This review is from: Clarisonic PRO Deluxe Professional 4-Speed Skin Care System with Spot Therapy Kit, White (Health and Beauty)I purchased my Clarisonic PRO Deluxe Professional 4-Speed Skin Care System with Spot Therapy Kit, White five (5) months ago directly from Amazon. I REALLY like it, as well as the results. I don't know if it is worth $225, but I haven't found anything else that delivers the same results. Let me start off by saying that it does NOT perform miracles, but I do see results. I have (that is, had) flakey combination dry/T-ozone oily skin. Now, no more flakes, less visible lines and just a generally smooth overall appearance. Again, no miracles, but clearly nicer looking skin. I personally think the level of results that you see depends on the cleanser you use with the Clarisonic. I saw WAY better results using Neutrogena products, than I did using other products. So, finding a good face cleanser for your skin type is definitely key to seeing the best results with the Clarisonic.
I've used the various Sonicare toothbrushes for years and loved the results, which is what attracted me to the Clarisonic. And, yes, Clarisonic has the same EXCELLENT customer service as Sonicare. I was a little hesitant since one reviewer said that Amazon was not an authorized seller. Anyway, after two months of use, my handle was taking forever to charge and then not holding the charge. I called Clarisonic's 800 # for customer service. They didn't even ask me WHERE I purchased it, they just asked for the serial number. They told me that my brush had a full 3-YEAR warranty (that all Clarisonic PROs purchased in 2010 were protected one-year longer than the standard 2-year warranty). They immediately sent me out a FULL replacement via UPS and a pre-paid UPS label to send my defective one back. VERY HAPPY with that level of customer service that is rare these days!
The one thing that I do not like about the handle is that it does NOT hold a charge for very long. And, unless you speed race over your body, there won't be enough charge to do your body and your face at the same time. It certainly does not hold a charge like a Sonicare. So, if you are traveling, you will need to bring the charger.
A few things I noticed about the Clarisonic and some suggestions ...
1. Facial cleanser used determines the results you will see with the Clarisonic. The better the face cleanser for your skin type, the better the results.
2. Take the brush head off after EVERY use and wash the handle and brush good. Leave the brush off to air dry while the handle charges.
3. I usually clean my face for 2-3 cycles of the face cleaning (i.e., I go over my face 2-3 times) because the face cleaning is on a timer and shuts off. (Beeps like the Sonicare to tell you to move to the next section.)
4. If you have bad acne, use caution. You might want to use on one small section to see the results BEFORE you do on your entire face. I noticed that initially it made the acne more obvious. But, after using several times, it actually cleared it up faster and gave an overall smoother appearance/complexion. But, I personally, do not have bad acne ... just an occasional blemish on my forehead or nose (and I noticed it initially ... but not anymore).
5. Worked great on smoothing knees and elbows.
Overall, with the EXCELLENT customer service and GREAT results, I give this product 5 STARS. I just wish it weren't so expensive. Although, the price has come down since I purchased it back in May for $.
UPDATE APRIL 2011: In January 2011 my REPLACEMENT HANDLE stopped holding a change AT ALL. It would sit in the charging cradle, show fully charged and the battery would INSTANTLY die when the on button was pressed. Again, I called Clarisonic's 800# and explained my problem (that the handle was not holding a charge). They were very nice, asked for my name (I was already in the system from the previous replacement) and the serial # on the handle. I received my replacement handle and charger via UPS within a week (along with a prepaid label to send the defective/non-working one back). This replacement looks slightly different. The charger plug is now a regular small plug (a definite improvement), not a huge hair dryer type plug (like was on the previous 2 I had) and the writing/font on the handle is a slightly different color. Also, the brush head fits tighter and is a little more difficult to taken on/off (nothing out of the ordinary, but definitely not a loose/easy fit like the first 2). I have been using this latest replacement for almost 2 months with no problems, but the 3-4 month mark is where I had problems on the other 2. I will update this review if this replacement starts to have issues.
