The Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush for a cleaner, healthier skin.

When I was invited to try out the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush, I had a good mixed feeling of being excited about it yet at the same time a little anxious too.

Well, you know when it comes to using a cleansing brush for the skin, I have read too many ghastly stories of beauty bloggers getting sensitised skin and worse, over-exfoliated skin that are drier, with rougher surface and highly clogged pores when they were using a well-known cleansing brush that kind of took the world of cleansing by storm... for awhile, that is.

Therefore, although I was excited about attending the launch, I do caution myself to not lose touch with reality - that a cleansing brush, as much as a brand says it is gentle enough for the skin, must be taken with a pinch of salt - that not everyone has the same skin condition and not every skin behaves the same way. And I was glad that them folks in Clinique didn't discount all those concerns.

This is kinda interesting. I am very new with the cleansing brush because I wasn't into the cleansing brush craze when there was a hype to own one. So, I am not quite sure how easy it is to use a cleansing brush.

The Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush sounds so easy to use. You just have to charge it for 24 hours at the first charge and you can practically use without re-charging it for at least the next 4-6 months, if you use it everyday, once a day. Isn't that just great?

The handle is also so firm to the grip and the brush is designed in a way that allows you to use it even in the shower, without getting electrocuted by the device neither will the gadget fail when exposed to wetness. It's practically hassle-free except for the first 24-hour charge.

Bristles - I was initially worried about how harsh the bristles are but when all of us tried it at the back of our palms, we could feel that the bristles are just so soft. Of course, you can't be fooled by it as when it touches your gentle facial skin, the bristles can feel a little firmer, kind of like a texture good enough for use as a daily skin exfoliator - gentle enough to be used daily for most skins but no more than once a day because it still can harm the skin if used not according to recommended usage.

Rotating bristles - One touch of the switch (where you see the iconic "C" for Clinique logo), the brush rotates really fast that you won't even feel it rotating, more like buzzing and vibrations. And Clinique made sure to get this right with innovations engineered by a leading Swiss manufacturer to develop the most gentle and effective sonic brush technology. A combination of skincare expertise and technological savvy of a leading Swiss manufacturer.

Oval-shaped - As you can see the head of the brush is oval-shaped, mimicking the shape of the palm of your hand. Because you can use the brush in replacement of the circular movement you'd normally use to cleanse the skin, reaching the narrower facial contours around the nose, hairline and chin with the angular tip of the brush. 

Texture - As cleansing is the essential step in skincare, Clinique has designed the brush to have gentle bristles on the white area, while the pale green-coloured top portion consists of firmer, shorter bristles.

Angular - Doesn't it remind you so much of those oral-B electric toothbrushes that promise you cleaner teeth? ;P

It is quite a lovely package altogether - firm grip with a handle that's just nice to hold, it makes cleansing quite convenient. 

How To Use - Of course, you're supposed to use it as the first step to its 3-step cleansing but you can really just use an existing liquid cleanser. I prefer to use it in the evening when I'm not in the rush to cleanse my skin. You're supposed to remove your makeup first and then use the brush only after you have removed your makeup, as a double cleansing step.

Just wet the brush and pour a little liquid cleanser on the bristles, press the switch and walah... you're automatically in for a lovely experience.

Just 30 seconds - The switch automatically turns off after 30 seconds. And that is all you need to have good, clean skin. I must admit I was a little naughty in my first attempt, simply because I just loved the feeling of the bristles massaging my stressed skin. After its first stop at 30 seconds, I pressed on the switch again for another 30 seconds. And then another 30 seconds. 

Be careful not to overdo it - Now them folks in Clinique cautioned me against doing it for more than 30 seconds if I were to use this daily. Well, 1 minute is fine - 30 seconds on the face and another 30 seconds on the neck area, as you really cannot leave out the neck area. But that's it. To use it more than 30 seconds can actually bring more harm than good.

I've used this for almost 3 weeks now and I must say that the though the bristles are so soft to the touch, I don't think daily use quite cuts it for me. On a fine day, the cleansing ritual with the brush feels just fine... quite heavenly, in fact. But when my hormones are acting up and my skin gets a little sensitive, I can feel the bristles scrubbing over the skin, even when I'm not even putting pressure onto the brush. And you're not supposed to, either. It kind of feels like I could actually replace my scrub by adding the brush in my cleansing ritual. Skin feels super clean and I'd wake up with smooth, moist skin, as if the skin's able to fully absorb the night moisturiser and replenished the skin.

On the first 3 days of use, my skin looked magnificent! I kept looking at the mirror on my work desk because the skin looked so dewy moist, with a healthy glow even with minimal makeup but let's just say that as per any cleansing brush, I guess some of us may not get used to using it on a daily basis. When I started to feel that my skin became a little sensitive to the feel of its bristles, I chose to use this alternate days before I see any negative effects. I'm not sure if there is any negative effect to cleansing the skin, but I'd rather not see it and maintained the good results I've been getting by using it just 3 times a week.

Clinique did mention that for some people it's 30 seconds a day, some gradually to a minute a day but for some, alternate days would be just fine. You be the judge to what your skin needs and to not over do it. They also recommend that you replace the bristle head every 3-6 months depending on your usage.

This is what you get out of a package - the brush, a stand, a booklet and a USB charger. There is no power plug with it. So, you should be able to plug it into any regular device power plug.

Ok, I'm sure you'd like to know what's the damage like... the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush retails at RM360, with the replacement bristles at RM93. Quite a big sum initially but I think the price is still reasonable compared to other brands with an almost similar system. Of course, I am entirely new in this and I may not be able to give a good apple to apple comparison.

Why does one need this? - Well, I really cannot answer this on behalf of the population. For me, I've always been using an additional tool in my daily cleansing... I use a facial sponge to assist me in my cleansing ritual because I think my skin feels cleaner rather than just the regular circular motions with the fingers. Plus, I dislike wiping my wet face with the towel I use for bathing. So, I have a separate sponge for that part of my skin. Hence, I take the brush as another tool for me to play with in cleansing.

I'm not sure if you have seen this yet but would you want to add this to your beauty secret?