I tried my hand at the Clarisonic face brush 3 years ago, when I was in the US for my honeymoon. Tim and I stayed at my aunt’s, and she had a Clarisonic which she told me I just had to give a go. Tried it, liked it. I didn’t buy it back then, as she told me she had to order hers online, and we just didn’t have the time to wait.
A year later, even my mum bought one. She’s been raving about it for the longest time. I figured since the Aussie dollar was doing relatively well, and almost every beauty blogger’s talking about how good it is, I might as well get one for myself. Oh yeah, beauty blogging pressure right there 😛
I’m sure you’ve probably read a lot of reviews on the Clarisonic and pretty much know its function, so I’m not going to elaborate on it. Mine is the Clarisonic Plus, which also includes a built-in timer and an option for a body brush.
The built-in timer is set to 60 seconds: 20 seconds, beep, 20 seconds, beep, 10 seconds, beep, 10 seconds, stop. The first 20 seconds are for cleaning the forehead, the next 20 seconds for the nose and chin, and the final 20 seconds are for the cheeks, with 10 seconds on each one. The beeps notify you when it’s time to change zones.
Almost everyone I know uses the Clarisonic daily. Mum told me that her skin has improved significantly with daily use of the Clarisonic, and suggested I do the same. I used mine for five consecutive days, when all hell broke loose on my skin. It became extremely dry and sensitive around the cheeks. My skin started to peel all over so badly, that the only areas unaffected were my eyes.
It was terrible. My cheeks were inflamed, and the skin started to harden. I couldn’t move my face because it hurt so bad. Tiny rashes formed all over. It seemed like a bad case of eczema. I gave myself a week for the skin to calm down. If it had gotten any worse after that, I would have to consult a dermatologist.
During that period, I stopped using the Clarisonic, and only stuck to Cetaphil and Trilogy’s Sensitive Skin Ultra Calming Fluid (I can’t rave about the latter enough). In fact, I stopped using the Clarisonic for a month after that. After a week, my skin finally calmed down. Two weeks in, my skin slowly crept back to normal.
I never thought I had sensitive skin until I used the Clarisonic. I’ve never had problems with any skincare products which could give me such skin problems before. Unfortunately, after that incident with the Clarisonic, my cheeks are now quite sensitive and cannot take heavy-duty products anymore.
You’d think that it was probably just beginner’s luck that the problems came after I started using it. That’s what I thought so too, until about a couple of months ago when I started using the Clarisonic for 4 consecutive days, just to try my luck. The area around my mouth and chin became very dry and developed tiny red bumps. I had to stop using it again.
I only use the Clarisonic at the maximum of twice a week now, and never on consecutive days. I advise ladies who want to give this a try not to use it daily either. Slowly build up the pace to see if your skin can handle it. A few days in between uses, then alternate days. If your skin’s looking better than ever, then lucky you, you can use this daily.
So, did I just waste over 200 bucks on a white elephant? Sigh, I think I did. Since I’m only using this twice a week, there isn’t much difference to using a scrub. I do like to use it on days or evenings when I have quite heavy makeup on. The Clarisonic cleans the gunk off my skin so well after that. I use the body brush sometimes. It works fine, but the body brush is a battery guzzler, and requires recharging very often.
All in all, I’d say that it’s heartbreaking spending that much money on a glorified face and body scrub (for me, that is). It’s by far the most money I’ve spent on a single beauty product, and it doesn’t work as well as it should for me 🙁
I purchased the Clarisonic Plus at SkinStore.com. It retails at US$225 and US$40 for two replacement heads, including shipping. Far cheaper than getting it in Australia, for sure. If you’re interested in getting one, look out for their 20% discounts on Clarisonics, which they run quite often.
Do you have a Clarisonic? How are you finding it?
I also succumbed into the Clarisonic rave. At first I think I was expecting miracles so it wasn’t anything spectacular. Then after a few days of use, probably not even consecutive days, my forehead and between my brows were peeling. I was trying to figure out what it was when my sister suggested it was the Clarisonic. I also didn’t use it for a few days but I loved the clean feeling so I started to use it occasionally once more. Now I can actually use it everyday without skin peeling! Maybe the next time you try, don’t use it consecutive days. Every 2-3 days? X
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Heartofpearl: Yep. For sure I can’t use this on consecutive days. I guess it just sucks because for something so expensive, I’d prefer to be able to use it on a daily basis, y’know? Just to get my money’s worth? I’m such an Asian 😛
Oh dear, that was unfortunate =(
I love my Clarisonic Plus! I even did a detailed review in my blog, with before and after photos to show the 14-day results. I thought it was miraculous that I saw significant improvements on my skin in such a short span of time! I’m still using it religiously, every day and night. I use the sensitive brush head at the minimum speed, remembering not to press too hard and just let it roll. I think I’m addicted!
