It's been over a month since Zara and I started testing the Clarisonic - the revolutionary skincare gadget that uses sonicare technology to deep-clean your skin in just sixty seconds; its tiny bristles oscillating so fast you need UV light to see them move.
As we have different skin types, we've each used a different brush type and cleansing product to test the device, and I'm going to kick off with a review of how the Clarisonic works on dry sensitive skin.
Read on for my verdict...
Related: The Clarisonic launches in the UK (finally!)
As a dry/sensitive skin sufferer, you're probably looking at the picture of the bristly device with some trepidation, much as I was when I first saw it. Everything we're taught about skincare pushes us towards gentle cleaning products and techniques, so we tend to go for soft, fluffy sponges and wipes - avoiding anything that looks at all abrasive. So I was extremely cautious about using the Clarisonic on my skin: it looked scratchy.
Needless to say I was wrong about the scratchiness, as the brushes (even the 'standard' ones) are incredibly soft, made up from fine fibres that softly massage dirt from the pores. There is no scratching or abrasion involved at all - or any that does occur is far less traumatic to the skin as, say, an exfoliating cream. In this respect the Clarisonic is a great choice for dry/sensitive skins that need a bit of exfoliating to brighten and thoroughly clean the skin, but that react badly to facial scrubs. This is because there is no scrubbing involved, but the same benefits are achieved.
Is it OK for sensitive skin?
Using the sensitive brush you'll get the best results from the Clarisonic, and after using it for only a week I already started to feel a difference. The first effect I felt was a reduction in the number of bumps and irregularities I could feel when I stroked the side of my cheek: it was a similar effect to touching a fingernail that had been buffed and polished, when that same nail had previously been full of bumps and ridges. And despite my initial fears, there were no signs of abrasion or feelings of dryness when I used the sensitive brush and slow setting. I did experiment with the faster setting and 'normal' brushes - which, for me, resulted in some redness and a bit of a dry sensation, but even this was less pronounced then with normal scrubbing or flannel use.
Spot check
Visually, I started to notice a difference after a couple of weeks. The small blemishes I tend to get around my mouth and eyes were visibly reduced, and I could instead see clear, healthy looking pores. The real difference didn't come till my skincare D-Day (my period!) when I invariably get what my mother creatively refers to as "period spots": I've had these since being a teenager and they're now an accepted fact of life. This month, however, I didn't get any such spots, noticing instead that I had just one small area of redness around the location where the spots usually surface. I was pretty satisfied that the Clarisonic - the only major change in my skincare routine - was responsible for this improvement, and can only assume that the removal of any excess dirt had simply created a less spot-prone environment, which held off a hormone-induced outbreak I'd normally expect.
Skincare for the lazy!
The best thing about the Clarisonic for me, however, is its ease of use. I have never kept up a regular skincare regime, finding the entire process unbearably dull. The Clarisonic makes it easier even than pre-soaked wipes, as you can rely on it to remove all dirt and the entire process takes just sixty seconds. The device holds a charge for up to 30 uses too, so you don't even need to worry too much about the minor inconvenience of charging it.
I heard my Clarisonic!
The Clarisonic, Clarisonic Plus and associated brushes are available to buy in the UK from Space NK
