Clarisonic: Worth the price?
My beauty regimen would fall into the "low-maintenance" category. Don't get me wrong, I HAVE a regimen...but I tend to keep it simple and stick with the basics. I DO believe in getting facials every six to eight weeks or once every season, at the very least. And, I DO believe in investing in a good skin care line that is made of good ingredients, helps with anti-aging and protects against free-radicals.
However, when it comes to buying a lot of different gadgets, that is not me. So, when my aesthetician recommended I try the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush, you could say I was skeptical. What convinced me, however, was one simple thing: It was touted as being a great makeup remover. For years, I found that unless I washed my face with a washcloth, I didn't get all of the make-up residue off my face...and that was frustrating. So, I made the $200 investment and brought home my new shiny Pro-Model brush, eager to find out if it worked. Here is the scoop: What it is... Developed by the same people who developed Sonic Care Toothbrushes, the Clarisonic Cleansing System uses a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second to clean your skin. Specifics The Clarisonic system comes in four types - Mia, Classic, Plus and Pro. Here is a comparison:
MIA: $149; for on the go or at home - 1 speed
Classic: $195; Original system - 2 speeds
PLUS: $225 - $250; LiFor Face and body - 3 speeds
Pro: $195/$225; Sold by Skin care Pros - 4 speeds
Additionally, there are four types of brushes you can use:
Normal: For normal skin, shaving prep and use on body.
Sensitive: For sensitive to normal skin types.
Delicate: Ultra-soft brush for delicate or extra-sensitive skin.
Spot Therapy: For cleansing areas of the body needing extra care and attention, including the décolleté, hands, arms, elbows and feet. Works with Clarisonic PLUS and PRO models.
And lastly, they sell cleansers and skin-care products that you can use with the Clarisonic. Benefits Here are the benefits that Clarisonic claims it provides and how I thought it stacked up against its claims:
Removes 6x more makeup than manual cleansing: TRUE. Although I can't measure "6x," I definitely get all of the makeup off of my skin, without the need for rough and irritating washclothes.
Leaves skin feeling and looking smoother: TRUE. Be sure to use the right brush for your type of skin so you don't overdry!
Products absorb better: TRUE. Because dry patches are diminished, I find that my products smooth on more easily.
Gentle for use 2x daily: TRUE. If you have sensitive or delicate skin, however, you MUST use the right brushes. Using Clarisonic twice a day with the wrong brush may irritate your skin.
Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes: PARTIALLY TRUE. I have combination skin, and although I have found that my skin is smoother and that dry patches have diminished, I would not say that my oily areas have reduced.
Helps reduce appearance of visible pores: PARTIALLY TRUE. Again, texture is improved, but in certain areas (chin), I have not seen diminished pores. In other areas (nose), I have.
Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles: PARTIALLY TRUE. I would argue that Clarisonic makes a difference with fine lines, but not with deep wrinkles.
Overall Review I HIGHLY recommend using the Clarisonic as part of your beauty and skin care regimen. A few points, however:
Make sure you purchase the right brushes for your skin type. This is very important in ensuring you don't irritate your skin.
Don't buy their cleansers. Frankly, you can use your own cleanser and their products contain ingredients that I recommend you avoid.
Purchase the model you think you will most benefit. There is no need to buy the most expensive model. The technology is the same...and if you are a simple person (like me), you most likely won't use the extra bells and whistles of the Plus or Pro models.
Where Can you Buy? Clarisonic at Beauty.com
CLARISONIC Skin Care Brush Limited Edition Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness + 2 oz Cleanser
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