Obagi RX Balancing Toner

I used the Obagi system from June until I couldn't stand it anymore in November. Yes, the system lightened sun spots and freckles, but it turns out that the face wash and toner parts of the system are loaded up w/methylparaben, a waxy substance (taken from a gum type rubber tree) that builds up on the skin's surface so that the skin doesn't exfoliate and it's top layers remain for the bleaching process to work. Unfortunately, studies indicate that methylparaben applied on the skin may react with UVBs, leading to increased skin aging and DNA damage. Obagi compensates for this fact by including an Obagi SPF50 which is uncomfortably thick (on top of the already thick, greasy layering of the cleanser and toner and topped w/vitaminA oil and hydroquinone bleach) and mask-like. I live in a relatively high humidity region (San Fransisco Bay Area) so summer was a form of torture w/all that crap on my face, but I sucked it up in the name of youth until about 3 months in, about 10 days aftr starting my 2nd bottle of toner. I started to notice how huge my pores were getting! I compared the labels and did some research, and quit using the cleanser. my face felt awesome right after my shower but then I'd put on the toner. Even if I didn't put on the next step (the actual "active" ingredient that was bleaching my skin) my skin was a greasy mess within 30 minutes! My pores kept getting bigger and bigger, my skin, more and more oily. My skin has always been dry w/an oily Tzone, now my skin felt disgusting and I was starting to look like a wax figure from Toussauds! Also, my skin was lighter, sun spots were gone but I looked unhealthy and greasy and pale. When I could no longer bring myself to apply the toner I knew it was over for me and Obagi. I did more research and found that the best thing to do was use retynol. I went w/over the counter (ROC) to start and for the first week it was like I was shedding w/every application. After the 3rd day my freckles and sunspots were back, but my pores no longer looked like I could drive a Buick thru them AND i could touch my face without feeling nauseous! A week later my natural skin tone was back and my boyfriend told me he was glad to "see the old me" and that he wasn't going to say anything because he knew I spent a lot of time (like, it's a 20 minute ordeal to put on all the layers)/money(300+ dollars) on the Obagi system, but that I looked like I was walking around w/a terminal illness all summer and it was freaking him out. Just now- Xmastime!-I'm getting my normal sized pores back. BTW-the retynol works!