If you’ve been reading this blog for long, you probably know that I am not exactly the girly-est of girls. Which is kind of understandable considering that I’m a shepherd and spend a lot of my time trimming sheep’s hooves and mucking out stalls. But honestly, even before I started my career with sheep, I could rarely be bothered with much with clothes or jewelry. As far as make up goes, I’ve been a lipstick and mascara girl for as long as I can remember, with the occasional addition on a little blush if I’m trying to be fancy.
The only real exception to my lack-of-a-beauty routine I’ve ever made it when it comes to sunscreen. I wear SPF 110 every day of my life and I’m positively evangelical about it. Besides the fact that I’d like to spend my an entire lifetime without getting friendly with skin cancer, I am really fair, and my skin does not like the sun.
All of which is to say that spending $139 on a fancy face-washing tool is not something I did lightly. But my skin was looking a little tired this winter and I kept reading about the Clarisonic Mia on blogs I really trust. Then I saw this Jezebel article and – the next thing I knew- a Mia 2 fell into my Amazon cart.
I ordered from Amazon because I knew that I could return it if I wasn’t really happy with it, and with something this expensive, you better believe I would.
But that isn’t going to happen because someone will have to pry this thing from my cold, dead hand. After using it for only a handful of days I can already see a difference in my skin. I hate to repeat what ever other blogger has said, but it really is like an electric toothbrush for your face. (If you’ve ever used a Sonicare tooth brush you will totally get the idea.)
My skin hasn’t felt so clean and smooth in years. I haven’t been using it long enough to notice the reduction in fine lines that others talk about but I absolutely believe the claim that skin creams absorb better after using it, because it’s so exfoliating.
I also think it’s worth noting that I had the Olay version of the Clarisonic- the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System- and I can say categorically say that the Clarisonic is 1000 times better and, so far, totally worth it.
In other girl stuff news, while I was at TNNA in January all my girlfriends were getting gel manicures. Have you heard about them? Gel (or shellac) manicures are new and a total game changer for people like me who can’t even keep clear polish on my nails. Basically, in between coats, a UV light is used to “cure” the nail polish and that makes them last a whole lot longer.
I got one a few weeks ago while I was waiting for my passport to be made and my nails haven’t so much as chipped in the intervening weeks. For me that’s a new record, particularly when I traveled so much during that time. I will totally be going back for another manicure when I’m in town again.
So I guess I have two new girly obsessions. Are you a girly girl? And do you find yourself becoming more so? What are your can’t-live-without-it beauty products?
*FYI, this is not a sponsored post and I have no relationship with either Clarisonic or the Nail Polish Industrial Complex. Both the Clarisonic and the manicure were purchased by me, which is really saying something because I am a little on the cheap side of life. Okay, I’m a lot of the cheap side. Spending $139 very nearly killed me!
{ 19 comments }
crap, i am going to have to buy this now. i was with a friend a few months ago when she bought it for another friend. that is to say, she spent over $100 on a birthday present for a friend because she’s so convinced of its amazingness and she was so evangelical about it, it sort of seemed like she was about to offer to buy one for me too. i was a little tempted then but if YOU are also this taken with it, then who am i to resist it?
I am on my fourth Clarisonic and can categorically say it is the MOST AMAZING FACE PRODUCT EVER! Over time, it erased years of sun damage and fine lines that I had. At 35, my skin looks 25. It’s amazing. J’adore
The shellac is Great but don’t take off your self, my nails felt really strong with it on, but low and behold when I got back to work and th zillion times I wash my hands( operating room nurse) they were I thought weaker. I asked my guy what can I do and my new girl thing is-nail Envy by OPI It waterProofs your nails and Wow what a difference no ripping or cracking!!! I love it.
We bought a Mia a few months back – they are wonderful for teens with acne issues! I purchased separate “heads” for each kid so they swap it out when they use it. For them, almost immediate results! I’ll have to take my daughter for a manicure. She’d love that.
the sonic face brushes ARE incredible.
i wound up getting mine on OVERSTOCK.com . the brand is called NUTRASONIC and i bought the 4 speed one (because it has both body and face brushes and 4 speeds) i <3 love love LOVE it.
a friend turned me on to the clarisonic and i find i like this one as much or better.
additionally (fyi) if /when you need replacement brush heads, the two (clarisonic and nutrasonic) are interchangeable and avail on overstock (i already bought replacements to have on hand)
the nutrasonic i got doesn't seem to be on overstock anymore…the one they have (it's the SAME UNIT 4 speed) but i didn't buy it with the creams because i'm very VERY particular about CREAMS! but highly recommend this unit (as well as overstocks cust. service ) to you as a less expensive option to the clarisonic.
quality wise?
i'm happy. mine holds a great charge and works like a charm.
on FACE AND Body.
xo
love…
rona
am i cheap? i wouldn’t call my self cheap but i am FRUGAL and also enjoy finding great deals.
i can find great deals on (almost) ANYTHING!!!
