Proactiv Acne Treatment: You Either Love It Or Ya Hate It

I started using this stuff about a year ago when I noticed that suddenly, in my twenties, my skin decided to re-live the teenage years. Also, these were not the innocent pimples that I could quickly snuff out with Clearasil, no these were meaner and fiercer than ever before, often camping out on my face for weeks! I had to do something and remembered those Proactiv pamphlets I had received back in the day, so purchased a few bottles on eBay. Following is my personal experience:

First few weeks and all my unruly blemishes seemed to disappear. I religiously used the stuff daily, though the cleanser felt like sandpaper on my skin and smelled like toilet bowl cleaner.

Proactiv then became family to me. It was part of my daily cleansing regimen until I started to think about a few things. One, what the heck was in this stuff? And most importantly, why was I still breaking out on a monthly basis? Sure, my face was clear in between, but soon my cycle of pimples renewed themselves and I began to feel like I was wasting my money. Also, at the age of 28, I decided that I shouldn't be using stuff that dries out my skin, but moisturize since soon wrinkles will be a concern.

Basically, I ditched the stuff after reading that it contains carcinogens that could cause premature aging, I switched to something all natural two months ago. I was at first concerned about going cold turkey from a product that I was so dependent on, but since I've gone "Au natural" I haven't had a breakout in over two months! The miraculous product that I now use is CSI (Cosmeceutical Sciences Institute) which is an entirely new blog.

I know many people swear by Proactiv and some positive reviews can be found here:

http://www99.epinions.com/reviews/Proactive_Solution_Renewing_Cleanser

Then I found this site that said much of the same as me and my gripes:

http://www.acne.org/proactiv-solution-reviews/91/page1.html

So is Proactiv the devil? I guess only you can decide. :)

Philosophy Miracle Worker (TM) Miraculous Anti-Aging Retinoid Pads and Solution

With each new anti-aging product, women everywhere hold their breath wondering if this could be the next big breakthrough. On the Sephora website, they claim that the new Philosophy Miracle Worker is just that. According to Sephora, this treatment is loaded with mega age-fighting ingredients such as antioxidants vitamins C and E as well as skin conditioners and smoothing agents. Results appear in as little as a week.


Users of this treatment seem to agree. On the Sephora, the product was given an average of four out of five stars, many stating that it reduced fine lines and tightened skin:
Sephora


Throughout the web, the general consensus seems to be 5 out of 5 stars. However, according to future dermatologist Nicki Zevola, her main concern is the vitamin C concentration. Though she was impressed with HPR (High Performance Retinoid) which treats collagen caused by photodamage. Overall, she gives the new product an 8/10 which can be read about here: Futurederm


So, the prospects of Philosophy Miracle Worker look good, but I guess with all anti-aging products, only time can tell. :)

Celtrixa- Is it Really a Stretch Mark Remover?

For you moms out there who didn't escape pregnancy unscathed (like me) you might be wondering about the effectiveness of those touted stretch mark creams. The one I've been interested in lately is Celtrixa which has reportedly been recommended by Tyra Banks and even Oprah herself. With that kind of endorsement, one could only hope the stuff would work.

Though various advertisements offer a free trial, I wanted to hear what other people had to say first before I got caught up into a monthly fee. So I decided to put a bid on ebay and check out the reviews.

First I stopped at the The Mom Club and was surprised to see there were not many positive comments. One poster thought the whole Celtrixa thing was a scam after using it for one month. Another mom had been using the product for seven weeks and although her stretch marks appeared softer, there were no results to report. After reading this I checked on ebay to find, somewhat relieved, that I had lost the auction.

Discouraged by these opening posts, I scoured the internet for something more encouraging. Luckily, I found a poster from Answerbag who claimed it worked. She had been using Celtrixa for three months and her stretch marks have diminished. She did add, however, that creams alone cannot completely remove stretch marks and perhaps to consider plastic surgery.

So, there's the skinny on the highly acclaimed stretch mark cream. I had difficulty finding many reviews on the stuff, so am curious if anyone else has tried it and what were your outcomes? It seems, from the posts I've read, that a person must stick with it for a long time to see any results. Would you agree?