The Quest for Glowing Skin

Shortly after I broke down adult acne, I decided my skin still wasn’t up to par, and I began using the oil cleansing method for my combination skin that was giving me dry patches on my cheeks, and a blemish filled oil slick across my forehead. Around that time I made my birthday list, and at the top (in sparkly marker with arrows pointing to it) was the Clarisonic Mia – a handheld sonic cleanser that uses a gentle brush to wash your face. It was an early birthday gift when Clarisonic contacted me and sent me my very own (yellow!) Clarisonic Mia to test out and report on. A month later the verdict is in.

The good: I love it & my skin looks fantastic and feels…well…like buttah.

The bad: I can no longer go on a month long vacation without any source of electricity (the North Pole?) because the Mia’s charge will only last through 20 cycles and I can’t go that long without it.

The break down: In the morning, during my way-too-early shower, I wet my face and the Clarisonic, squirt some Cetaphil on it and stand there and pretend I’m still asleep for one minute while I move the brush around in circles on my face. It gently buzzes, spins and twirls as it deep cleans, exfoliates and smooths everything out (just steer clear of your eye area). In the evening, I’m still using the oil cleanse method, although if my face feels particularly dirty, I’ll run over it with the Clarisonic and some warm water after washing.

After a month, my break outs are greatly reduced (although there was an initial period where my skin adjusted to the new routine, but that quickly settled down) and my skin is so much smoother.  I’ve quit wearing foundation completely, something I haven’t done in years. The oil slick is no longer popping up on my forehead mid-day, and the few break outs I’ve gotten have cleared up in half the time. My laugh lines seem a little lighter, and I’m using a lot less moisturizer (jojoba oil)  and sunscreen (Neutrogena, SPF 70) each morning – it just soaks in better. The best part is how SOFT my skin is – I find myself patting it while I read in the evening, which my husband only finds mildly creepy.

The Clarisonic Mia retails for about $149.00 and is sold at Sephora and through the Clarisonic website. You can choose between three different brushes – regular, sensitive skin or delicate, and it is compatible with your favorite facial cleanser. You can’t use shell based exfoliators with it (too rough on your skin) but it is completely waterproof – perfect for use in the tub or shower.

Sephora Giveaway!

Now it’s your turn. At Curvy Girl, we want to chip in to help you buy your own Clarisonic (or refill brushes, face wash or any other skin care item you just can’t live without), so we’re giving away one $25 gift certificate to Sephora!

This contest runs today only, ending tonight at midnight EST. One (1) winner will be randomly selected, and the prize delivered upon confirmation of winning. You can enter by leaving one comment per person.

Daisy is a lawyer married to a lawyer (insert lawyer jokes here) living in a small condo in a big city with a new baby and beagle. She breaks up the legal-speak by blogging about life in Chicago, which is filled with escapades of urban living. In the summer she enjoys patio dining and in the winter wonders what she was thinking when she moved here. You can read more from Daisy on her blog, Just Daisy.

Disclaimer: I was gifted one Clarisonic Mia in order to facilitate the product review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions contained within are my own.