Clarisonic Results -- Week 3

Unfortunately I did not take a "before" picture prior to starting the Clarisonic. However, I will say that I have noticed fantastic results! I've been using it twice daily for three weeks and my pores are significantly less noticeable. I have had a few breakouts, though, but I will attribute that to changing my regimen and also not drinking enough water. Plus, I stopped using my topical acne medications -- BAD idea. So instead of using the Bioré cleanser that I bought specifically for the Clarisonic, I went back to using Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash (with 2% Salicylic acid). The results are wonderous! I don't know how I've lived my life without one of these puppies! I used Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask the other night after the Clarisonic and WOW. I would've actually left the house without putting on foundation. My skin looked that good.

Still, I am very oily so I still wear makeup. I switched from Bare Minerals to Everyday Minerals and I think that has also helped my pores to diminish in size. Their Sunlight Start-to-Finish Kaolin powder is excellent at controlling oily AND making my pores appear smaller. BONUS!

So here's a picture of my face -- sans makeup -- to use for comparison purposes down the line. Please excuse the EXTREME closeup-ed-ness. :P



Oh, also, I have noted that my acne marks have faded quite quickly (and almost completely) since I've started using the Clarisonic. TWO THUMBS UP!

skin care 101

PCOS and wacky hormones have "blessed" me with an array of skin problems. Acne, for the most part, I can deal with. Except when it's the nasty, lumpy, cystic, looks-like-I'm-growing-a-marble-under-my-skin kind. Like the one I'm nursing on the side of my poor nose. UGH. Not only ugly but painful as well. And all the salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide topical treatments in the world don't help this type of acne. At least they don't for me. I'm currently trying a new spot treatment by Clearasil that has 8% sulfur in it. It smells a bit funky but it's tolerable. And definitely worth it if it works. I'll have to get back to you on that one.

My only other major problem is my pores. They are HUGE. Well, not all of them, but a choice few on my cheeks, chin, and nose are quite noticeable. I also have a problem with these enlarged pores becoming larger from an excess build-up of sebum. I have very oily skin so I really haven't been able to find a way around this issue. The pores look black but they're not blackheads. They're just clogged pores. I've tried everything short of a professional spa treatment. And I am diligent about my skin care. I wash my face thoroughly. I use moisturizers that are oil free and considered non-comedogenic. I use mineral makeup that does not contain bismuth oxychloride. I exfoliate a few times a week. Pretty much everything they tell you to do to minimize pores, I've done. I've even tried several different pore minimizing products (lotions, etc.) to no avail.

I was pretty much at a point where I'd resigned myself to living with skin conditions for the rest of my natural life when I came across the Clarisonic brush. I read up on it on their website and then scrutinized the 30+ pages of reviews on Makeup Alley. 350 user reviews and the product was sporting a 4.3 out of 5.0 rating. Dude. So then I went to see how much it was. A staggering $195.00. OUCH. Even still, me wanted. Me wanted BAD.

I brought the matter up to my sister and raved on and on about the good reviews and all the benefits of using this product that, for the price, should be at least gold-plated. We both agreed that we wanted to try it. Unfortunately, I am pretty much broke. And I have no room on any of my credit cards to splurge. Even still, taxes were coming so I thought I'd plant a bug in The Monkey's ear. No dice. Not even when I found it for $165-ish on eBay and elsewhere did he budge. And The Monkey never tells me no.

Bugger.

It would've been better if I'd never found the darn thing to begin with! Then I'd never have to covet what I was missing. CURRRRSES!!!

But, alas, my fate was not sealed. My sister does have money open on a credit card and she found one for $140 on eBay. And it comes with a spare brush. (Plus I ordered two of the sensitive brush heads - one for each of us.) So we're both waiting anxiously for our new skin care miracle [we hope] to arrive in the mail. We're crossing our fingers for tomorrow. If I show great improvement in my skin it'll be a shoo in to get The Monkey to allow me to purchase a brush of my own. Perhaps as an anniversary present in April? (Though, it's our fifth anniversary and jewelry would be nice....)

I guess we'll see. Here's hoping that the Clarisonic is my skin care MIRACLE! Fingers and toes crossed!