Proactiv Solution : Gentle Formula

Brand:
Reviews
3.3
60 Reviews
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Gentle Formula Clarifying Cleanser Active Ingredient: Salicylic acid (2%). Inactive Ingredients: Water (aqua), cocamidopropyl betaine, distearyl phthalic acid amide, polyethylene, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, ammonium laureth sulfate, camellia sinensis leaf extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, menthol, butylene glycol, microcrystalline wax, sodium hydroxide, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum), ferric ferrocyanide (CI 77510), blue 1 (CI 42090). Gentle Formula Clarifying Toner Water (aqua), glycolic acid, polysorbate 20, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, rosa canina flower extract, sodium PCA, panthenol, allantoin, glycerin, propylene glycol, benzophenone-4, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, methylparaben, benzoic acid, fragrance (parfum). Gentle Formula Clarifying Day Lotion Active Ingredient: Salicylic acid (2%). Inactive Ingredients: Water (aqua), cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, PPG-12/SMDI copolymer, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, squalane, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) extract, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, retinyl palmitate, linoleamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, methylparaben, benzoic acid, fragrance (parfum). Gentle Formula Clarifying Night Lotion Active Ingredient: Salicylic acid (1%). Inactive Ingredients: Water (aqua), ethylhexyl palmitate, cetearyl alcohol, PPG-12/SMDI copolymer, cyclopentasiloxane, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, squalane, dicetyl phosphate, ceteth-10 phosphate, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, aleurites moluccana seed oil, retinol, sodium ascorbate, tocopherol, retinyl palmitate, ascorbic acid, PEG-180, PEG-75, PEG-8 cetyl dimethicone, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate, hexylene glycol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, propylene glycol, dimethicone, polysorbate 60, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, sodium hydroxide, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, fragrance (parfum).

Items marked with red have tested a 3 or above (out of 5) in comedogenic (pore-clogging) testing.

The list of ingredients above is provided for informational purposes only. Always check the actual product label in your possession for the most accurate ingredient information due to product changes or upgrades that may not yet be reflected on our web site.

5
33.3%
4
16.7%
3
15%
2
16.7%
1
18.3%

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September 18, 2010

Pros:

Has everything you would need to maintain a good skin care regimen like face wash/toner/moisturizer.

Does not dry out your skin and actually leaves it feelings clean and moisturized.

Cons:

Leaves your skin a bit shiny looking.

*MUST* maintain and use the product regularly.
(If you are a busy person and dont think you can maintain it. Dont use it)

Ive been using proactive gentle formula for a little over a week now and i must say that i truly do see a major difference in my pimples. It has gotten rid of a major amount of pimples i had around my jawline and forehead area. Im not too sure yet if its helping with my old acne scars but i think its a bit too early to jump to conclusions right now. So far i am very pleased at what this product has done for my acne. I also like the fact with proactive that i am not using too many different brands and companies on my face. I know that all the steps in proactive are designed to work together as a team. **My advice would be to just follow the directions and dont over use the recommended dosage. **Also i recommend buying the refining mask. They all work wonders and is like an nba allstar team =) **PLEASE MAINTAIN this routine or it may backfire. Do not get lazy and skip any of the steps. **ALSO after using the toner. YES your face and acne will turn bright red and look worse but dont worry it will go away within a few minutes. GOOD LUCK
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November 19, 2009

Pros:

Every time I stop it and try another brand I end up reordering Proactiv. Within a few days my skin improves. I am 46 and tend to still break out with terrible pimples.Proactiv has definitely eliminated this problem. Gentle formula is excellent.

Cons:

The lotion could smell nicer. The wash is fine. It's a bit pricey, but not much more than the store bought others. It does last a few months.I use it twice a day--just need a small amount with warm water.

This product has been a blessing for me. I kept breaking out with horrible/embarassing welts that lasted a week or two---even in my 40s. Proactiv calms my skin down and keeps things under control. I don't use the one with benzol peroxide because it makes my eyes swell and burns my skin. The gentle formula works extremely well for me.
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March 2, 2010

Pros:

Works quickly, moisturizes skin, doesn't "burn" face

Cons:

A little pricey, PM lotion does smell a little weird, took about 3 weeks to see a ture difference

This product works! I have had acne pretty severely since I was 13 years old and I'm 37 now. I also have very oily skin. I have been to dermatologists, seemed to have tried everything out there and spent thousands of dollars on products that made promises, but just didn't work. I decided to give this a try - I figured - Why not? I am so glad that I did. For the first time in 14 years, I feel beautiful and I don't feel as if people are looking at my breakouts - just at me. Give this a try. You really have nothing to lose. They offer a 60 day money back guarantee and they do stand by it. I tried the regular formula first and had to send it back. It was too strong for me. Their customer service was great!, refunded my money and then suggested the gentle formula. I tired it about a month later and the rest is beautiful history. :)
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28 user(s) found this helpful

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August 13, 2009

Pros:

No peeling, no red face, skin felt soft and really smooth after washing with it, very hydrating, skin has almost completely cleared

Cons:

