Too Harsh....

I received my Clarisonic a week ago and it's been a very interesting ride. I would strongly recommend new users be tentative and cautious when starting this cleansing regime. My experiences has been an "over drying" effect with a shiny patch on my nose (similar to a sunburn), meaning the unit is "too abrasive".

I do not have sensitive skin, nor have I ever, but I found using this instrument twice a day to be too harsh. Your skin doesn't get a chance to replenish it's natural oils.

Now that I have to take a week off from use, here is what I recommend and what I would have done differently.

1. Start with the 'delicate' brush. (Yes, even if you feel you are 'normal')

2. Make sure you do not use any self home peel or microdermabrasion system with it. If you do such a major exfoliation of the skin, then wait 3 days before going back to the Clarisonic, again, only in the evenings.

3. Leave the factory preset at 1 minute for a while, before changing it to 2. (Longer is not always better.)

4. Initially start using it in the evenings ONLY, because that's when you need your face deep cleaned, i.e., after make-up, or if you are a 'natural' girl, then that's when you need to clean off the pollution, dirt and oil. (A morning cleaning is not crucial, as you just slept.)

If your face does not feel dehydrated, after a week of use, then you can try cleansing twice a day (avoiding the eye area, as stated on page 4 of the manual).

For me, personally, I can't imagine ever going back to twice a day deep cleansing. It just seems like it is asking for trouble in the long term. After all, their toothbrush is a home run, but you shouldn't have to learn the hard way on something as delicate as your face.

Happy cleaning:)