Thursday, June 7, 2012

Clarisonic Mia: My First Impressions

*Image from clarisonic.com*





Hello Lovelies! Today I wanted to talk to you about my first impressions with using my new Clarisonic Mia! As some of you might know, I was given my Clarisonic Mia in Turquoise as a gift from my boyfriend. I have been using it off and on (I will get into that) for about a week now, and I wanted to share with you my experiences so far!


I have to start off by saying that my Mia & I had a bumpy start to our relationship. I should mention that when you purchase a Clarisonic Mia, the standard brush head it comes with is the sensitive skin version. I have sensitive skin, so I thought this would be my ideal brush head.  Of course when it first arrived in the mail, I was beyond excited & couldn't wait to try it out. That first night, after I removed all my makeup, I followed the instructions & applied cleanser to my face, wet the brush & began gently massaging the Clarisonic over my face in small circular motions.  My first thought was "wow that's scratchy" however, I figured that was just how it is meant to be in order to properly clean deep down into your pores & gently exfoliate the skin. So, I continued massaging it gently over my face until the 1 minute buzzer went off. Once I had washed my cleanser off, I noticed that my cheeks looked a little flushed & irritated. I applied my nightly serum & cream and climbed into bed. About 20 minutes later though, my cheeks were starting to feel even more irritated. The skin just felt raw & slightly painful, almost the same feeling you get after a bad sunburn. I didn't think much of it at the time though, and applied another layer of moisturizer to my cheeks & went to bed.

The next night I repeated the same cleansing steps with the Clarisonic & applied my serum & moisturizer. By this point the skin on my cheekbones was feeling noticeably raw & irritated. I was disturbed to notice that in the mirror my skin looked blotchy, red, irritated, & just all around unhappy.

I was crushed! After months of reading glowing reviews for the Clarisonic, I was so disappointed to think that it just might not be suitable for my sensitive skin. However, I was determined to make it work for me! So, after doing a little research, I came across a few people online speaking about how raw their face felt after using the sensitive brush head (check!), and how the delicate brush head (a step down) had been a godsend & had saved them from having to return their Clarisonic all together! So, the next day off to Nordstroms I ran & picked up a replacement brush head in the delicate version. Immediately upon feeling the delicate brush head on display, I noticed a distinct difference compared to the sensitive brush head. I honestly don't understand how a brush head that scratchy & rough can be marketed towards sensitive skin!

That night, armed with my new delicate brush head, I gave my Clarisonic Mia one last chance. Finally, I could see what everyone had been raving about with the Clarisonic system! After cleansing with the brush, my skin felt so smooth and just deeply clean. Also, I noticed my serum & moisturizer absorbed easily, instead of just sitting on top of my skin.





Now, about a week into my journey with my Clarisonic Mia, I am happy to say I am loving it.  I love to think that I am doing something good for my skin every night when I reach for it. I have noticed a few extra pimples this week, but from what I read this is normal when you first start using the Clarisonic cleansing system. As is the case with many acne systems, your skin may go through a "purging" phase where all the gunk that was trapped deep in your pores comes to the surface. I'm hoping my skin will clear up within a week or so. I haven't noticed any other drastic changes in the condition of my skin, good or bad. However, it is important to keep in mind that skin care products don't normally work overnight. It can often take weeks to see the results of a new skin care regime.

I have been using my go-to cleanser, Origin's A  Perfect World, with my Clarisonic Mia. Although I feel these two products work fine together, I actually think the Origins cleanser might be a little too creamy to use with the Clarisonic system. I have a feeling more foamy, gel-type cleansers might be better suited to use with this facial brush. I am planning on picking up the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap to use with the Clarisonic system. I remember this cleanser being foamy, refreshing & gentle when I used it a few years ago.

If you are considering purchasing a Clarisonic and have sensitive skin, I highly recommend you look into the delicate brush head. This brush head essentially saved my poor little Clarisonic from being shipped back to the store.

I plan on updating you on the state of my skin as I keep using the Clarisonic face brush. I really hope to see the miraculous effects everyone claims to experience!



