Back in December, I shared the news that I would be taking part in a 30-day New Proactiv challenge. I was really excited to try out their new faster and gentler formula and focus on obtaining the clear skin that I always wanted. And I was pretty good for the first two weeks. Then, just before the Christmas holidays, my son fell ill with some type of bug and days later, so did my daughter. This involved a lot of TLC on my part with the occasional midnight bed change. Needless to say, I hardly felt in the mood to follow the 3-step system both in the morning and before bed. I also found it was drying out my skin so I resolved to using it only before bed after the kids had fallen asleep. I probably could have called the Proactiv Skin Care Advisors to discuss the dry skin issue I was experiencing but really, who has the time when one is busy wrapping presents, wiping noses and playing with one's iPad?

The first few weeks showed great results. My skin was smoother and felt clearer. It did a great job with those nasty blackheads, too. But in the midst of all the chaos, I resorted to... dare I say it?... popping pimples. I know what you're thinking: "Eek, gads, woman! Don't pop them!" Believe me, I am just as disgusted by it. It is SO bad because they just end up getting irritated, more infected even. And then I end up picking at them some more. My husband hates that I do it. More than I hate his nasty nail-biting habit. And I really try not to do it. But sometimes, I don't realize that I'm doing it. Or I do, but ignore it anyway. I just want to get rid of them once and for all. You catch my drift?

So, here I am, more than 30 days later, trying to figure out what to write in this post-Proactiv post. Was I being proactive by not using Proactiv as frequently? Not really. But I did enjoy clearer skin for those first few weeks. And then there was always that question in the back of my mind that made me stop and think; Is there any side effect of using a facial product containing benzoyl peroxide? The words themselves sound pretty powerful. Perhaps it's so powerful that it caused my skin to feel drier than normal. I did use the repairing lotion, which helped a bit. Yet, I wonder if I had the Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer, if that would have helped with the dryness.  Based on the following description, it sounds like a good solution.

What about you? Have you tried the New Proactiv System? How has it worked for you?