Over the years my skin has been the barometer for all that ails me. As a child I was plagued with eczema on my arms and legs, as a teenager I had horrendous acne coupled with dry skin patches. Oh yes, I was a dermatologist’s dream. Read: MONEY. Once those conditions sort of cleared up (did I outgrow them?) I was happy to just have so-so skin. It was relatively acne free, save for the occasional (ahem MONTHLY) pimple and I found products to combat the dryness. The one thing I really couldn’t overcome however, were these small bumps under the skin along my jaw-line. Couldn’t call them blackheads, definitely not white heads but (let’s get graphic here people) when squeezed, a white substance came out. It was a lot like when you over-squeeze the toothpaste tube. I wasn’t able to get rid of them permanently. They weren’t so bothersome that I felt the need to seek out my lifelong dermatologist (I still see him regularly for eczema) but I would have been more than happy to see them gone. My T-zone is quite oily as well which is new for me, having been the dry skin poster child for most of my life.
I was recently given a Clarisonic by a dear friend of mine who works for the company. She claimed it would revolutionize my skincare regimen. I heard: ‘blah blah blah’ whatever. But, I turned 32 last March and thought I should probably start doing a little more for my skin to combat some of the damage I’ve inflicted over the years, so I kindly thanked her and began using my Clarisonic. For reference, I use M.A.C. Cleanse Off Oil to remove makeup, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum at night, and M.A.C.Studio Mositure Cream before bed, and M.A.C. Strobe Cream for day time. The Clarisonic instructions told me I didn’t need to change my regimen as far as products (although they do offer their own line of skin care) so I stuck to what I’ve always used.
The following took place over the course of one week of use:
Day 1: The feeling of the bristles is quite invigorating, very stimulating. My skin felt like I’d done a medium level exfoliation. It was more than I could get with an exfoliation product but far less than I’d have felt with a micro-dermabrasion.
Day 2: It could be all in my head but my skin feels like it absorbs my moisturizer far better than when I was only using my hands to wash my face. My skin feels much smoother to the touch.
Day 3: I noticed a slightly dry, red patch under my eye on the highest point of my cheekbone. I ran out of Cleanse Off Oil and had to use my boyfriend’s Green Gel Cleanser, so this might account for the patch but other than that my skin is really starting to feel really good.
Day 4: I should have taken pictures from day one (if only to convince myself) but I would SWEAR the pores on my cheeks are nearly non-existent. Had I ever really thought of this as a problem before? No, because as a makeup artist I perfected the art of covering them up!
Day 5: Those pesky little bumps along my jaw-line are COMPLETELY gone except one or two. I didn’t realize how skeptical I actually was until I realized the Clarisonic had totally gotten rid of those bumps that I’d given up on evicting from my face.
Day 6: I’m targeting wrinkles now. The teeny tiny, barely there little lines near my eyes are now my mission to eliminate. The operating instructions show me which setting to put my Clarisonic on to maximize results. These lines are shaking in their boots.
Day 7: I’m going to kick up my serum game and purchase an eye cream serum to really go after those lines and this time I’ll be taking pictures to prove to myself and everyone else how well this thing works because I find it hard to believe myself!
