VA Review: Clarisonic Skincare Brush

I have bad skin.

There, I said it. I have acne like a middle school kid. Ironic, isn't it? I didn't have bad acne problems during my "ugly/awkward stage", but I do now. So, I have spent lots of time and lots of money trying to correct the problems I have with acne.

Of course, acne is pretty basic. Dirt, oils, and bacteria get into the pores and cause bumps on our faces. So, a simple solution to dealing with acne is to start with getting a really clean face. When doing some research, I started reading a lot about the Clarisonic skincare system. But, the price of the "machine" always kept me away.

When I really thought about it, I realized that I spent way more than 200 dollars per year on cleansers, creams, exfoliators, and whatever is new and trendy in the acne realm. So one day, I marched into Sephora, picked up the box, and ran directly over to the counter so I wouldn't freak out and not buy it. (Though, I did decide to buy the pink one because they donate proceeds to breast cancer research)

200 dollars later, I was the newest owner of the Clarisonic skincare brush. It had to charge for 24 hours (Why do companies do that? It's just mean) and once it was fully juiced, I tried it out.

The brush has a center section that pulsates and when moved in small circles, with a small outer circle that acts as a "splash guard" so the cleansers don't fly all over the place. It's timed, with a choice between a 1 minute or a 2 minute session. The directions state that you start with the forehead, move to chin and mouth, and then each cheek. The brush pauses and beeps when you're supposed to move to the next section.

It came with 3 different cleansers (non-foaming) and I picked one to try out for the first time.

My oh my... this thing is amazing. First, when was the last time you washed your face for 1 full minute? (Much less, 2 minutes?) After the first time, I could tell my face was clean. In fact, I had washed my face the night before and that morning and I could still see makeup that was removed on the brush head. It was like my face had never been cleaned before!

I started using it twice a day, every day, and my skin started looking really great - my moisturizers went on well, my toners did what they were supposed to, makeup went on better, I was amazed at the results.

Having my Clarisonic forces me to spend time washing my face. It can be used with any cleanser, but non-foaming cleansers work best. (Note: I have used it with foaming cleansers, and they work fine, they just foam up A LOT because of the pulsing) It's waterproof, so it can be used in the shower and it travels really easy. I have to charge it about once every 3 weeks, so it lasts a really long time.

VA Rating: 9

It doesn't get a 10 because of the $200+ price tag, but it did clear my skin up. My skin isn't completely free of acne problems, but I have seen a noticeable difference in the quality of my skin. If you want a spa-like treatment on your face every day, get the Clarisonic. Though, after about 2 weeks of using it, I did have a crazy break out, but I'm going to say that's because it pulled up a bunch of really deep dirt and oils.

So, I definitely recommend. But, notify your family/roommates - it can resemble a vibrator a bit.

Check out the Clarisonic Skincare Brush HERE