I've only had my Pretika for about a week, so I will be sure to update this review since several people have commented that it breaks down after a month or two. In the short time I've had it, though, it works really well!
Like other reviewers, I really wanted to buy a Clarisonic brush, but couldn't justify spending that much on a tool that is essentially just a glorified face cleaner. (I usually trust the advice of dermatologists Leslie Baumann and Neal Schultz, and they both agreed that it will *not* reduce wrinkles, but will rather just deep clean your skin.)
Although many people think that the the Clarisonic is an exfoliator, it does NOT exfoliate; instead, it deep cleans your skin so that your skin care and anti-aging products can better penetrate the epidermis. The same is true for this Pretika, and I've found that it does a really good job of cleansing. I usually have to wash my face twice at night to get rid of makeup -once with a cleansing oil and then once again with a regular cleaner. Even after that, I usually find traces of my makeup on the cotton pad I swipe my toner on with. Since using the Pretika, however, the cotton pad has been completely clean -with no makeup residue!
Since I had read reviews on other sites that said that this Pretika brush is very harsh when compared to the Clarisonic, I was worried that it would be too harsh on my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, but it's just been fine. I've only been using it once a day (at night, to deep clean and get rid of my makeup) and am still using the sensitive setting, but the brush feels really soft and it hasn't irritated my skin at all.
On a final note, one of the biggest selling points for me is that this gets rid of the flaky skin that my Retin-A leaves in its wake. Twice a week, I've been using the Olay Microdermabrasion kit to get rid of the flakes and it works fantastically for that, but the flaky skin comes back and you can only use the Olay kit twice a week. The Pretika gets rid of the dry, flaky skin, and leaves my skin feeling really soft.
So far, this has been a great purchase.
UPDATE ON 3/27/10: I've cut back to using this just once a day on the sensitive setting since twice a day seemed to be a bit too much for my skin, but it's still working great. I haven't had to charge it at all since I first bought it. At the same time that I started using this, I also started using Skin Laboratory's Lactic 35% & Glycolic 25% Combo Gel Peel, and the two products have made a huge difference in my skin! The blackheads that I've always had on my nose are gone for the first time ever, and my skin looks radiant and fresh.
I'll be sure to update this review again to see it holds up longer than just a few months.
UPDATE ON 5/4/10: I just downgraded my original five-star review to three stars. I've had this for two months now, and the bristles have developed mold at the bases, even though I dry it off every time I use it. It also rusts at the base, and I've had to clean that up, too. I did contact Pretika's customer service about the mold issue, and they assure me that the brushes are anti-microbial and offered to send me replacement brush heads. So their customer service is really outstanding! That being said, I really don't know how much longer this brush will last.
Has anyone else experienced this problem with mold growing on it? Does the Clarisonic brush have the same problem?
UPDATE ON 12/26/10: I just received a Clarisonic Mia for Christmas, and the difference between the Clarisonic and the Pretika brush are very noticeable. The Clarisonic brush is *much* softer, and the sonic vibrations are much stronger. If you can afford to buy a Mia (which is the less expensive brush that Clarisonic makes), I would recommend getting that one over this Pretika. For just over twice the cost of this brush, you can have a much nicer one.I purchased the Pretika Sonic Dermabrasion brush about 4 weeks ago, and it is a wonderful product! Originally wanted the clarisonic, but the Pretika is a great alternative and very reasonable price. My skin is combination (oily tzone). I dont have sensitive skin, so I use it daily on the lower setting as part of my regular skin care routine.. and once a week on stronger setting to exfoliate. My skin has never been smoother!! Its glowing, and keeps the blackheads away from my nose! I absolutely love it! I use glytone skin care products, and the brush definitely helps my skin better absorb them. Ive read alot of people who complain about the pretika brush dying on them after a short time... I believe that this will happen if u recharge the brush while its wet. Make sure the brush is completely dry before setting back to charge!! Especially the metal charging plates. I even go a step further, and place a plastic ziploc bag over the charging cradle while i wash my face, to make sure i dont splash water on it. If you take care of this brush, it will take care of you!!
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i've been using the pretika for about 4 weeks daily. before this my forehead and tzone were very oily. i would wake up in the morning and my face would be soooo greasy i couldn't stand it. about 10 minutes after i applied my makeup my forehead would be super shiny. i am almost 40 years old and my skin tzone has been oily for a few years and my pores just keep getting larger. after using this pretika for a few weeks the oiliness is virtually gone and my pores are definately smaller. i'm not going to say the pores are gone but i see a real improvement in my skin.before this i have been getting tca peels for over a year with no improvement in oiliness or pore size. especially on my forehead which would almost never peel because it was so oily. i was skeptical because the brush looks like it barely moves. but it does something because it is working. the price is very affordable compared to the other sonic facial systems out there. i think the brush may be a little harsh for those with sensitive skin types. the machine is designed to turn off automatically on the high setting after your treatment is up.
i've tried many things for exfoliation and this seems to work great. my pores used to be so clogged i used to say, every pore i have is a blackhead. now they seem much less clogged. i'm very happy with this pretika, and i seriously am very picky and return almost everything i buy.
Read Best Reviews of Pretika SonicDermabrasion Facial Brush Here
Although I think this facial brush would work well for those who do not have sensitive skin or problems with cystic acne ( I get them on my chin), I'm less than thrilled with this brush. Had I researched it a little better rather than going off the advice from my derm., I would have determined that due to this brush having ONE stlye of brush head and the fact that a more firm brissle will irritate my acne, I could have waited a bit longer and applied what I actually spent on this to a Clairsonic Mia. Again, this brush is good bang for your buck...but you need to know what works for your skin.On a side note...I advise you to follow the instructions...you need to charge it for 24 hours and don't put it back on the cradle unless it's (the cradle) unplugged. If you place it in the cradle to charge after every use, you will greatly diminish the longevity of your brush. I charged mine once...for 24 hours and still, after a month of daily use, I don't need to charge it. This should be a no brainer, but I read the reviews and well, I felt the need to chime in on this particular issue. IF you place the brush back on the UNPLUGGED cradle, you must make sure that the entire brush handle is bone DRY and the brush is NOT dripping wet or you will find yourself with a rust problem which will further cause issue with charging your brush in the future.
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I really, really (really) wanted a Clarisonic! I'm 43 and live in a tropical climate, however, I don't like to spend money on facials. I researched the Clarisonic and decided I couldn't pay that much for a facial tool. I stumbled across this Pretika and took a chance. I had read a lot of good reviews, but also some iffy ones--but for the price it was worth a try. Right out of the box, this facial brush was easy to use. It also came with an extra brush, which I thought was a nice touch. So I get to work with the brush. My skin felt amazing the first time I used it! It really made a difference. I don't know why I thought these brushes were supposed to spin as that would tear your skin. This brush pulsates (as I guess the Clarisonic does too).Now I would like to address the issues others have written about--others said that the item stopping work after awhile and rusting. I have experienced none of these issues and I've had mine for months. As with anything cordless, you should only leave it in the charger while it is charging--do not store it in there and charge it 24/7--you will wear down the battery. In regard to the rusting, this is also what happens to metal if you put it into a charger while wet. I don't even charge mine that often. When I use it, I towel it off afterwards. In addition, my original brush is still in great condition. I soak it in a dixie cup of water occasionally and all of the product that hasn't rinsed off will float off and it's clean as new. I recommend this Pretika!


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