Clarisonic Mia 1 Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush - First Impression & Review

I have been checking out the facial brush market for quite some time now and finally made a purchase! I picked up the Clarisonic Mia at Dillard's about a week ago so I wanted to give my first impressions (since I haven't owned it very long) and a review of what I think about it so far. Since this is my first experience in the world of facial brushes, I chose the Mia 1 because it's the simplest and most inexpensive of the Clarisonic products. I thought this would be a good brush to start with. I chose the shade "pink" - they have several colors including purple, electric pink, grey, & white - and I love the color, I think it's really pretty. 

The Mia 1 comes with the "sensitive brush head" and only has one speed, speed 2 (universal) for use with all skin types. This speed is safe to be used daily, or even twice daily if you'd like. The brush heads are interchangeable, so you can purchase new brush heads after a few months to replace the existing head, or you can buy alternative heads for different skin types and uses. The brush heads typically cost around $27 each, so it's pretty affordable to change your brush head every 3 months (as recommended). 

The Mia is also waterproof, so you could use it in the shower and you don't have to worry about keeping any parts of it dry. The charger is actually magnetic so there's no plug or holes for the charger to plug into on the actual brush. You just touch the charger to the bottom of the handle and it sticks magnetically to the handle pretty firmly. It also comes with a cover for the brush head with holes so the bristles can dry while still protected. The power button is a grey rubber button and once you power on the Clarisonic, it is on a 60-second timer. 60 seconds is the recommended daily use time. 

Since I purchased mine at Dillard's, I also received a free gift with purchase. The Mia 1 comes with a sample size of the Clarisonic cleanser, but the gift with purchase from Dillard's provides 2 more sample cleansers and a small travel bag for the Mia. The travel bag is the size of a toiletry kit or rectangular makeup bag. It's purple with yellow trim, so it's not the cutest bag, but it fits all the cleanser samples, the charger, and the Mia itself, so it's handy for storage and/or traveling. It has a zipper shaped like a mini silver Clarisonic brush.

I read quite a few reviews before using this. It's recommended that you charge the brush for a full 24 hours before using, so I had plenty of time to read up on the brush. I read some really scary reviews of users that broke out really badly after starting to use the Mia. I was expecting a few blemishes or spots to pop up as is pretty standard with any new product, especially one that's exfoliating. However, I was hoping it didn't ruin my skin or give me any serious issues.

I'm happy to say, I have had a really good experience with the Mia so far. I did get a few very small spots after the first few days of use, but they went away very quickly and didn't leave any redness or marks on my skin. I had very very minimal "purging" with this, so I was really happy about that. It has definitely helped with my dryness. After about a week of use, I no longer have any major dry patches or peeling. My skin is never irritated by it and I have been using it both at night and in the morning. Most noticeably, I can tell a huge difference in the occurrence of blackheads on my nose and the size of my pores. The pores, especially on my nose, seem much cleaner, which makes them less visible. This is the best result I've experienced and it's what motivated me most to buy the brush. I'm happy with the Mia 1, I'm not sure that I need fancy brush heads or multiple speeds. For $99, I'm very satisfied with this brush and I don't think I would spend more to get a brush that has different speeds. Especially if you're new to facial brushes, I think this is the perfect brush for daily use. They also have a 1-year warranty, so you're covered if you experience any troubles in the first year. 

You can find the Clarisonic at most department stores, online at Clarisonic.com, and Sephora.

Let me know what you think of Clarisonic's products. If you've used any of their cleansers, please let me know! I think I will give my skin plenty of time to adjust to daily Clarisonic use before I try out any new cleansers or skincare products. One step at a time!

Until next time... xoxo

Origins GinZing Scrub Cleanser & Eye Cream - Review

Origins GinZing Cleanser & Eye Cream

I recently added on a 100-point sample of the Origins GinZing eye cream at check out in Sephora. I had been wanting a new eye cream, but wasn't able to narrow it down and choose one. I had given up, deciding to research some at home later, but was pleasantly surprised when a sample of the eye cream was an option for a 100-point perk. I had heard of the GinZing cleanser from Tanya Burr's October Favorites video, and was interested in trying the eye cream, but hadn't read any reviews on it.

I loved the sample so much that I went out to buy the full size before I had finished up the miniature. Although I don't usually get dark circles under my eyes, I do suffer from bags & puffiness. Especially when the weather is changing (which in Texas is pretty much all the time) I get congested and my allergies start to act up - leaving my with pretty puffy eyes every morning. I picked this up at the Origins store for $30. It's a 0.5oz tub, but I've had the sample tube for about a month and, using it almost daily, I haven't used it up yet. It takes just a tiny amount, so I didn't mind the price. The GinZing range includes coffee beans, Ginseng, & Magnolia extract and claims to clear up darkness, de-puff, and get rid of bags. I put this on directly after I cleanse, follow up with moisturizer, and then apply my makeup. By the time I finish doing my makeup, I no longer have any puffiness or under eye bags.

Another nice aspect about the eye cream is that it seems to be a fairly natural skincare product. It's formulated without Parabens, Phthalates, mineral oil, Petroleum, animal ingredients or synthetic fragrance. This has never irritated my skin, and feels really nice on my eyes in the morning. It's cooling and refreshing, and I do like to keep things as natural and chemical-free as possible.

When I went to pick up the full size of the eye cream, I also got the GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I love scrubs - they really help my dry skin, and I was looking for a morning cleanser that will prep my skin for makeup and get my skin ready for the day. This was just under $20 which I thought was a really good price. Definitely worth it, as you really get a lot of product for your money with this one. The first thing I noticed about this cleanser was the smell. This smells amazing! It has definitely become one of my favorite scents. Like the bright orange bottle suggests, the cleanser smells like oranges. It reminds me of candied orange peels. I love this smell in the morning, it's really invigorating and wakes you up and gets your skin ready for the day. I wish I could attach a scratch & sniff here - it's really an amazing scent. If I smelled this in the store, I would have purchased it just for the smell alone. 

Like the eye cream, this has Ginseng & Coffee beans. It has "grains" in the cleanser so it feels like a scrub and it gently exfoliates. I think this is really nice for a morning cleanser because it helps smooth out your skin so your makeup goes on flawlessly. Like I said, I use this only in the morning, so I don't use it to remove makeup. The instructions say to keep this away from the eye area, so I just lather this all over my skin - avoiding my eyes - and wipe it away with a wet cloth. If you do use this as your regular cleanser, I would suggest using a makeup removing oil or balm and then following up with this scrub. It is very slightly drying, I definitely have to moisturize immediately after use, but I love the exfoliation that it provides and it has really seemed to brighten and refresh my skin.

The range also offers a tub of moisturizer and a face mask. I definitely want to try out the mask - it's meant to brighten and refresh skin. If it has the same smell as the cleanser, I'm sure I will love it.

Have you guys tried any products from the GinZing range? What are your favorite Origins products? Let me know in the comments!