In my quest for glowing wedding-ready skin, I treated myself to the Clinique Sonic System Cleansing Brush. I had heard great things from my friend Hannah, who told me that her skin completely cleared up, with no under the skin bumps or spots, after using the brush for only two weeks. Needless to say, my expectations were high! I don’t have particularly bad skin and have certainly never had acne, but I am prone to spots around my jawline, a bumpy forehead and an oily t-zone.
The set arrived, containing the brush, a handy cover for the brush head and the charger. As my skin had been getting oily from all the flying I was doing I also purchased a mini set of the three step system for oily skin. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it all – it was like all my Christmases had come at once – but first I had to wait for the brush to complete a full charge. So I left it and waited. 24 hours later I was good to go.
I am not the kind of person who reads instruction manuals readily, but I am glad I at least read the bit about charging the brush for 24 hours to get it going – it was well worth it because the brush has now lasted for at least a month, using it a minute a day.
Into the shower I leapt, with my brush and cleanser at the ready. I lathered the cleanser as usual, pushed the button on the brush and started to massage it over my face. At first it felt a little bit strange – I wasn’t sure how much pressure to apply or how quickly to move it and I couldn’t help but count out the seconds, which I soon realised was unnecessary as the brush turns off after 30 seconds of use (I would know this if I had read the instructions of course!) I worked it over my forehead and cheeks before angling the brush inwards to my t-zone. 30 seconds was over in a flash and I decided to go straight in for a minute – although the instructions advise you to build up to a minute or longer if your skin feels sensitive after use.
After getting out of the shower I went straight to a huge magnifying mirror to inspect my skin, expecting to see all my blemishes gone and my pores beautifully clear. Sadly, the results are not instantaneous, but I persevered using the brush once a day in the morning, for a minute at a time and a month later, my skin is noticeably a whole lot clearer. Although it took a little bit longer than the two weeks my friend promised for my skin to react, it was well worth the wait and the daily usage. It has become an effortless part of my cleansing routine and I take the brush everywhere with me. I hardly get any spots now and I definitely have fewer blackheads on my t-zone. My skin feels less oily and when I use the toner there is much less residue than before, when I was just using Clinique cleanser and my fingers.
Unfortunately, while I’ve been in London this week my brush has run out of charge and I’ve forgotten to bring my charger. BIG SAD FACE. I’ve only been not using it for four days and already I have started to collect some bumpy skin and spots around my jawline – a previously problematic area for my skin. This has given me real proof that the brush has made a huge difference to my skin and was well worth the investment. I would highly recommend it to anyone – even if you don’t have problem skin in the first place!
Pros
- The brush is really easy to use – you can do it without looking at your face and the angled bristles make it easy to use around your nose and t-zone.
- It is flexible – you can buy different brush heads for different skin types and you can choose to use it for any time between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
- Timing is not an issue – the brush automatically turns off after 30 seconds, so you always know how long you’ve been cleansing for.
- The change in my skin – results after only a couple of weeks’ use!
Cons
- The package is more money than I would usually spend on my skincare. The brush and charger retail for around £80 in the UK and replacement brush heads (recommended every three months) are £17 – £20. But it’s well worth the investment for your skin!
Clinique calls it a skin-changer and I definitely agree!
I have read some other posts about the differences between the Clinique Sonic Brush and the Clarisonic Cleansing System. I haven’t personally tried the Clarisonic, but from first glance it looks more expensive (retailing at about £99 for just the brush) and a lot bulkier – which is a con for me as I have to pack it into my suitcase often. Has anyone else used the Clarisonic brush? Would you recommend it over the Clinique brush? I’d love to hear – please comment below.
♥ JH