Clarisonic, Olay, and Clinique are reputable brands that produce modern gadgets for cleansing facial skin. Do you need a brush for the face? We decided to evaluate the “pros” and “cons”. The Clarisonic brush is included in the list of must-have products among celebrities, beauty bloggers, and cosmetologists. However, there are a number of experts who are in no hurry to recommend this cosmetic innovation to all. Where is the truth?
What is a facial cleansing brush?
This is an electric toothbrush, which uses the same technology as the electric toothbrush. It vibrates and rotates, providing the cleaning movement. Of course, a facial brush has softer and gentler bristles than a toothbrush.
According to a 2006 study conducted by the creators of the Clarisonic brush, the result of using this brush consists in softening comedones and the excretion of sebum and dirt from the pores of the skin. The brush removes remnants of makeup and dead skin cells.
Benefit or harm?
Electric facial brushes are positioned as a gadget for cleansing rather than peeling. And so women feel free to use them twice a day, while washing their face in the morning and evening. Manufacturers add that brushes can be used each time when cleansing the skin – even without any cleaning product. However, as follows from the results of testing, the brush not also cleanses, but exfoliates as well. Such frequent peeling does more harm than benefit to the skin, especially in case of dry and sensitive skin.
On the one hand, peeling is a good thing for the skin. This is a fact. The removal of the top layer of dead cells from the skin surface leads to a renewed, bright, smooth skin with an even tone. Exfoliation also reduces fine wrinkles and evens the skin. In addition, the procedure is useful for the skin, as it improves the penetration of skin care products and increases the effectiveness of creams and serums. Besides, it keeps the skin pores clean and helps prevent acne. In short, some advantages are obtained. Why is frequent peeling harmful?
Together with the dead cells, the protective layer of the skin is also eliminated. Intensive exfoliation exposes the layers of skin that are not ready to come to the surface, and this is reflected in the red and irritated skin with a painful reaction. The skin devoid of a protective barrier is prone to infection and poor healing; as a result, it turns into a constant wound instead of getting renewed and clear.
How often should brushes be used?
It is clear that peeling is needed, but you must follow the correct frequency of the procedure. And it all depends on your skin type:
If your skin is quite thick, the electric brush can be used twice a day, without the fear of side effects. By the way, it is men who have the thickest facial skin, and so some brands produce brushes for men.
If the skin is dry or sensitive, the perfect regularity of peeling would be 2-3 times a week. But it is important to monitor the individual reaction of the skin to the brush. For some people, peeling twice a week is excessive.
Normal skin can be exfoliated 3-4 times a week, and in some cases – every day.
Thus, as the manufacturer says, electric toothbrushes are good for most of us. However, there are cases when the use of brushes should be stopped or at least suspended:
If an electric brush is used in combination with the cleansers containing AHA or BHA (alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids), it often leads to extreme exfoliation which is harmful to the skin. If your skin care products contain these acids, you should also use the brush with extreme caution. At the first signs of skin irritation, the use of the brush should be stopped.
When having rosacea. The websites of the brush manufacturers indicate that this product can be used in case of rosacea, as evidenced by their research. However, there is an opinion of an independent dermatologist. Dr. Leslie Baumann, published in her article on Yahoo Health; she insists that the use of facial brushes should be avoided if women have sensitive skin, acne, and rosacea.
What makes facial cleansing brushes good for the face?
Manufacturers of electric brushes for skin continuously monitor the effectiveness of their products. And the results of their research are often very impressive. For example, the Clarisonic manufacturer has conducted laboratory tests, which revealed that the brush removes the remnants of makeup 6 times better than manual cleaning. This gives the reason to believe that electric brushes are more effective for the removal of oil-based as well as water-resistant products.
In general, the good news is that the responses of professional cosmetologists for the new product are mostly positive. Studying the websites of well-known beauticians, not a single sharply negative reference can be found. And the users who have tried the Clinique brush pointed to the positive results in more than 90% of the cases.
What are the conclusions?
So, is it worth spending money on an expensive beauty gadget? After all, electric brushes are not cheap (Clarisonic costs $99, and Clinique costs more than $120). Besides, the purchase is not limited to the brush itself, and you will have to regularly clean and change the caps.
The answer to this question may be individual. If you have very dry and sensitive skin, it may be peeled with glycolic acid that your skin will be more accustomed to. But if you belong to those who rarely have problems with the skin, and also love to try new things – the electric facial cleansing brush is your product. But only if you yourself take care of your skin and reduce the frequency or stop using the brush when the first cases of skin irritation appear.
