If I am going to spend $100 or more on an item, I do a lot of research and I also ask anyone I know if they have the item so I can try it out. I did that here as well. I should start by saying that meant that I had to buy new brushes since I borrowed the Clarisonic from my mom and the Nutra Sonic from one of my friends and it wouldn't be a good thing to use their face brushes in addition to the machine.Cost of replacement brushes:
Clarisonic (hereafter referred to as "C") $25 on most sites but this varies with sales
Nutra Sonic (hereafter referred to as "N")$15 on most sites but this varies with sales
Ease of switching out brushes:
C: Easy
N: Not hard, but more difficult than the Clarisonic in comparison
Why you want a sonic cleaner to begin with it: Sonic wave technology has long been proven as far more than a gimmick, though it may sound that way at first. Sonic wavelength technology is made up of tiny vibrations that allow you to loosen dirt you could not otherwise. This is why they are used in professional toothbrushes and in the jewelry cleaner machines your jeweler uses. I own both of those items too and I can tell you there is an ENORMOUS difference from that and simply a vibrating sonic-wannabe of either. For your face this means it cleans your pores 6 times better than you can via simply washing, reducing breakouts but also helping take away loose skin on the surface you can't see which clogs pores and dulls skin and renewing skin reduces wrinkles. Having worked in the cosmetic biz myself, I'm well aware of that truth.
So let's get down to how they worked...
To be fair, I used one for one week on one side of my face, twice per day and the other on the other side of my face twice per day.
Sonic Power:
C 300 rotations per second
N 400 rotations per second
The Nutra Sonic was obviously stronger but I didn't measure these rotations on my own...no way could I count that fast. The manufacturers provided these details, both to me and in their advertised specs. This is both a good and bad thing. First, it felt like the Clarisonic only had vibration in the middle part of the brush, not all over, which didn't make much sense to me, but suffice it to say it was just lighter on the power, Nutra Sonic truly felt like it had more power...however, that also meant there was a bit more splatter. I could use the Clarisonic standing up, facing the mirror, with no splatter. However, I used the Nutra Sonic in the shower and with my face down to the sink since the power of it sometimes splashed water droplets.
Waterproof?
Yes, both of these models are
Feel:
C Felt a bit heavier, maybe because it has heavier parts or because it has a built-in timer whereas the Nutra Sonic does not.
N Lighter
So I should add....
Timer:
C Built in timer so you don't use it on any part of your face longer than a minute
N No built in timer
Speeds:
C 1 speed, soft. Manufacturer says it's made for "sensitive skin"
N 4 speeds: sensitive, normal, and body brush
(incidentally, there is a Clarisonic that has more speeds as well but it was, at the time of this review, $200 more than the Nutra Sonic that does the same thing and it still had less sonic power. That's the Clarisonic Pro. I'm not writing about this though, because I didn't try it due to the price and already knowing the power wasn't as good as the Nutra Sonic going in.)
brushes included:
C: 1 brush
N: 3 brush heads for each speed...if your skin is very sensitive, there is a softer brush, if you want greater exfoliation, use the harder brush at normal speed, or soften feet and elbows in the shower with the body brush on high speed. Incidentally, if I have bad breakouts I do sometimes use the high speed on my face to really exfoliate.
Jitter Mode:
C: Has no Jitter Mode setting in addition to speeds
N: Has a jitter mode setting so you can use exfoliation cleansers and pretty much get a pro exfoliation. I prefer Mary Kay's exfoliation cleanser because they are one of the few that uses the exact same exfoliates as dermatologists use...rather than ground peach pits or apricot pits that actually put tiny tears in your skin. Again, that's just from me being in the biz for a few years that I know that odd fact. Olay has a good one too.
both come with charging base
Cost:
C: High
N: Low in comparison, but nothing with decent sonic wavelength tech is cheap.
It should be noted that price varies greatly both on Amazon and the internet. Do compare shipping charges as well. Usually I find everything cheaper on Amazon but in this case, for me, Amazon had a link ad on the Nutra Derm page that linked to an outside website that had the Nutra Sonic less and with free shipping so do explore around as sometimes it's cheaper in one place and sometimes another, or sometimes it's cheaper on one but the seller jacks up the shipping.
Cleansers:
In my opinion, skip the upsell for the cleansers of both models if you have the option and just buy whatever brand you like...they are just average cleaners and not worth the extra mark up for the small bottles.
