Comparison and Review: Clarisonic Mia2 VS. Mary Kay Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush

The big hype lately has been mechanical brushes to aid in the cleansing of your skin. Many companies have started to come out with their own versions of these brushes from the Drug Store versions by Olay, right up to the high end spa-recommended ones made by Clarisonic.

Recently, Mary Kay came out with their own version called the Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush. It claims to remove makeup 85% better than cleansing by hand. While the Clarisonic claims to cleans 6x better than by hand.

I have had the Clarisonic Mia2 for several months now, having purchased in in July. I purchased the Mary Kay Skinvigorate brush in November. Now I will say I bought both items with my own money and have not been paid by either company to review their products. However, I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant so I did receive a 50% discount off the Skinvigorate brush. It sells for $60 Regular price in Canada and comes with 2 brush heads. Replacement brush heads are available in
a set of 2 for $18CAD. I purchased the Clarisonic Mia2 from the QVC website for around $140USD. Replacement brush heads are available individually for $30CAD.

I have used both brushes and I feel that these two are really a good comparison for a few reasons: Firstly both brushes have 2 speeds - high and low. Secondly, it is recommended to change the brush head every 3 months. And thirdly, they are both waterproof so you can use them in the shower.

The major differences are that the Clarisonic products are all rechargeable and come with a little plug-in charger that magnetically attaches at the bottom of the handle and the Mary Kay brush is battery operated. To replace the batteries, you remove the bottom part of then handle and the batteries sit inside the unit. Another major difference is how each brush operates; the Clarisonic uses ultrasonic vibrations to cleanse the skin and oscillates more than 300 times per minute. The Mary Kay brush definitely spins, and does not vibrate, however spins 400 times per minute.

When I got the Mia2, I was having some skin issues – I regularly get hives on my upper body and have some occasional cystic acne. I began using the Mia2 once a day and within a few days really noticed a difference in the appearance and texture of my skin. I noticed that the itchy red bumps on my skin had lessened and seemed to be under control. While they never went away completely, they reduced significantly enough that I began to use a tinted moisturizer occasionally, over a medium-coverage foundation. I started with the sensitive face brush that comes with most Clarisonic purchases, and after 3 months switched to the deep cleansing brush and have been using it ever since.

Along comes the Mary Kay Skinvigorate brush. I had read all the releases on it and spoke with my upline about it, and initially decided it really wasn’t a need for me since I already had a face brush. But after awhile with both friends and customers asking me if it was worth “the investment” or not, I figured I should give it a go. So I ordered it in and for a week, didn’t use any brush on my skin at all so I could try to simulate what it was like when I first began using the Clarisonic Mia2. While I’m sure the conditions weren’t exactly the same, I am confident that my skin wasn’t as good as it would have been had I kept using the Mia2.

So here’s what I think:
I like them both! I think if you’re looking for a more cost-friendly version that is backed by a good company and known for quality, then the Mary Kay Skinvigorate is a great way to go. It definitely does clean well, and after washing my face at night by hand and using the Skinvigorate in the morning, you can definitely tell on the brush that it has cleaned more crud off my face. The bristles on the brush feel much softer to the touch than the Clarisonic brushes do, but with the speed that the brush head turns at, it still gets a really good scrub on. It’s a very basic brush without any bells and whistles, but it does what it claims to do.

If you’re wanting to invest a little more money, or are looking for a brush with multiple head options, then the Clarisonic products are the way to go. I like that this one doesn’t spin because I do find that on occasion, the Skinvigorate brush will catch baby wispies around the front of my face and tug at my hair. I also like that this one has a timer to tell me when to switch the brush to different sections on my face. The Clarisonic products also have lights that glow different ways to tell you when you need to re-charge the battery. Again, the brush definitely cleans the goo off of your face and seems to do what it claims.

In Geeky Gorgeousness,

Llora