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Lily: Oh yeah I read your review. Good on you, that it works so well for you! I’m using the sensitive brush on the lowest speed too. Didn’t think it wouldn’t work for me as well as it did for you. Oh well 🙂
I’ve been really tempted by the Clarisonic Mia (their range of pretty colours) but I have extremely sensitive skin and I remember reading your article on how the Clarisonic stripped your skin bare put me off! Guess I’ll stick to them plain ol’ loofahs for now! 😀
Sukie: If you have really sensitive skin, then I would suggest you to stay away from this. Even though the Mia is cheaper, it is still abrasive on the skin, just like scrubs. Save the money instead for some awesome makeup 😛 😛
I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you 🙁 I got Mia in June and have been really happy with it. So far, it’s been all right one me. I did get a couple of pimples on my chin during the first two weeks but they went away very quickly and now my skin is doing and looking better. I was apprehensive at first because I suffer from redness and my cheeks are quite sensitive.
I use it on alternate evenings now. It helps clear out the gunk in my skin and enables my skincare products to absorb better. The redness and rashes have lessened too. However it does cause dryness on my cheeks every once a while and that’s when I would cut back on Mia and increase more hydrating serums / moisturisers on the affected areas.
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Lyn: I do that too. Even though I use it every 3 days, sometimes I do still get a bit of dryness around the mouth and on the cheeks. Time to cut back and slather on serums and moisturisers for a good fix.
I do still like the Clarisonic for its amazing cleansing power though. Removes every bit of gunk on my face after a long day.
Sorry to hear it wasn’t working for you, Tine. I bought a Clarisonic Mia (pink!!) a few months back when my friend went back to US so I sent it to her and she brought it back for me. I’m a lazy bum and not very religious with my cleansing routine. but this baby has been keeping my skin so smooth and I’m loving it! Even my DH tries it sometimes and love it.
Eunice: Good on you, Eunice! Tim used the Clarisonic for a while, but he didn’t like it as it made his skin dry. Then he blames me for buying such an expensive and useless tool. Tsk tsk. Well, that’s for sneaking around with my Clarisonic, ha! 😛
Awww – I did find that my skin was dryer as well if I used it consecutive days.
But did you know you can change the settings so you do a 60 sec clean rather than a 2 minute one? Maybe try it on the shorter cycle and try it with the delicate brush head – it is a lot softer than the normal brush.
Hope it doesn’t really become an expensive white elephant for too long for you.
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Lilpil: Erm, the Clarisonic does a 60 second clean, not a 2-minute one (I wouldn’t have any skin left if it was the latter :P). Unless I haven’t RTFM properly 😛
I’m using the sensitive brush head though, on the lowest setting. I think instead of doing a 60 second cleanse, I might just ignore the beeps and just cleanse for about half that time. I reckon that would work. It would also mean that I should have bought the Mia instead! *facepalm*
Interesting product, I have eyed it a few times at David Jones but I honestly don’t think I need it. People are always complimenting my skin and asking what foundation I’m wearing when I’m not wearing any, so I’m pretty happy with my skincare routine. Even if I had one, I’d be too lazy to use it cuz you have to keep it clean, lol. If I got one as a gift, I would love it but not use it very often, like you. Personally, I wouldn’t want to spend my own money on one. Great post! Love the honesty 🙂
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Rin: There ya go, money saved. Now go buy some Chanel 😛
Seriously though, if you’re happy with your skincare routine and have good skin to begin with, stick with it 🙂
I caved in and got the Mia by piggybacking on a friend who was in the States last year. I’ve always had problems with congested skin and enlarged pores and had high hopes for this. Sadly it didn’t do anything much, my skin remained the same, no better, no worse. I do find that it aggravates my skin when I’m suffering bouts of breakouts though. I haven’t been using it in a couple months since I can’t justify spending 40sgd on a new brush head, so it’s just sitting on my bathroom shelf for now.
Lynne: Oh no, white elephant! 🙁 Mine has sadly, due to space constraints, been relegated to the cabinet below the sink. Even though I do use it twice a week, sometimes I forget it’s even there, and I don’t use it. It just didn’t do wonders to my skin (like it did most people) to warrant a spot on my sink. Sigh.
I have read quite a few negative opinions on Clarisonic, looks like they need to create a brush which is more gentle or work on the third, slow speed to build in there. I am sorry to hear that it damages your skin so bad, I would be frustrated too. Mine works great for me, it literally saved my skin, my best investment so far. But your skin is good so probably you do not even need that much exfoliation. Alot of ladies that I read use only acid or enzyme pepeelings, no scrubs. They say any scrub make their skin irritated.
omg i said “pepeelings” -)
Headsolight: Good to know that it has worked so well for you. I was just hoping for that “bright, smooth skin” like what my mum, auntie and friends raved about with the Clarisonic. They got it, I didn’t. Oh well. I’ll just stick to peels and the occasional cleanse with the tool from now on.
