DIY ProActiv

If there is anything worse than people who would capitalize (literally) on the problems of others...What do you think about this?  It's been a long time since I had to deal with acne.  I was not too troubled with it during my teen years, just the occasional zit now and then, but I remember how some kids just went through hell with the name-calling, and the loss of self-confidence, and all that.  

And we'd read in the magazines all the causes and all the cures.  Don't eat chocolate! OK, chocolate's ok, but avoid cheese at all costs.  Wash your face with hot water! Cold water! Lukewarm water!  Wash it often, no, twice a day at the most.  All the advice, and all the products.  

It worked for Katy!

I see the infomercials for this ProActiv stuff all the time.  At one of the malls near us, they have a vending machine for it - the thing is about the size of a minivan, with gigantic pictures of Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Jessica Simpson, and some other person I am not hip enough to know.  Prospective customers are to believe that these people knew the agony of  dateless Friday nights because of blemishes. 

Yeah.

Now, from all indications, ProActiv works well - well enough that they make $1.5 BILLION every year selling this stuff.  They pay out $12-15 MILLION every year in endorsements, and just signed Mr Justin Bieber to a two-year deal for a sweet 3 million semolians. But as with a lot of things, you can do the same thing at home for a lot less.

I want to pass this along to anyone who might have the need to purchase this ProActiv for 60 dollars or whatever.  It was online in Salon magazine, written by a real dermatologist, Jeffrey Benabio.  Make your own skin lotion, save on the expensive potion, and spent the difference buying Katy Perry downloads!  Here you go:

All over the counter acne treatments work by using two basic ingredients –

1. An antibiotic to kill acne-causing bacteria and 2. A peeling agent to unclog your pores.

Proactiv® is a widely popular acne kit available by mail; it’s a nice combination of washes, toners, and lotions. If you can afford it, Proactiv is an effective treatment for mild acne. Its active ingredients are 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (the antibiotic) and glycolic acid (the peeling agent).

You can recreate the same acne therapy by buying the ingredients separately. For example, if you used CVS Acne Gel ($3.99) and Aqua Glycolic Toner ($12.28) daily you are using the same active ingredients as Proactiv. The only real difference is the cost:

Proactiv: $40 to $60 (depending on the extras)

Do-it-yourself-activ: $16.28.

Over a year you could save over $250. Remember that any acne therapy only works if you are “proactive;” that is, you must use it faithfully every day for 2 to 3 months to see results.

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Then tomorrow, let's talk about ways to save money by making your own cornbread! I have the recipe for that, too.  All teenagers love cornbread, don't they?