Last month I was given the opportunity to test out the Foreo face cleanser which was great as I had already been using the Clarisonic Mia night and day for a few months so being the two big names in face cleansing systems at the moment, I could really compare the two and see whether either are worth their pretty ample price tag!
Clarisonic Mia 2 £99-£125
I'm not really sure what the difference between the regular Clarisonic, the Mia and the Mia 2 are (or if there is any real difference aside from cost!) but I did a review on this back in June after I had been trialling it for about a week, so for general product information and my thoughts after my first few uses, read here. To sum the product up in short, the Clarisonic consists of a rotating brush which gently exfoliates and dislodges the dirt from pores. I did a lot of research into the product before splurging out and was impressed with the reviews. Many said that their spots had cleared up and that it made their skincare more effective, having smoother, more exfoliated skin as a base. I noticed after the first use that my face felt squeaky clean and with continued use over the following week, I had no dry patches so my makeup sat better throughout the day. That said, I think I was expecting a miracle product to sort out a certain type of acne I have been battling this year, and the novelty of the Clarisonic did wear off as I compared the price with the minor change in my skin!
Foreo £99-£145
Much in the same way that Clarisonic uses an extremely gentle approach to exfoliating that you can barely feel, the Foreo which is made of silicone has a pulsing movement that vibrates, rather than a brush which spins. The website boasts some pretty impressive claims, such as 'anti-ageing' technology, and while I'm not entirely convinced how much this is true it's certainly an excellent face cleanser which made my skin smoother than the Clarisonic and my spots noticeably smaller. My colleague Rebecca at Biteable Beauty has been using it for some weeks too and is so impressed with it- her complexion has a new found smoothness and glow to it that I noticed after a week!
Thoughts?
Both have been excellent in exfoliating and getting rid of those pesky dry bits of skin which prevent makeup from sitting as smoothly as it could do. I like the timer on the Clarisonic which makes sure you allocate enough time to each section of the face. I also enjoy the control I have when I hold it and direct it around my face. From a practical point the Foreo feels slightly awkward, or is that just me? I'm never sure whether to make use of both sides of the device or how to hold it when I'm cleaning my nose!
Despite the awkward handling situation, the Foreo has impressed me more for the following reasons. a) I have noticed more of a difference in my skin tone. Having a friend who's had the same experience shows it wasn't just a fluke. b) The Clarisonic brush needs replacing every three months and the brushes cost £25 which is an additional £100 for each year of use, and the difference it made just isn't worth it, in my view.
c) The Foreo is lighter, slightly smaller and has a better battery life, making it easier to travel with
d) It has different speed settings, (yes i'm still talking about a face cleanser, stay with me here!) so you can experiment with gel, cream and oil cleansers on different speeds until you find one which works best for you.
I think fellow Instagrammers know exactly what I mean. The invasion of strategically placed fruit bowls which are topped with every colour of the rainbow. They look like exotic works of art, almost too good to ruin by stirring together all of the carefully arranged fruits and seeds!
So why the craze? Well firstly they are a really quick and fool proof way of putting together a nutritious and tasty meal. Whether it's for breakfast, a snack, dessert or to support your work out, you can play around with the ingredients and make it as guilty or guilt-free and as light or substantial as you wish. I have seen people uploading photos of their bowls which contain kale, avocado, almonds, puffed rice, kiwi, frozen fruits and all sorts of other ingredients I haven't heard of and wouldn't know where to buy (what is sprouted buckwheat and where do you buy cranberry powder?!). For less complicated bowls a granola or yoghurt base makes it more of a breakfast dish but a fruit or milk based smoothie is also a great base. Then it's just a case of topping it with anything you fancy and playing around with different variations. I made one on Friday which was a almond milk, banana, honey and blueberry smoothie topped with figs, peach and chia seeds...delicious! In addition to being tasty, these bowls are easy to prepare in advance and transport around. Below is a photo of Friday's bowl, I need to hone my presentation skills a bit more though, ha!