PS: LOL on pepeelings 😛
I haven’t caved in to Clarisonic and probably wouldn’t. The only areas I want to use a brush on is my nose and chin area but an electric toothbrush can do the job too. I know many said that not pressing hard, etc, helped their skin but I still don’t think this tool should be used daily really cos daily exfoliating is too much.
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Sesame: You’re right, an electric toothbrush would do exactly the same job if it’s just for a small area to cleanse. I’d mostly need it for my T-zone anyway. Why didn’t I think of that?!
Oh no, I am so sorry you have to go through all these! thanks for sharing, I am using the inexpensive version SkinSonic at the moment and thank goodness I didn’t go through what you’ve been through!
I chuckled at the glorified face and body scrub term, coz it’s true 😀
Nikki: The term is so true for me, Nikki. It’s a friggin’ expensive glorified face and body scrub! 😛
awww bummer! too bad it broke you out, just like ParisB.
I have been using it for about 3 weeks now (almost consecutively) and I have not used any scrub on my own till 2 days ago. Overall, I am not sure if it helps my skincare to absorb better now, but the most obvious result has to be the smoother surface. my face usually gets congested almost the next day after a facial, and it has been smooth since i started and i have not gone for any extraction for about 2 months already!
Xin: My mum’s beauty therapist at Kanebo commented about how glowy and smooth her skin’s been. And you know how rare that is to come out from someone working at a Malaysian beauty salon/counter, since they’re always trying to find fault somewhere so that you’ll spend more money.
Good for you that it works! 🙂
I’ve been wanting one too! But it sells for about SGD375 here and is wayyyyyy beyond my disposable income. I’ve read horror stories like yours too and that’s another thing that’s keeping me away. But at the same time, so many people LOVE it!
Bun Bun: PHWOAR! That’s expensive! Then again, that was the starting price here too, because they dropped it to about AU$300. Still expensive in my books 🙁
I think using it daily is the issue. This is a very powerful exfoliation tool and as such daily is very tough on the skin. Exfoliation is great for the skin daily if it is a very gentle process which a machine is not. ( as you discovered the painful way) I have Exfoliation Cloths that I sell and I advise people to only use 2 times a week or they risk rubbing their skin red raw and this is not desired. Use the Brush 2 times a week at most and then lavish creams in your skin. For those that have not used Exfoliators of any sort the key is to start off slowly – very slow and build up. I enjoy reading this blogg each day, its fun and informative for so many! Congratulations on your writing. cheers Jill
Jill: I do agree, it IS a powerful exfoliation tool, regardless of the brush used. I’m using the Sensitive brush, which is supposed to be very gentle, but it still gave me problems. At the end of the day, I reckon it was the daily use that created havoc on my skin. It just couldn’t take the daily abrasion.
Oh dear you are the second person who said the Clarisonic caused dryness and peeling (beauty youtuber mrdizzybubbles has almost exactly the same sentiments as you!) which is very unusual because this product seems to work for many people. Apparently the mia is better than the regular one or the plus version. I love my mia and use it once a day — at night to remove all the gunk. I think it has definitely improved my skin. I did experience breakouts in the first week of using the mia but after pushing on, my skin just became smoother, pores less clogged… But even with the mia, I still like using a gel exfoliator to follow up sometimes as I feel it may not get rid of really stubborn dead skin cells.
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Astrorainfall: Aww man. The more I thought of it, the more I was thinking I should have gotten the Mia instead of the Plus. I thought might as well get the one for the body as well. Well guess what, I’m barely using either. *facepalm*
Good for you that it works swell 🙂
I just happended to found your blog today (ehem, so late ah? :-)) and just browsing over ur old posts. Found this one bout clarisonic. And yesss, i had the same problem (its severe case of breakouts) I spent rm500 for clarisonic mia (a friend bought for me from the states) but my skin goes crazy after using it. Wish i read ur post earlier….
Aisyah: Haha better late than never 😉
I wouldn’t recommend using it daily, perhaps 2-3 times a week? Any more than that, and my skin will scream bloody murder 😛
I just purchased the Clairisonic Mia 2. After about a week, I noticed small bumps by my mouth. I phoned the department store and they told me to use a clay mask twice a week and to exfoliate as well. I thought the purpose of the product was one stop cleansing? Guess not… My issue is not bad but this is annoying.
Woahh that’s very strong! A clay mask AND the Clarisonic? That’s exfoliation overkill! I wouldn’t recommend it at all. Try reducing the frequency of use? The bumps on my skin and very dry patches appeared after I used it after 5 consecutive days. It was just too much for my skin.
Good luck!