…hit me up if u need help.
and yeah…i’m a girly girl but now that i’m 52 i wear make-up way less than i did in my teens and 20′s. natural sorta woman/girl.
i’m happy to be pretty comfy in my own skin ~ more so (hopefully) each day
and
aging gracefully is on my list of TO DO’s!!!
question for ya all that’ve had the gel manicures
i had ‘gel’ nails an overlay done YEARS ago
i found i could find ANY imperfection in them and “lift them off”
–there goes that particular thing again!
do u find u can lift them off or do the edges bubble up/lift up
?
that’d drive me nuts and i’d hack ‘em off.
curious.
thanks!
I’d love to hear in what way(s) you find the Clarisonic better than the Olay device. I have an Olay (also being frugal), but if the Mia is really that much better, then I will totally invest in one!
Oh dear I am now surfing for a Mia, my face has been feeling older and rough this winter and no creams seem to be helping.
I have had the Shellac nails done twice and then had them taken off and now my own nails will not grow so just a warning if you have nice nails like I did but just want polish to stay on it might not be worth it, as it really reeked havoc on them still after 2 months trying to get them to grow again.
Hilary, the Olay version spins around while the Clarisonic version uses a sonic oscillation that allows for 300 movements per second. I really liked the Olay product and thought it was working until I tried the Clarisonic and my skin felt so much cleaner. Also, the Clarisonic is rechargeable, which I greatly prefer to having to change batteries and it has an automatic timer that prompts you to change areas of your face and shuts off after a minute. It’s also much bigger than the Olay version, and covers more area.
fyi — just to mention it again…
the nutrasonic is sonic
essentially same as clarisonic
take a peek. (yes you should.) really.
so, I was/am the eternal tomboy, hockey mom, etc., until when my son was 15 and got his first girlfriend, living in the city, I found I needed a life. Enter Mary Kay Cosmetics… the ultimate girly girl stuff and THE MOST amazing business – so much more than lipstick. anywho, I became a consultant, (still am) and now have a slight addiction to the girly stuff. Moving to the farm a few years later has tempered my need to wear eye shadow to the barn, in an effort not to scare the sheep, but only slightly. Love a bargain, a new product, and a younger looking skin – will have to check it out! thanks.
so, is this the big, big, big news?? Just kidding… looks like I will be shopping for a clarisonic too, or the nutrasonic… especially since it’s supposed to rain all day.
One can be quite feminine within and be fine with hard work, getting hands dirty, not wearing much make up. Susan, I would say what you are not is a superficial girly girl. And, you are experimenting with ways to take care of yourself. Skin care is a lasting investment in one’s self-care.
Thanks, Susan – I’m seriously considering an upgrade. I don’t wear a lot of makeup and so it seems like a good idea to take the best care of my skin as possible.
I’ve never been a girly-girl, and am somewhat “androgynous” (my mom compared me to George Sand on my 18th b-day). That said, I love playing with makeup and “looks” (artistic expression) so I guess that’s girly. I am hearing this AGAIN about the Clarisonic. I cannot justify that amount of money right now, but it would probably be great for my skin. Sigh. Maybe the Nutrasonic. If I got it and it worked wonders, I would be paradoxically relieved and PO’ed that I didn’t have it when I had severe acne years ago; my problem was, and is, how to exfoliate sensitive skin with acne and not make it worse. I tried everything and have the scars now to prove it. So, I’m also girly about foundation and facial stuff but would not be at all if I’d been blessed with normal skin. I’m glad to hear so many people love this product! Maybe my next splurge, as I am entering the wrinkle years…ha ha.
My love affair with my Clarisonic began 11 weeks ago. I absolutely believe it is worth every penny. I have always been frugal and it just about killed me to spend the $$. I have a friend who sells them and I wanted to help her in in December goal so I splurged. In 2 weeks my skin glowed. I can never go back to my face cloth. It’s over.
Along with Swiffers, Magic Erasers, Dyson vacuums, the Clarisonic is a Modern Miracle in my book!
I’d say hold your judgment on the shellac until you’ve been through a few cycles… I think it has great potential, but it’s not for everybody. If you get the point where you have to get it off right now – that’s not really an option! I tried anyway, and it was months before my nails recovered.
I just added it the cleaner to my wishlist! Thanks for letting us know about it.
I had been frustrated over my skin lately (very dry and yet oily/ acne prone). My skin is also very sensitive and so I decided to give the Mia a try after seeing your review. I used it for the first time today and OMG! My face already feels cleaner and softer. Acne seems to be drying up too, not gone yet, but noticeably better after 2 uses.