What is the Clarisonic Mia 2?
It is a cleansing system devised for your face that uses sonic technology to thoroughly clean your face better than just washing with your hands. The Mia 2 is meant to be a lightweight version that you can take easily on the go! It has two speeds, as well as a 1-minute T-zone timer (20 seconds for your forehead, 20 seconds for your chin/nose, 10 seconds for each cheek). From the clarisonic website: "Unlike spinning devices, our patented sonic technology works with skin’s natural elasticity, oscillating at a sonic frequency that produces over 300 movements per second. The resulting flexing action works to loosen dirt and oil, removing deep-seated impurities from pores and priming skin to better absorb topical treatments."
How much is the Clarisonic Mia 2?
Definitely the priciest thing I've gotten for my skin. It retails for about $150 in stores, but you can shop around online for better deals. I got mine on eBay for $92, but beware of fakes!!! Mine came with the warranty, extra brush head (so 2 total), traveling case and registration. And yes, it is authentic. Ebay has a whole post on fake Clarisonics.
How do you use it?
I wet my face and then apply my facewash to my face (you can also apply it directly on the brush, but I feel like applying it to my face spreads it out more evenly). You wet the brush head, press the on bottom with whichever speed you prefer (I do the low setting) and you go to town! As mentioned earlier it has a 1-minute timer. I start with 20 seconds on my forehead, moving in small circular motions. Then it buzzes twice and I move on to my chin for another 20 seconds. Same motions. After two more buzzes I move to one cheek for 10 seconds. Bzz Bzz. Ok, other cheek for 10 seconds. Honestly, I don't really do my nose that much. I'll go over it for about 2 seconds but that's it.
First Impressions:
I first used this in my shower. It is waterproof (duh) so the entire system can get wet. Just make sure you let it dry thoroughly after each use, you don't want mildew! My first thought was, "How in the world will I use this odd device without looking in the mirror?" I know, weird. I survived with no mirror and just went by feel...I mean I know where my face is.
My second thought was, "Oh my God...I only have one minute to clean my entire face, what happens if I don't change spots quick enough, or if I don't finish the entire area in the time allotted?!" Well...it happened. I took too much time in certain areas and when it buzzed at me to change spots I had to cheat on the time a bit. I'm sure with enough use I'll get used to it, but for now I count along with the system to make sure I get to everything in time.
My third thought was, "What if I press too hard? I know I'm only supposed to hold it to my face with no pressure, but what if I apply pressure? What if I'm not holding it at the right angle?" So many worries...I think I did press too hard the first time. Literally, you just hold it to your face so it's sitting there, no pressure added. Lesson learned!
My next thought was, "This feels scratchier than I thought it would." Yes, it does feel a bit scratchy, even using the sensitive brush head. But then again, what did I expect? I'm brushing my face with a vibrating device, it won't feel like rubbing fluffy bunnies all over my face. It didn't hurt, but it was more abrasive than I thought it would be.
After inspecting my face when I got out of my shower there were a few things that I noticed:
- My acne was inflamed and much more red than before. My face gets more red after I wash it, no matter what, but it was worse with this. It did fade quickly though.
- My skin felt much softer than it did before, just after one use.
- My skin didn't feel as tight as it was feeling with the PTR face wash. It still was tight, but not as intense, if that makes sense.
First impression thoughts: Ok, I'll give this a go for a while.
Fast forward to today. I've now used this 9 times. I use it once a day, in the evenings. My face definitely feels a lot softer and smoother. My acne has started to go down (although I'll credit this to the PTR kit for now). I had 10-12 flesh colored bumps on my left cheek before I started using this, and now they're all gone! I don't think my face can handle twice a day, maybe with the luxe cashmere brush which I really want to try. I am worried that there will be "the purge period," where your face gets worse before it gets better. It doesn't happen for everyone, but with my luck it would happen to me. But we'll see how it goes. I'll use it for at least a few months and if I don't like it after that amount of time...well, there's always eBay. I'll keep you updated though! (:
I have to admit, besides my ridiculous face my skin looks decent here. As do my eyebrows, which I've been trying to grow out for several months now (they were so sparse before!)
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