Bottom Line...Cleaning
C: Did a far better job of cleaning than a regular scrubbing with a wash cloth and cleanser, reduced breakouts and smooth feel
N: I expected to like the Clarisonic better, I'll be honest, because in spite of the fact I knew Nutra Sonic had more power, Clarisonic was pricier. You don't always get what you pay for. Sometimes you simply pay for marketing. The pores on the left side of my face where I used the Nutra Sonic were MORE reduced, and my skin was smoother. I can't say I saw a wonderful reduction in wrinkles on either side but it may also be too soon to measure that claim by both brands. I loved the exfoliation mode on the Nutra Sonic and, in all honesty, the speed difference was VERY important to me. Dermatologists exfoliate for a reason: removing the outer layer of dead skin rejuvenates your skin and prevents clogged pores which lead to acne. The soft pulse of the Clarisonic simply didn't do this as much, although I did like it better than a wash cloth. For results, the Nutra Sonic won for me hands down.
Warranty:
C: 1 year but ONLY if your purchase stems from the Clarisonic website. (But the price was far higher on their website when I looked than most other sellers of it.)
N: 1 year regardless of where you buy it.
Conclusion: If you want to use the sonic cleaner looking into a mirror and never in the shower and you have very sensitive skin that doesn't need a deeper clean, the Clarisonic would make you happy. It does clean well. However, if you don't mind looking down near the sink to prevent some random water drops that Nutra Sonic sometimes slings with the greater vibrations, or you want to use it in the shower, or you want to exfoliate or have normal skin that sometimes needs a greater scrubbing (although you can still go with gentle too), I'd choose the Nutra Sonic. Also if you want to use it on your body, the Nutra Sonic works with the intense clean and body brush whereas you can't do this with the Clarisonic. The Nutra Sonic, however, does not have the built-in timer to tell you when you've been on a part of your face for a minute and should move on but, for me, for the cost savings, I can wing it.
I took off stars therefore because, for me, this was priced far higher but had: less sonic power, less regular power, only one speed when I needed deep cleaning for normal, not sensitive skin, and it only had one brush, and couldn't be used on other parts like elbows, etc, and it didn't allow for an exfoliation jitter mode...all things that really renewed my skin with the Nutra Sonic, for waay less money.
I thanked my Sonic cleanser lenders and still remain VERY happy with the Nutra Sonic. Plus now the right side of my face has caught up with the left and is equally as smooth and clean!
So.. after reading many good reviews, I decided to give the Clarisonic a try. Figured it would be worth the price if it actually worked. I have a Sonicare toothbrush, so I know how much better that is than a regular toothbrush, so it made sense to me...
Anyway.. just three days into my use of the Clarisonic, here are my results so far:
First Impression: the thing is bigger than I thought it would be? I guess it needs to be that big to be waterproof.
It came with the Sensitive brush head, so I am using that. I did NOT use the trial cleansers provided, as I read that many others had bad experience with those products.
The first use; I followed the directions, and was actually surprised at the action of the brush: it is not the 'circular scrubbing' motion that I had anticipated. In fact I would not say that it "scrubs" at all. Rather, it vibrates and very high speed, and the brush gently moves. You are supposed to move the brush gently in a small circular motion, and not apply pressure, just let the brush do the work. After the first use, I was not really convinced of the merits of the brush.
Second use (in the shower this time).. getting the hang of it better now.. After emerging from the shower, I was surprised to notice a change in my skin. It looks incredibly clean, for a start. Pores on my nose less visible. Pores look very clean. Bumps on cheeks are reduced. Tone is more even. I used probably half the amount of moisturizer that I normally use. Wow, I am impressed. Looking forward to next use!
Third / fourth use OK think I am getting addicted. The results are astounding. After just three days, my skin looks completely different. The Clarisonic obviously does such a superior job of cleansing the skin, once you try it there is no going back! Apart from the cleansing, it also seems to improve fine lines, tone/evenness and firmness. I can't wait to see how my skin looks in another week or two.
Even some of the most stubborn bumps/spots under my jaw have started to come to the surface now, and instead of being horrible painful things, they just sort of naturally came to the surface and were easily pushed out (sorry, gross)..
