All about: the battle of the high tech beauty tools

The cleansing brush has been a big deal internationally for beauty lovers for a few years now, and several stellar versions’ recent arrival on the local market is big news for those that like to add a high tech tool to their usual skincare routine.

The first name that really hit the market and is now synonymous with cleansing brushes is Clarisonic. Developed by a team of engineers and entrepreneurs in Seattle, Clarisonic set out to “combine proprietary technology with a revolutionary vision to redefine skin care” and it was a true pioneer in the field. The Clarisonic Pro Sonic Skin Cleansing System was initially developed for skin care professionals to use in treatment due to its clever combination of gentleness and effectiveness. Unlike the spinning devices that were on the market in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, Clarisonic’s patented sonic technology works with skin’s natural elasticity, removing deep-seated impurities from pores and priming skin to better absorb topical treatments. This enhanced product penetration aspect means you get more from your usual skincare regime, which gets a big tick from me. Clinical results have shown the likes of increased product absorption and six times better removal of makeup, dirt and oil than cleansing with hands alone. Magic.

I had been obsessing about getting a Clarisonic Mia for some time when I was invited to the brand’s “official” launch into the New Zealand market just a couple of weeks’ ago. I hadn’t previously had the opportunity to give one a whirl but always heard rave reviews from therapists and make up artists in particular i.e. people who study skin for a living. It was great news therefore to hear that they had arrived in the country along with the original Clarisonic Plus Sonic Skin Cleansing Brush (RRP $335), which can be customised with three different speeds for facial cleansing, a three-minute body setting with two distinct modes and unique body brush head to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. A little more on the compact side, the Clarisonic Mia 2 RRP $225) is the convenient choice for beautiful skin on the go as it’s small enough for travel and light enough to throw in your bag en route to the gym. Utilising the same Sonic Method as the Plus, Mia 2 comes equipped with two speeds, a one minute pulsing T-Timer and portable travel-friendly case. Both are suitable for even the most sensitive skin types, and the whole scenario truly did leave me with skin like velvet – even the day after!

Earlier this year, Clinique unveiled their own Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush. It’s not often that you hear beauty editors gasp when a product is revealed but gasp they did - before jaws hit the floor. Described as a “skin-changer” by the highly respected brand, the new brush has been designed to work in tandem with Clinique’s best-selling 3-Step cleanse/exfoliate/moisturise system. The brush was developed in partnership with dermatologists from the Orentreich Medical Group – which helped to develop the brand’s original 3-Step system – and a leading Swiss toothbrush manufacturer, well versed in the field of sonic technology. The result, claims Clinique, is a gentle yet effective cleansing innovation that will transform skin and leave it better prepped and primed for subsequent treatment products. To say I wanted one immediately would be putting it mildly, and having now used one can say that it is a life-changer.

The oval-shaped, angled brush head incorporates two strengths of rounded bristles: the green brushes are stiffer, shorter and denser, for cleansing the T-Zone, whilst the white brushes are softer and less dense, for the more delicate cheek area. Each brush contains around 35,000 fibres, with domed tips, to gently dislodge dirt from skin without any scratching. The device delivers around 10,000 sonic movements per 60 seconds, and an integral timer automatically turns it off after 30 seconds. The brush fibres have also been mixed with silver, which acts as an anti-microbial, and it’s recommended that you replace the brush head every three months. Lastly, it has a super light, compact, portable design, complete with an ergonomic handle that allows the brush to lay flat to dry and is so gentle it can be used on the petals of a flower with zero damage, for instance. The Clinique Sonic Cleansing System Purifying Brush has an RRP of $165.00 and $31.00 for a replacement brush head. 

Last but by no means least, Osmosis Skin Care have unveiled their own 2co Sonic Cleansing Brush, which you can pick up direct through their website (www.OsmosisSkin.co.nz) for $140.00. Osmosis New Zealand’s Kay Roby (a woman who is a walking billboard for her brand - she never ages!) says that she doesn’t often need to use one due to her use of active serums like Osmosis Correct and Rescue, “as my natural exfoliation is flicking off any dead skin cells with perfect timing, so I don’t have a lot of redundant cells to remove. If you have skin that does require help with cellular turnover, or enjoy a really clean sweep without having to revert AHA’s and aggressive exfoliating scrubs, the 2co Sonic Cleansing Brush used a couple of times a week to shift any redundant cells and deep clean the skin is a safe and effective alternative.” It has four speeds, is induction charged and works with over 15,000 rotation-oscillations per minute to really deep clean and get you glowing.