Hmm....
Written: Mar 20 '03 (Updated Mar 28 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Moisturizing, alcohol-free, refreshing, contains botanicals.
Cons: Can be irritating and tacky. Not sure if it does all it claims.
The Bottom Line: My feelings are mixed. It's not a terrible toner, but it's not spectacular, either. It may possibly be worth a try for people who are not sensitive to AHAs.
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| pinkants's Full Review: Proactive Solution Revitalizing Toner |
Proactiv Revitalizing Toner is the second step in Proactiv's 3-step system of complementary products (it is a "Combination Therapy™ acne management system"). Thus, this is for people who have acne, mostly mild to moderate.
The toner comes in a clear, plastic cylindrical bottle with a screw-off top. The packaging is simple, with no graphics or colors except green lettering. The hole/opening of the bottle is relatively small so you can control how much you want to dab onto a cotton ball or pad.
This translucent, light-green liquid has the consistency of water with food colouring and also has a light floral scent. It contains no alcohol and supposedly removes dead cells and unplugs pores. I believe that this is achieved by the glycolic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid. I could not ascertain the validity of this claim; I still got pimples, but was that just due to the severity of my acne? My face did feel clean afterwards, which makes me believe that dead cells were removed. As for my pores, unless I had a microscope, I don't think I'll ever know if a product unclogs pores or not!
This glycolic acid is the ingredient that softens the appearance of fine lines and can reduce the appearance of brown spots. If it indeed did this, I think that the results were too subtle to be noticed.
This toner furthermore touts moisturizing abilities with botanical extracts (see ingredients below). Funny thing is, this toner also removes excess oil; however, my skin was already so dry due to Step 1 (the Renewing Cleanser), that I don't think my skin had any oil left! :) Nevertheless, my face was quite matte after usage.
After that harsh face-washing experience, I was definitely ready to drench my skin with moisture! I soaked a cotton pad and applied this toner (directions from website: Apply Revitalizing Toner to cleansed skin with cotton ball or pad, morning and night as needed. If you go outside, use a sunscreen). Hmm...not too bad. I didn't feel any artificial tingling or cooling sensations. This toner actually felt rather refreshing, which was a great relief (after all, I was quite apprehensive after my terrible experience with the cleanser).
I do believe that this toner was quite moisturizing, though my face felt just a little tacky afterwards. This may be due to the fact that this toner prepares the skin for penetration by the Repairing Lotion (Step 3). The skin is kept moist for optimal absorption, but I thought this "moistness" was sticky.
I continued to use this toner even when I dropped Steps 1 & 3 because it was not harsh. My face was hydrated yet matte after using this. However, I believe that my sensitive skin could not tolerate the AHAs too well, and it eventually became a tad irritating. Instead of being soothing and calming, it was somewhat inflaming (not severely, though). Furthermore, I am not sure if it actually does all that it asserts (namely, lightening brown spots and softening fine lines). I did not see any noticeable difference regarding brown spots (leftover from acne), nor any lessening of fine lines.
Proactiv products can only be purchased through their company. You can by this 4 fl. oz. toner for $16.00 (or $12.95 Club Price). The entire 3-step system costs $49.95 (or $39.95 Club Price), and it comes with the Renewing Cleanser, a 4 oz. bottle of the Revitalizing Toner and a 2 oz. bottle of the Repairing Lotion.
You can order by calling their toll free number (1-800-950-4695), going online (http://www.proactive.com), or by regular mail:
Proactive Solution
c/o Guthy-Renker
P.O. Box 362965
Des Moines, IA 50336-2965
There is a risk-free guarantee of up to 60 days. You can return the bottle (even empty!) for a refund, minus shipping & handling.
This moisturizing toner DOES refresh and soothe the skin; unfortunately, it was not for me because my skin didn't like the alpha hydroxy acid. I believe that this toner is adequate if used alone; I did not like it in conjunction with other Proactiv products because the combination of acid (AHA) and benzoyl peroxide was simply too harsh. Though I did not see it diminish my dark spots and fine lines, this hydrating toner is worth a try if your skin does not have a negative reaction to AHAs. It is not for people with sensitive or dry skin.
Re-cap of Features:
-2nd step of 3-step system
-light floral fragrance
-contains glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid derived from fruit
-hydrates
-refreshes
-removes excess oil
-unclogs pores
-supposedly lightens the appearance of brown spots
-supposedly lessens the appearance of fine lines
-can possibly be irritating for some people
-prepares skin for penetration of Repairing Lotion (Step 3)
-risk free guarantee
-only one venue of purchase
Ingredients:
Purified Water, Glycolic Acid (an alpha hydroxy acid), Polysorbate-20, Aloe (soothes and softens), Chamomile Extract (soothes), Rose Water, Witch Hazel Extract (skin freshener and is a light astringent that removes surface skin oils), Glycerin, Panthenol (a form of vitamin B, (moisturizes), Allantoin (derived from comfrey, helps eal skin problems and stimulates the growth of healthy tissue), Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Methyparaben, Propylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzophenone-4, Tetrasodium EDTA, FD & C Blue No. 1, FD & C Yellow No. 5.
For more information on this and other Proactiv products, please visit:
http://www.proactiv.com
For more information on acne, please try:
American Academy of Dermatology
P.O. Box 4014
Schaumburg, IL 60168-4014
(847) 330-0230
Fax: (847) 330-0050
http://www.aad.org/
National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NAMSIC)
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
301/495-4484
Fax: 301/718-6366
TTY: 301/565-2966
http://www.nih.gov/niams/
NIAMS Fast Facts -- For health information that is available 24 hours a day by fax, call 301/881-2731 from a fax machine telephone.
WebMD Health
http://www.webmd.com
Unfortunately, I was not able to find much current/up-to-date information regarding glycolic acid from reputable sources. If you know of any, please share your knowledge!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pinkants
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Member: Pink Ants
Location: ANTarctica
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me:
i'm a homeowner--yay! boston property taxes--boo!
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