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. 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).
12 responses so far ↓
tammara williams // Nov 18, 2007 at 4:18 pm
proactive does not work for all people right.
ivan // Dec 8, 2007 at 12:49 am
proactiv is crap, teens now days should look at real science
go to a dermatologist, they’re licensed to reduce your skin problems, they’ll give you much more powerful medications such as differin which is a retenoid.
Jaide // Jan 7, 2008 at 11:14 am
You can get the same effects as ProActiv for $15-$20 at any drugstore, supermarket or wal mart.
First use Clean & Clear Continuous Acne Wash (the cheaper kind with benzoyl peroxide, not the Advantage stuff)
Then use Clean & Clear Daily Pore Toner
If your skin is prone to dryness, use an oil free moisturizer like Neutrogena. If you need the exfoliant, use St. Ives Apricot Scrub prior to the acne wash.
Help things along with a treatment of green tea and honey once or twice a week.
Note: NEVER use Clean & Clear Advantage! I tried this and it was wayyy too much salycilic acid and dried my skin out so much.
nate // Jan 8, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I beg to differ, Ivan.
I’ve been using proactiv for about a month and I have virtually no acne because of it. My face used to be absolutely and completely covered, so that there wasn’t a square inch without at least some acne in it-but after using proactive my acne is virtually gone.
I tried all sorts of other things. I also went to a dermatologist and I got perscribed all sorts of drugs-but they didn’t work or I got the worst headaches.
After trying the proactiv solution, my acne is gone and I feel a lot more confident in myself because of it.
Real science? I tried “real” science. Then I tried this…and which one got rid of my acne???
Hmmm…..
None // Jan 19, 2008 at 4:10 am
Proactive strips ur skin. I am a beauty therapist and it has ruined so many skins that i see everyday.
Go and see a beauty therapist before a dermatologist. its alot cheaper, if ur therapist then recomends u to go see a dermatologist then do that.
Most teens just need to be cleansing their skin correctly, and have the correct advice given to them.
Proactive is nearly as bad as using soap on ur skin. The product shouldnt even be on the market.
Design Closures » Blog Archive » The Ingredients of Proactiv // Feb 29, 2008 at 10:45 am
[...] item on the list to check out would be the Renewing Cleanser and its main pimple fighting active Proactiv ingredients are 2.5% solution of hydrogen peroxide and it also uses very fine ground apricot pits as a [...]
birdy // Mar 20, 2008 at 12:59 am
first of all, almost all store bought products like “clean and clear” have all kinds of junk in them that will make skin problems worse. these chemicals are not regulated by the fda. not that the fda really does the best job protecting us but.. whatever. do not buy ANYTHING that says “fragrance” in the ingredients. “fragrance” is not regulated by the fda so that means manufacturer’s can put whatever they like into anything and they don’t have to list it.
second, “Acne is not caused by dirt. This misconception probably comes from the fact that blackheads look like dirt stuck in the openings of pores. The black color is not dirt but simply oxidised keratin. In fact, the blockages of keratin that cause acne occur deep within the narrow follicle channel, where it is impossible to wash them away. These plugs are formed by the failure of the cells lining the duct to separate and flow to the surface in the sebum created there by the body.”
so teens just “cleansing their skin correctly” isn’t going to do a d*mn thing for acne. not all beauticians know what they’re talking about. even my hair dresser that also is an esthetician, believed my hair would grow faster if i trimmed it more often.
do yourself a favor and see a doctor.
arie // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:36 am
I had a terrible allergic reaction to Proactiv (no joke!). My allergist couldn’t figure out what ingredient it was, but something in the stuff made my eyes puff up so much I couldn’t open them. It was itchy and red and terrible.
Proactiv worked really well for a few months before I started having the reactions. Now I’m going to a dermatologist to get something that will get rid of my acne without causing other problems.
ree // Jul 17, 2008 at 9:46 pm
ew, i just looked at the ingredients, and it says “parfum”. why would any good skin care for FACE contain parfum?
sean // Jul 22, 2008 at 12:22 am
well let me tell u that ppl who make stuff like proactiv dont no what they r doing compared to doctor.Just keep ur face clean by not bieng lazy and start cleaning ur face with water twice a day.
Once in the morning ang once before u go to bed and u shouldnt have any problem
ZitFace // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:01 am
To the idiot Sean above me. You simplify things far too much. When you see people with pimples don’t judge them to be lazy and unclean because sometimes just washing your face with water isn’t enough. I wash my face regularly to no avail. (sans soap)
As for this proactive stuff. I would never buy it as it all seems far too gimmicky and contains the same active ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide of products dermatologists recommended before to me. I can’t wait to get my red itchy dry face!
There aren’t any miracle products available. I suppose accutane works but hell it makes you suicidal according to some research and probably isn’t a healthy choice at all.
Dee // Jul 30, 2008 at 10:30 am
Who ever said that proactiv works for everyone who uses lied. It is for those who can use the product everyday in order to see results. People who use proactiv atleast twice a day will be guranteed results. Your face may not be cleared completly but yopu will see a diffrence within a few days. If you don’t, others will.
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