Beauty- Clarisonic Aria Review

The majestic Clarisonic is about to launch into South Africa this week, and I am here to give you the low-down on this amazing facial brush. It’s the beauty tool that everyone raves about, and it is safe to call it a cult product, because any beauty loving gal lusts over this tool. I was lucky enough to receive a Clarisonic to review last year September, and its completely changed my skin care routine. I’ve been using it for almost 6 months now, and honestly speaking once you go Clarisonic, you never go back.

Before I started using my Aria, I would have shuttered at the thought of paying 3k for what looks like an electronic face brush at first. You see, I was a Clarisonic virgin, and I was super skeptical about this little device and what it can do for me. I approached it with care, doing lots of research, but nothing convinced me more than seeing the change in my skin after using it for a week. I get complimented on my skin all the time lately, and all I can say is “Its the Clarisonic!”. Today I am going to be short and sweet and share with you exactly what you need to know about this tool and why you need it in your life.

As I was a Clarisonic virgin, I at first had a couple of questions about this device. They might have seemed silly, but hey when you don’t know much about it, the Clarisonic can be a little overwhelming. So today I compiled a list of questions that any newbie would have about this product and I hope it helps you understand and get to know this device a little bit better.

So what is the technology behind it?

The whole hype of the Clarisonic is its amazing sonic technology that allows it to clean your skin 6 times better than with a manual clean. The Aria moves at 300 movements per second,back and forth(not in a circular motion) getting deep into your pores and cleaning out all the little bits of bacteria, oil and sebum. No you can not clean your skin yourself the way the Clarisonic does it, trust me!

Does it exfoliate? Because it is a brush…

No the Clarisonic cleanses your skin, it does not exfoliate it. You will still need to exfoliate your skin weekly, aside from using the Clarisonic.

What skin types can use it?

The Clarisonic is good for every age and every skin type. The Aria specifically, has 3 speeds on it, making it usable for every kind of skin. The first speed is for the sensitive type, the second speed is universal , and the third is a little bit more powerful. I actually like using mine on the third, most powerful speed. It really cleans my skin well, and I especially like using it on my problematic areas such as nose and chin.

How often do I use it?

The Clarisonic is great for usage twice a day. The Aria is equipped with a timer-  so it literally takes a minute out of your day. The 1 minute is broken up into 4 intervals-  you use it for 20 seconds on your forehead, 20 second on your nose and chin, and 10 seconds on each cheek. The Clarisonic beeps at each of these time intervals, informing you that it is time to move on to the next part of your face. The Aria does have an adjustable T-timer,which you can adjust up to 2 minutes when you feel like your skin needs that extra bit of cleaning, but I like it just the way it is.

What about cleansers? Do I have to use the Clarisonic cleanser? And what about my other facial products?

You can use the Clarisonic with any cleanser you please. At first I used it with my Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, then with the Kiehl’s Calendula Cleanser. Currently I am testing out the Esse skin care range, so I am using it with the Esse Gel Cleanser. It’s amazing that it can be used with anything! Of course I still prefer taking off my eye make-up first, and then using the cleanser with the Clarisonic.You can put the cleanser directly onto the Clarisonic, or leave it on your face and then go over it with the device. Its amazing technology also means that not only does your skin get cleaned super well, it also means that any product you use afterwards such as your toner and moisturizer will absorb into the skin even better!

How do I charge it?

The Aria comes with a USB charger- how cool! So its perfect for when you are traveling and you can’t be stranded without your Aria, so you can just charge it off your computer! It takes a couple of hours to fully charge(almost like a cell phone), and it lasted me an average of 25 uses. Another cool thing about the Aria is that its timer is color coded so you know when you are running out of battery. It will start with a flashing green light, then move onto the orange, and when its flashing red, you know you need to charge it up.

How often does the head have to be replaced?

It’s recommended that it’s changed every 6 months, so I am just about due for a new head. It’s very easy to change it, just twist it and it comes off. The Aria also comes with a drying stand, so it fits nicely into your bathroom.

What are the results?

A very healthy, radiant skin. I noticed a huge change to my forehead area- I barely ever get spots there anymore! The amount of blackheads on my chin has also reduced dramatically, and I am hoping to also reduce the blackheads on the cheeks as time goes by. I don’t know how else to describe it, but your skin just feels really,really clean, soft and healthy.

What is the price?

The Aria is expected to retail at R3000. The Mia 2 and The Plus are also launching into South Africa, and the expected price of them is R2500 and R3500 respectively. The Clarisonic will be sold at select Stuttafords stores nationwide.

So why do I need this expensive device?

Because it will change your skin, no ifs or buts about it. If I didn’t get this Aria to review, I probably would have saved for a Mia 2 and bought one overseas sometime this year. It takes just a minute out of my day and makes my skin as clean as I have never seen it before. It adds radiance and a glow to my skin, and that’s worth every penny!

Let me know if you have used a Clarisonic and what you think about it? Are you planning on buying one? Is it on your wish list? Tell me!:)