It is interesting to see how clean the skin actually is with the Clarisonic; I did a test of washing my face "old school" (no clarisonic) with my cleanser, then followed by the Tea Tree wipe (see PRODUCTS below). I actually had to use two wipes because there was so much makeup/dirt residue left on the skin. When I use the Clarisonic with the same cleanser, I use one wipe and it comes up almost clean the only area it picks up any visible residue is around the hairline/ear where the Clarisonic doesn't reach.
PRODUCTS: I am using Cetaphil for Normal/Oily skin, which seems to be a terrific combination with the Clarisonic highly recommend it. It also removes my eye makeup nicely (of course don't use the clarisonic on your eyes). I also picked up some Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Cleaning Pads ($3 for 50 at Trader Joe's) to use as a toner after cleansing. I do a quick wipe (be gentle) with a pad after cleansing with the Clarisonic. I find they are very good for the difficult to reach areas around my ears/hairline/jawline to remove last traces of oil etc, and as a general antiseptic toner on the rest of my face. Follow with a quick rinse off with clean water.. feels so clean and tingly!
Moisturizing: Remember you will need to use A LOT LESS of your other products with the Clarisonic. I am using about half the amt of moisturizer than I did before.
Makeup: I have found that Bare Minerals makeup is the way to go, especially in summer. I do use a liquid foundation if I'm going out, but for day to day, Mineral makeup is the way to go. It also applies much easier with the Clarisonic.
Hygeine: I suggest washing the brush head with an antibacterial hand soap and hot water every few uses, and also don't leave your brush in the shower; put it somewhere where it can dry out between uses, this will help avoid bacteria growing on it.
In Summary: AAA++++ If you are on the fence; definitely give it a try; buy it from an authorized retailer so you can return it if you don't like it.
Buy Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System Now
I bought this after reading reviews of several similar products in the Wall Street Journal.I've had mild acne into my adult life, which seems to get worse with stress and humid weather. My skin might be described as mildly oily. I also get some light blemishes around my lower neck area, which I attribute to shaving.
In general this product works as advertised. My skin feels less oily, and definitely "tighter". While it hasn't eliminated my acne 100%, it does seem to have lessened it.
The areas it hasn't seemed to make a big difference on is the "razor" burn type blemishes under my neck. I think that is simply due to the nature of that sensitive area.
I doubt if the special lotion that is sold as a sister product truly makes a huge difference. I've used the special lotion, and regular soap and water with similar positive results.
In general I think the product lives up to its claims. The product literature doesn't make wild unattainable promises. It simply says it can clean your face up to 2 times better than a regular washing. I think it hits that mark. I would recommend the product overall, but I'm giving it 3 stars for it's high price.
Read Best Reviews of Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System Here
Have been using this for 2 weeks and my skin feels super clean and smooth! It's expensive, but I figure by using the brush, at least I no longer have to buy scrubbing creams to exfoliate. It could just be wishful thinking, but I'm convinced it's somehow erasing my laugh lines; will have to watch that over the longer term. And I have sensitive skin, but this is surprisingly gentle -you don't really scrub your face with it... the sonic technology seems to do the work for you.The only downside is that the beep settings take a while to get used to (you have to set your preferences by setting the beep tones, sort of confusing -why no real buttons?), not such a big deal once you get it set the way you plan to use it.
Positives: Skin feels clean, smooth, and tingly; can use in shower; wrinkle remover?
Negatives: Expensive
Overall, great product.
Want Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System Discount?
I bought the Clarisonic hoping that it would unclog the large pores on my nose. Little by little, it is accomplishing that. I use the normal brush without irritation and it has definitely polished my skin. Now that it's smoother I feel like I'm using less moisturizer on my face. A little bit goes much farther now. I am 50 and have had dry, flaky skin...but since using the Clarisonic the moisture level on my skin feels much more "normal." It seems like the pores are unclogging and are operating like they should be now, and I don't get the patchy dry areas like I used to. Now, to the unexpected benefit: I did not at all expect the dark circles under my eyes to disappear, but they are totally gone. I haven't used undereye concealer for the past five days! The directions caution you not to use the unit near your eyes, but I use it on my under-eye area. I think the gentle massage gets things circulating there and keeps dark circles from developing under the skin. My skin feels tighter and firmer as well. I love how you can use it in the shower, and it's great on the upper chest area, too. I highly recommend it. As long as it is reliable, and lasts, I think it's worth the money.
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