Buy Clarisonic Pro Professional 4-Speed Skin Care System for Men, Gray Now
Let me start out by saying that I'm very happy with this brush so far and I do believe that its a good investment and believe that it will work for most men. I did go through a bit of an extensive product search when looking at this item, debating what product to get, where to get it, which model to get (even color actually matters for Clarisonic a bit), so I decided to split this up into a few sections regarding decisions made for the purchase, alternatives explored, and then benefits of the brush itself.-----
Color/First important detail: If you're a woman, think carefully about purchasing this model (Pro) or any other Clarisonic brush in grey or black colors. These models are the "for men" models, and while the design is identical the brush head is different. The natural selection is "normal" as opposed to sensitive on every other brush. The brush heads are replaceable and Clarisonic will send two for 40 dollars (32 if you sign up for 3 month refills) so if you love the color its "fixable" just going to cost you something. You may even like the normal brush head more than the sensitive, but letting you know. Similarly for men, if you buy any other colors know you may need to buy the firmer brush head.
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Warranty/Second important detail: Clarisonic only guarantees the warranty on products purchased from approved retailers and MOST of the Amazon sellers are not approved retailers. It cheaper (generally I assume) to buy from Amazon and I even spoke to Clarisonic who said it would probably be fine if I did need service and were able to register the product no problem, but no guarantee.
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Selection of a Clarisonic brush: There are a few other options around that I considered before purchasing this unit as far as competitors. Pro-X from Olay seems to be the biggest competition and really is one of the strongest alternatives simply because of its price. Rather than vibrate the way the Clarisonic does, the Pro-X rotates. At only 35? dollars if you're really debating the Pro-X and can't decide I'd almost say just try it for a month and see if you like it, if it works for you why pay the extra money especially considering how reviews tend to flip flop. There are 3 factors that made me choose Clarisonic however.
1) Charge: Pro-X uses batteries while the Clarisonic systems all use a form of charging. I personally hate having to switch batteries around and frankly feel better having a waterproof system than a water resistant one. Bonus Clarisonic.
2) Vibration seems like a better solution: I can't cite a ton of science here but it seems to me that if both products make you're face clean and serve their purpose, than a vibration would probably be less grating on the skin. If the face is clean and smooth I just like the idea of putting something vibrating on my face more than something that sounds grating. Bonus Clarisonic.
3) Price: I'm going to use the opposite of common sense logic here and argue that the Pro-X's price made me not want it as much. I'm probably a sucker but I just feel that at 35 dollars I'm asking for something cheap and the batter compartment seemed to drive this home for me. Maybe it works and maybe its even very nice, but I do feel like the Clarisonic would be sturdier and preferable to me. Bonus Pro-X until I warp it around in my head (yes I admit it I also have a Macbook Pro).
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WHICH Clarisonic brush to buy: There's a wide variety of Clarisonic brushes out there to buy but I felt that the Pro was the best option.
Mia: Clearly the cheapest of the brushes and from all I read about it most people seem to like it just fine. It has one speed and a one year warranty and sells for approximately 109 on Amazon. The speed just fyi is the "normal" speed (2nd of 4 speeds on the pro).
Mia2: The Mia2 has a two year warranty and two speeds compared to the regular Mia's one speed. Sensitive and normal (1st and 2nd of 4 speeds on the Pro).
Aria: Two year warranty and three speeds (1st, 2nd, and 3rd of 4 speeds on the pro). The Aria also has what appears to be the best user interface and allows usb charging. Its frankly just a newer and prettier model than any of the other versions although it didn't seem to be anything significant in my opinion since all were easy to use.
Plus: Two year warranty and three speeds plus a body mode (1st, 2nd, and 3rd of 4 speeds on pro plus body). The only version other than the pro with body function it seemed to run at the same price as the pro but lacked the 4th speed and extra year of warranty.
Pro: Three year warranty and four speeds plus a body mode.