Expensive, the night cream smells a bit odd

I've used Acne Complex in the past and the original Proactive and both of them made my skin peel to no end and I still had severe breakouts all over my cheeks. So it was flaking and pimples all at once. This gentel formula is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It cleared my skin almost completely. I get literaly maybe one zit once a month and its really small. It blew me away cause I've been struggling with this for almost 4 years now. I'm just sad that it took me so long to realize this formula was out there. Great product, I will use this for the rest of my life.
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24 user(s) found this helpful

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April 6, 2011

Pros:

had alot of great reviews

Cons:

harsh scrub
smelled

This didnt work at all. After hearing all the commercials i tried it and no such luck.
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November 11, 2016
Better than the original but company has problems
Like many here, I tried the original kit for a while. I was never really satisfied with the results but felt that at least I was doing SOMETHING as opposed to just letting acne rule/ruin my life. But I always felt that my skin was just not reacting well to the product - it felt really extremely dry all the time, no matter whether I moisturized or not, my skin always felt more inflamed especially around the breakouts and sometimes, it would make my face sting. I just learned to accept it I guess. I was reading somewhere about alternatives to proactive when I first read about salicylic acid. I honestly had no idea whether or not they had a line using that instead of benzoyl. So after more research and finding this, I got it and was immediately impressed. All of the irritation that I had had for years using the original formula was gone instantly. My skin did experience a period that I thought it was getting better but it never got all the way clear. But after seeing the change using salicylic instead of benzoyl, I had hope for the first time in years and I got more into the process. I called them to talk to them, see what they could recommend to get the clearing to stop plateauing and I was wholly unimpressed with their level of customer service. Not one seemed to really care about me - not to sound whiney. I was calling looking for direction, and all I felt was that they were ultimately trying to sell me more and more stuff I didn't need. And frankly, I didn't get the impression that the customer service people even knew anything about skin. Which seems like an essential thing at a skin care company, doesn't it?? I was in a mode and got into the research, talked to a bunch of people on forums and everyone was pretty much against proactive for varying reasons. I searched out alternatives and found a couple but man! it is hard to do this on your own. So I went with the one that had the best customer service reviews - Ninja. And I have to say, the customer service combined with their super potent product and I have finally achieved the skin I never even knew I could have. I now use their gentle cleanser in the morning and at night and then apply a layer of their Salicylic 3 before bed and then another layer in the am below my sunscreen. I have never had better skin. I am really happy I did the legwork and finally got my dream skin. Proactive is an easy choice, I think, because it is like the only name people know about these days for acne. it is plastered all over the place. But I don't think that their products are the most effective and I don't think that as a company they have your honest best interests in mind. My take at least.
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March 27, 2010

Pros:

I have use it for 3 weeks now and it does not dry my face. It gives it moisture. i helps close your pores and clean your face from acne spots. its suppose to help you heal faster also

Cons:

after the second week, its giving up on me. I have oily skin and this just makes it look worse. I feel i am drowning in oil and then i have to tap it out with a paper and maybe that is incrementing the pimples, but i am getting little pimples.

I just try almost everything out there/ I used proactive regular and it work but dry and made me red spots by irritation. I switch to gentle formula and it really help for the first two weeks. The problem is that I think is not good with oily skin and in Miami with the humidity it may make it worse. I have used it twice a day and wash my face 3 times a day. i always do this bc my oily face. I know people out here will say that -that is the reason your face is more oily, but not is my genes. anyways.. I have used in the morning and in two hours my face looks like drench in sweat I will try to stop wiping it and wait but then i see peoples growing around my temple and cheeks. very small but they could bet worse. I don't think this works on oily skin, and I am thinking of using the gentle with the normal formula. I have not saw any reviews with people with oily skin.
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February 26, 2009

Pros:

Cleared my skin, doesn't dry skin out!

Cons:

Cost, but common... all good acne stuff is pricey.

I used Proactiv the regular formula for almost two years, it SEVERELY dried me skin out so I stopped using it and began breaking out again. I heard about the Gentle formula and decided to give it a try... it is INCREDIBLE! It took about 2 weeks to clear my skin fully and since then I have only had one single break out - it keeps my skin really hydrated, and I like that the night lotion has a tingly zing to it, it kinda feels cool. So far this product has been the only thing where I didn't need another outside brand moisturizer.
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February 3, 2011

Pros:

Leaves skin feeling very smooth! does not irritate skin!

Cons:

leaves skin oily and shiny! So use a oil-free moisturizer and consider getting the daily oil control by proactive that works great!!!!

The gentle formula is a great formula! I have been using it for about 3 1/2 weeks and my skin is so much smoother and pimple free!!! However, a few red marks managed to stay behind but my skin care advisor told me to keep using it and the red marks should become lighter as I continue to use it. It takes about a month for your skin to completly clear up so don't give up on it, if the texture of your skin went from dry and lumpy to smooth and fresh then it is working you just got to give it time.
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15 user(s) found this helpful

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October 24, 2009

Pros:

Proactive Regular Formula
Works wonders on preventing acne and inflamed pimples

Cons:

Does not work too well on older pimples underneath skin

Both my teenage daughter and I are using the Proactive and it works better than anything else I've ever tried. I am in my 40s and still get hormonal or stress-related breakouts, if I don't use something to prevent them. I would give it 2 thumbs up -- make that 4 thumbs, my daughter's as well...
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13 user(s) found this helpful

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