Do you use the Clarisonic cleansing system? What have your experiences with it been?




Lots of Love,

Louise






18 comments:

  1. I had the same experience!! My first time using it my skin was beet red! But it only happened once but it was a bit scratchy. I switched to the delicate brush head and love it so much more! Also I use the Philosophy Purity on mine and it's amazing for it!:)

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    1. Oh good! It's nice to know someone else had the same experience! I was actually trying to decide between the Philosophy Purity or the Clinique face wash. I'm a little scared to try out the Philosophy face wash though bc/ it isn't oil free & I'm afraid it will break me out :/

      Have you noticed any big differences in your skin since using your Clarisonic?

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  2. I really want to get a Clarisonic, and it's refreshing to see a review from someone who did struggle with it at first. I hope it works out in the end!

    I've heard the Aesop Parsley Seed cleanser is really good with it, I use it on it's own and I love it. It's got loads of good, natural products in it for your skin! Unlike Philosophy's cleanser (:

    Zoe xx
    http://toujourszweee.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. Thanks for the cleanser recommendation! Will have to check that out- I love more natural products :)

      I was honestly pretty surprised w/my initial experiences w/the Clarisonic. I love it now with the delicate brush, but I just never expected to have a hard time w/it b/c I have yet to come across a single bad review about the Clarisonic. Everyone just raves about it!

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  3. I've been Using My clarisonic since January and also had the same doubts and considered returning It but am so happy I kept it! My skin def went thru the purging stage but was resolved within the month and now I can tell a difference if I don't use it for more than a few days!

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    1. Oh good! I'm really glad to hear that your skin got better after continued use! I just really want to get through the initial stage, and start seeing the positive results!

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  4. this is relatable, I have been not sure of it bec everyone said it makes you breakout!

    http://navlandstyle.blogspot.ca/

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    1. Hi Nav! Thanks for the comment! From what I've heard the Clarisonic does make a lot of people break out in the very beginning but then your skin should clear up

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  5. I'm saving up for a Clarisonic Mia so I'm really grateful for this post, thank you. I think I would have been in a panic if I were in your shoes so well done on staying calm and doing some research :D xx

    http://confessionsofasecretshopper.blogspot.com

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  6. I've been dying to get it, but unfortunately sephora won't ship it to me because there is some sort of shipping restriction. :( once I actually go to a sephora I hope to pick one up!

    Blush Bug

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  7. I have had the EXACT experience I have to go on and off using it so a month I will use it once a week to prevent fearful dry skin take a month off and repeat works best for me!
    xo,
    http://missmelissafashionandbeautyblog.blogspot.com/

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  8. I really like the idea of a clarisonic and want to try it myself to see if it is as good as many people claim, but it's a lot to dish out just to try something xo

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    1. I agree, it is a lot of money for one item. I honestly would still be deciding whether or not to purchase one if I hadn't been given it as a gift- now that I have it though, I can't imagine my nightly skin care routine without it!

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  9. i am literally obsessed with this gadget! everyone needs one...it is worth the price. i am a new follower:) love your blog!!


    rainaroma.blogspot.com

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    1. I agree! I've grown so attached to my Clarisonic! Thank you so much for following & for your sweet comment <3

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  10. I just used my Mia 2 today for the first time and my cheeks are soooooo red, raw, and painful!!! I felt so bad - especially after spending that much money on it! I called Sephora for help, and the lady was not nice to me at all. So in despair, I started googling and came across your blog!

    I'm definitely going to try a delicate brush head.... hopefully that will fix it!

    Selina

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  11. I've been Using My clarisonic since January and additionally had the same questions and recognized returning It yet am so joyful I kept it! My skin def went thru the cleansing stage however was determined inside the month and now I can tell a contrast assuming that I don't utilize it for more than a couple of days! clarisonic coupon

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  12. Thank you so much! That did the trick, you saved me more endless hours of searching for a fix.




    Best Facial Cleanser for Women

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