Proactiv in Australia (Guthy Renker)

Well I am still using Proactiv ... it has been over a year since I started on the product, and I must say, I am addicted.  I would be too afraid to go back to a standard cleanser.  My skin still isn't 100%, but it is remarkably better.  I get very little pimples, and those that do surface tend to occur during my menstrual cycle and are only small.  I do however still have a significant problem with blackheads and open pores.  I haven't found the Proactiv products to be of any use for those problems, but with pimples, it's a fab product.

I had a problem with the company itself (Guthy Renker) a few weeks ago.  Periodically they ring to see how things are going with the product, and to upsell/cross sell.  I personally don't mind that, but I don't like it when they ring during work hours, so I informed the rep that it wasn't a convenient time to speak, and to call me back after hours. 

Several weeks later they did call back, but again rang during work hours. After the rep's opening spiel I reminded him that I asked not to be called during work hours.  I waited a while for the representative to respond to what I had said, but he just sat there in silence.  I then had to ask "are you still there?", to which he replied 'yes'.  I then asked if he had heard what I had just said, and again his answer was just 'yes'. By now I was becoming irate, and I prompted him for a response to what I had said about not ringing me during work hours.   His response was that I never told him personally not to ring during work hours!!!!  Very unprofessional!  I reminded him that he was a representative of the company, and that I shouldn't have to tell him personally not to ring me during work hours.  I then asked what he was going to do in order to prevent it from happening again.  He said something along the lines of "I have had nothing to do with your account, I know nothing about your account. I'll take you off our list so you don't get a call again" and then he hung up in my face!!!

Quite rude and unprofessional.  I was very annoyed after the call, so I sent a letter of complaint to Guthy Renker.  The very next day I received a call from the Customer Service Manager. He had listened to the phone call which had been taped, and was extremely apologetic.  He spoke with the representative, and informed me that he believed it was wrong of the representative to handle the call in the way he did, and he also put into action a process at Guthy Renker to ensure that the notes on a customer's account (such as the note to say not to ring me during work hours) get transferred from representative to representative when there is a change of account manager (there was some technical glitch that prevented that from happening in the first place).

The Customer Service Manager also then sent me out a complimentary cleanser, toner and soap to apologise for the incident.

Whilst the initial phone call from the representative was rude and unprofessional, I was very very pleased with the way my subsequent complaint was handled by the Customer Service Manager.   He is an asset to the company, is professional, and is very customer-focused.

I am now a happy customer again!

Many months later!

Well have been using Proactiv for quite some time now, months in fact.  The end result is that it works wonders on pimples, but does nothing for blackheads.

At the moment I am using the Proactiv cleanser every morning, followed by the Proactiv toner, followed by the Proactiv Daily Oil Control and lastly followed by a Clarins moisturiser.  At night I use a totally different cleanser (usually SKII) and I use the Proactiv Clarifying Night Cream.  Once, sometimes twice a week, I use the Proactiv repairing lotion.  I can't use it more frequently than that because it burns my skin if I do, I react badly to too much of the Benzoyl Peroxide.  I think I have found the right balance with my current routine though.

One thing I have noticed though, is that I can no longer use a liquid foundation.  The reason for that is that as wonderful as Proactiv is on pimples, it does cause your skin to dry out ... so I am constantly finding skin peeling off my nose.   It's not always noticeable that my skin is peeling ...  that is until I apply a liquid foundation, and then the foundation just highlights it and it looks absolutely dreadful.  It's then both very obvious that my skin is peeling and it's also equally obvious that I am wearing a liquid foundation ... so it becomes a double whammy.  Thus, I have now changed to a bare mineral powder base.  I'm finding that better anyway because it looks more natural, it doesn't show that my skin is peeling, it is easy to reapply and it also helps to counter the fact that I have oily skin.  Liquid makeup seems to just exacerbate the oily look of my skin by mid afternoon.

All that said, I am currently on holidays in Palm Cove.  Because Proactiv makes my skin burn in the sun faster, I chose not to bring any Proactiv products with me.  I am just using some normal cleansers and moisturisers this week.   WELL .... have I had breakout central!  For the past 2 days, my acne has returned.  Now I can't say 100% that it is because I am not using Proactiv.  It may well be, but I can't be certain.  As I am out in the sun every day during this holiday, I am wearing a lot of greasy sunscreen on my face.  It's also very warm up here at the moment and I am perspiring ... so it may be the sunscreen that has brought out my acne, it may be the lack of Proactiv use, or more than likely, it's a combination of both of those things.

Regardless, I cannot wait to return to Sydney and start using Proactiv again just to make my skin go back to what it was pre-holiday.

Day 55 of Proactiv Trial

My skin is looking smooth today, but still a little red!  Am still awaiting delivery of my additional Proactiv products though - would have expected them to have arrived by now.

Day 54 of Proactiv Trial

A long sleepless night last night.  My skin has reacted, my eyes are puffy, my skin is red and my neck is itchy.   I put vaseline on my eyes before I used the product and it seems to have minimised the damage but didn't prevent it altogether.

I really can't pick when and why this happens.  Sometimes I have no reaction at all to the products, while other days it is painful.  It is such a shame because the products have definitely improved my skin from an acne perspective.

Day 53 of Proactiv Trial

Still using the products once or twice a week. Tonight I used the cleanser, toner, repairing lotion and mask ... so here's hoping for a good night tonight and no repercussions in the morning.  Fortunately I have no face to face meetings until Wed, so no dramas if I do react.

Still waiting for my shipment of new products.

Day 51 of Proactiv Trial

Was too busy to post yesterday, but I used the cleanser and face mask last night.  All good today.  I actually forgot to put vaseline around my eye area, but don't seem to have any problems which is great, considering I am running a training course all day tomorrow.

I have some more of the product,  just the cleanser and this time some of their green tea moisturiser, so that should arrive soon.

Day 49 of Proactiv Trial

Skin is still looking ok, although a little pimple popped up today!  I have an interview tomorrow so will be back on the products tomorrow night.