Clarisonic dupe??

Along with the rest of the blogging community, I've been lusting after a Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Brush for what seems like my whole life. If you believe the reviews, this thing is better than sex or chocolate, a holy grail skin care product which removes 6 x more make up and 2 x more dirt than manual cleansing.  Working like a sonic electric toothbrush, rather than rotating the Clarisonic vibrates at 300 movements per second to deep cleanse and clarify the skin. Hundreds of glowing reviews litter the internet, with Clarisonic fans raving about dramatic skin improvements. For someone who suffers with congested, ill-behaving skin, this sounds like heaven to me, but at £120 for the entry level Clarisonic Mia, it's a lot of money to spend if my skin doesn't get on with it.


I'd umm-ed and ahh-ed about taking the plunge for over 6 months and just couldn't justify the expense when my trusty Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish was serving me so well. However one day whilst reading Clarisonic reviews on QVC's website, I stumbled across a reviewer discussing the (few) differences between the Clarisonic and the bargain, 1/3rd of the price treSonics Facial Cleansing and Massage system, I had to check it out!!

So what's the treSonic facial cleanser? Working on the same sonic technology basis as the Clarisonic, the treSonics offering claims to "gently and effectively loosen dirt and oil, and clear your pores. Give your skin a deep and relaxing cleansing experience with this fantastic device.".


The only UK distributor of this product seems to be QVC, and the specifications are suitably vague, with no description on number of sonic movements per second, however at £35 plus P&P, I figured it was worth a try, especially with QVC's brilliant 30 day money back guarantee.


I've never used a Clarisonic, however with the number of blogs and reviews I've read about it, I think I can compare features fairly accurately. The main differences between the Clarisonic and the treSonics are as follows:


Clarisonic has a mains charger, and built in battery, much like an electric toothbrush or electric shaver. The treSonic takes AA sized batteries with no charging facility.


Clarisonic's have an oscillating and vibrating central area on their brush heads, and all other areas of the brush head just vibrate. The treSonic just vibrates.


Clarisonic's beep every 10-20 seconds to notify you when to change area on the face, and auto turn-off after a minute. The treSonic does not, only having an "on/off" switch with no beeping or auto turn-off.


Some Clarisonic models have two intensity levels, the treSonic only has one.


Clarisonic offer a delicate brush head, along with the normal and sensitive brush heads that are supplied as standard. The treSonic only offer a normal and sensitive. They do however offer a foam head for applying moisturiser/ serum and also a massage head which is wonderful if you've got sinus issues!


So all in all, whilst there are differences, they're not deal-breakers. I took the plunge and three weeks ago it arrived.

I've been using the treSonic day and night for the last 3 weeks and am seriously impressed! I've been using the sensitive brush head and my skin is looking better than it has done in 10 years. As someone who suffers with sensitive, dry yet congested skin, I was concerned that the 'scrubbing' action might wreak havoc with my skin, but I'm soooo pleased to say that it's been brilliant.


For the sake of impartiality I kept with my normal skin care products and have just introduced the treSonic, using it for 20 seconds on my forehead, 10 seconds per cheek, and 20 seconds on my nose and chin respectively. As a fan of double cleansing, I typically pre-cleanse to remove make up, before using my hot cloth cleanser with the treSonic, and then rinsing away any residue with warm water before moving onto toning and moisturising.


My pores are clearer and less filled with debris, my skin feels astonishingly clean, and I've actually found that I need less moisturiser than previously.  My persistent blackheads on my nose are almost gone and my incredibly annoying blocked pores on the sides of my nose/ cheeks have completely vanished!! I am truly impressed. Whilst I still have a spotty chin, I am hoping that this is just part of the 'purging' process that other Clarisonic users have spoken of, and I'm confident that this will improve over time. Even if not, the rest of my skin looks so good, and my chin spots are no worse than before, so I can live with it!


Whilst the sonic cleansers all claim not to exfoliate, I feel that the treSonic really does clean off the top layers of skin, leaving it healthy looking, fresh and youthful. I assume that the vibrating action stimulates blood flow which may account for the increase in luminosity.


My only criticism is that the sensitive brush head is still a little harsh, so you have to be really careful not to push too hard when cleansing, which can lead to slight stinging. I could see that this harshness might put some people off but I really do think it's worth it, and even with my very sensitive skin, using it twice a day, every day has not caused me any adverse effects. I also think that a foaming cleanser would work better than a thick cream cleanser, so I will investigate that now that I'm sure it's the treSonic giving me great results, not a new product!


If you, like me were lusting after a Clarisonic and unsure as to whether to take the jump, or you're new to sonic cleansers and want to improve your skin, I'd really recommend it.


Have you tried the treSonic? I'd love to hear of what you think to sonic cleansers?