It is noteworthy that the benzoyl peroxide lists possible, and commonly incurred, side effects including drying, itching, flaking, reddening and/or swelling facial flesh. Users are repetitively instructed to apply a sunscreen after each of the twice-daily applications of the products. They are also warned of the bleaching effects of the benzoyl peroxide on the user’s towels, washcloths, carpets and clothing.

A Full Rundown of All the Ingredients in the 3 Proactiv Products

Step 1: Renewing Cleanser
Active Ingredient: benzoyl peroxide 2.5%.
Inactive Ingredients: water (aqua), magnesium aluminum silicate, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, disodium dimethicone copolyol sulfosuccinate, sorbitol, dimethyl isosorbide, polyethylene, tridecyl stearate, neopentyl glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, tridecyl trimellitate, cetyl esters, anthemis nobilis flower extract, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, propylene glycol, xanthan gum, imidazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum).

Step 2: Revitalizing Toner
Ingredients: water (aqua), glycolic acid, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, rosa canina fruit extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, sodium PCA, panthenol, glycerin, propylene glycol, allantoin, polysorbate-20, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium hydroxide, benzophenone-4, tetrasodium EDTA, methylparaben, propylparaben, imidazolidinyl urea, fragrance (parfum), blue 1, yellow 5.

Step 3: Repairing Lotion
Active Ingredient: benzoyl peroxide 2.5%.
Inactive Ingredients: water (aqua), cyclomethicone, ethoxydiglycol, propylene glycol, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, panthenol, allantoin, carbomer, ceteareth-20, xanthan gum, triethanolamine, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum).