Clarisonic Mia 2 Review – Hype or Help? Does it Really Work?

In 2011, a new product burst onto the beauty scene that made both the casually interested and beauty industry insiders take notice: the Clarisonic Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush.

Suddenly, the focus on skin care and aging turned from serums and creams to the idea of effective cleansing. It’s no surprise this is a bestselling product. After reading several Clarisonic Mia 2 reviews, I wanted to try it for myself to see if it was worth the hype.

In short: yes! It worked for me and I want to share the results with you today.

The Clarisonic brush was not meant to replace those topical products, but instead, was said to help them work more effectively.

Well…who wouldn’t want that? It sounded great! Until you saw the price. Ouch! So, as less expensive yet similar cleansing brushes started to flood the market, consumers who had wanted to try Clarisonic but balked at the price were finally able to jump on the trend.

Clarisonic knew it had to step up its game, set itself apart from the competitors, and somehow justify that hefty price tag.

Enter the new Clarisonic Mia 2 Cleansing Brush.

Brand Overview

Clarisonic is the creation of Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., based in Redmond, Washington. Founded by David Giuliani, Robb Akridge, Steve Meginniss, Ward Harris and Ken Pilcher in 2000, the company was actually an offshoot of Optiva, which developed the tremendously popular Sonicare line of toothbrushes. Optiva was sold to Philips Oral Healthcare in 2000, leaving the rest of the team to create and launch the Clarisonic brand, and in 2011, Clarisonic was sold to L’Oreal.

The consumer line of products include Clarisonic Cleansing Devices (PLUS, Aria, Mia 2, and Mia models), the Clarisonic Opal Sonic Infusion Device, the Clarisonic Pedi, and various cleansers, serums, and masks. Clarisonic products are widely sold in retailers and sites online, including www.clarisonic.com.

Product and Claims

According to the Clarisonic website:

Lightweight, compact and equipped with a travel case, it gives you a gentle and effective cleanse at home or on the go.

Features include:

• 2 Speeds (Delicate, Universal) – With varying levels of sonic speed, you can customize your cleansing experience to address your specific skin concerns. Designed for compromised or fragile skin, Speed 1 (Delicate) is delicate enough for even very sensitive skin conditions. Universal for all skin types and cleansing six times better than hands alone, Speed 2 (Universal) is developed for normal daily use and enhances cleansing by 26% compared to Speed 1.
• 1-Minute Pulsing T-Timer – For even and thorough cleansing, the product features a T-Timer® that pulses momentarily to indicate it is time to move to another part of your face.
• Interchangeable Facial Brush Heads – Choose from a variety of interchangeable facial brush heads for your device, each uniquely designed and engineered for specific skin types or conditions. Visit our Brush Head Comparison Chart for more information.
• 2 Year Warranty
• Rechargeable, waterproof

So what does this mean for you?

According to the Clarisonic website:

Cleansing is the essential first step in a healthy skin care ritual. The patented Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Brush uses a sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second to deeply cleanse the skin far more effectively, yet more gently, than traditional superficial cleansing or simple rotating brushes. The result is noticeably smoother, more radiant skin.

• 6x better cleansing than hands alone
• 61% greater absorption of Vitamin C after use
• 2x daily use is proven safe and gentle
• 94% of users report softer skin
• 90% of users report more radiant, glowing skin

The main theory behind the effectiveness of the Clarisonic Mia 2 lies in exfoliation. Exfoliation is the process by which the oldest dead skin cells on the skin’s outermost surface are removed. Once those dead cells are gone, your skin is more readily able to accept, and effectively use, those pricey treatment creams and serums designed to provide anti-aging benefits. And though Clarisonic has certainly advanced the ease and availability of exfoliation (the oscillating brush head rotates using a sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second), the process is not a new thing… it has actually has been in practice since ancient times, and is involved in the process of all facials.

Other Products You Can Use With This Device

In addition to the Mia 2 cleansing brush, Clarisonic offers several brushes, kits, cleansers, treatments, and serums on their website:

• BRIGHTENING ACTIVATOR SERUM
• SKIN ILLUMINATING CLEANSER
• SKIN RENEWING PEEL WASH
• MOISTURIZING CLEANSE
• DEEP PORE DETOXIFYING MASK
• DEEP PORE DAILY CLEANSER
• ACNE DAILY CLARIFYING CLEANSER
• GENTLE HYDRO CLEANSER
• REFINING SKIN POLISH
• OPAL ANTI-AGING SEA SERUM
• REFRESHING GEL CLEANSER
• PEDI-BOOST
• PEDI-BUFF
• PEDI-BALM

Application and regimen recommendations

The Clarisonic Mia 2 is easy to use, working as a “micro-massage.” It massages your skin, thoroughly cleans it and doesn’t irritate it as other products might. If you have sensitive skin this is an appropriate choice. Just be sure you don’t press too hard on your skin as you could irritate it.

Think about this product as an electric toothbrush. A quality one will do a better job of cleaning your teeth than a standard one will. It’s the same concept for the Clarisonic Mia 2.

So, how do you use it?

According to the Clarisonic website:

Prior to the first use, charge the handle for 24 hours.

• Prior to the first use, charge the handle for 24 hours.
• Remove eye makeup by hand.
• Apply cleanser directly to moistened skin or to a damp brush head.
• Push the on/off button to turn on your cleansing brush.
• Select desired speed.
• Follow T-Timer prompts while gently moving the brush head in small circular motions. We recommend:

• 20 seconds on Forehead
• 20 seconds on Nose and Chin
• 10 seconds on one Cheek
• 10 seconds on other Cheek

NOTE: Keep the brush head flush to the skin. Pressing too hard will impede the motion and reduce effectiveness.

I really liked the timer that keeps me on track by beeping every time its time to move to a different facial zone. This makes sure I massage my forehead, nose, and cheeks the right amount of time to get a full cleanse. It makes it so easy to cleanse my skin in the mornings or remove my makeup after a long day.

Now, let’s dive into some Clarisonic Mia 2 reviews that we’re sure you’ll enjoy reading about.

Reviews

Across the board, on sites ranging from Amazon to Beauty.com and every site in-between, the Clarisonic Mia 2 saw extremely positive consumer reviews. Those who first tested the “facial cleansing brush” waters with the less-expensive competitors’ products only to switch to the Mia 2 definitely noted that the Mia 2 seemed overall more sturdy and more effective at cleaning.

The varying speeds and numerous brush head options also worked well for those with sensitive skin and skin issues (such as Rosacea). Other benefits raved about included the fact that skin was less oily, looked brighter, tone was slightly more even, visible pores were lessened, and that the Mia 2 could be used with your favorite cleansers.

And everyone seemed to love the idea that the Mia 2 increased the effectiveness of the expensive anti-aging treatments and serums they were already using.

The few complaints we found were mainly the price and the additional cost of replacing the brush heads (recommended every 2-3 months). There also were some cases of increased breakouts in the first few weeks of use, but this is thought to be due to the skin being rapidly cleared of dead cells/dirt/pore-clogging debris that had likely been building up for some time. Those who had noticed breakouts also noted that they significantly improved after the first few weeks (1-3) of consistent use.

And just in case you were looking for more scientific results, the Clarisonic website provides a link to several clinical studies that are said to support the claims of the various Clarisonic products, including the Mia 2.

Overall

Pros:

• Works well on all skin types
• Waterproof design means it can be used in the shower
• Improves skin tone and texture
• Improves the effectiveness of other anti-aging products
• Rechargeable
• Easy to travel with
• Can be used with any favorite cleanser

Cons:

• Despite being available on the market for a few years now, the Clarisonic facial cleansing brushes (the Mia 2 included) are still considered relatively pricey, at the high-end of the skin care product spectrum
• Minor cost every 2-3 months in replacing brush heads
• Some instances of increased breakouts with initial use

Wrap Up

The Clarisonic Mia 2 is a best-selling product and for good reason! You can use any cleanser you want, and the device does all the work. It offers clearer, brighter, and healthier skin.

As a great way to step up your skincare routine, this is the device for you! If you’ve already tried this product, we would love to hear how it worked for you. Do you think it lives up to the hype? If not, where does it fall short? Let us know below!