In the end I decided the Plus was out automatically because I saw absolutely no advantage to it over the Pro. Similarly I felt the Aria, which was just under the price of the Pro/Plus and sometimes even more expensive because you can't find discounts offered no benefit I cared about. Lastly the Mia 2 offered an extra year of warranty over the regular Mia, but as a man I found it very unlikely I'd ever need the sensitive speed. I decided I'd rather either save the most money with the Mia for $109, or get the most options with the Pro for $168.
Ultimately I decided that the 3 year warranty over one year, ability to use the product for body purposes (don't know if I will but still), and the extra speeds I debated possibly needing were worth the extra 60 dollars and went with the Pro. Having experienced the brush I've found that my favorite speed is "High" so I'm very glad I did spend the extra money.
Location to Purchase: I'm putting this right after the model selection because the selection of models is important. I found what seems to be a very good website called Skincare. They have traditional prices with some sales, but most importantly they offer a 115% price match guarantee, where they'll match the difference between the cost they have and the one you find and even subtract an extra 15%, and this includes Amazon prices. They ARE an authorized retailer of Clarisonic and carry every model EXCEPT the Pro. I decided I wanted the pro though so I purchased on Amazon figuring I wouldn't find a better deal and really I've had great experiences with Amazon and their return policies.
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Finally!... Why I like this product.
Pros:
Feels good while using. I actually enjoy the vibration and use it after a work out kind of relaxing after the shower.
Usable in shower or bath. I don't actually use it here but you can if you want.
Multiple speeds. I prefer the high speed but I only use it once daily max. I have a feeling this could become a bit too much if it was used for more than once a day.
Auto timer with beeps. Lets you know the approximate speed you should be moving. First time I did this I was spending way too long but its really not hard to keep within the time frame.
Doesn't need Clarisonic cleanser. I don't want to feel like I have to use their product all the time, its not bad but I have my own I like using.
No need to use any exfoliating products. If you do this could probably save a decent amount of money over time.
Sensitive options. I've never had overly problematic skin, but its given me no problems with a normal brush on high speed. If you keep the usage reasonable and used the sensitive brush/speed as needed, I guess I have difficulty understanding how it could be too intense for anyone. Not knocking people who have had issues, just saying there's a lot of wiggle room it seems like.
Leaves your face feeling very clean. I never had many break out issues or oily/dry skin but I like the way it does make you feel very clean after using.
Cons:
Shake the brush out for a second in the skin after you wet it, can hold a ton of water and you can splash yourself.
Normal/Oily cleanser that comes with it (3 trial bottles) seems a bit intense for normal skin. Even though it says normal or oily I'd only use if you have oily skin. The dry/normal was fine.
The model I got doesn't come with a body brush (some Pro versions do), and the casing for travel doesn't really do anything beyond keeping the bristles safe (only wraps around brush head). Still cheaper than buying for 225 plus tax in a salon.
Anyway if you buy I hope you enjoy it and hope some of this helped.
Read Best Reviews of Clarisonic Pro Professional 4-Speed Skin Care System for Men, Gray Here
Ultrasonic cleaning is the way to go if you want deep cleaning and residue removal. I'd seen this in the lab, using ultrasonic baths, and I'd seen this at home, with my Sonicare toothbrush. After much thought, I decided to take the financial plunge and purchase the Clarisonic Pro skin care brush, hoping I would be similarly satisfied. I have to say that the Pro has the power to thoroughly clean my face, and combined with the right facial cleanser, can achieve results packaged scrubby cleansers can only dream of. The Clarisonic will eventually pay for itself over time, since I no longer need to purchase expensive scrubbing cleansers, and can now use the less expensive cleanser of my choice with the Clarisonic, and get that deep cleaning my face requires.Want Clarisonic Pro Professional 4-Speed Skin Care System for Men, Gray Discount?
Is there life before and after the Clarisonic.The Clarisonic changed my way to clean the skin. It is the best product I've used it and do what they promise.
He is a great little weapon in our bathroom that help the health of our skin.
Undoubtedly I recommend for all women and men.
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