Do you need the Mary Kay Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush in your life?

I've always thought of mechanical cleansing brushes as overkill. Why spend so much money on something that is ultimately redundant? There are excellent (and less expensive) exfoliating products out there that doesn't require the care and maintenance you would need to put in a battery-powered brush. I just didn't get it...but now I do, thanks to the Mary Kay Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush (P2,190).

I got this a few weeks back and have been using it twice week. So far, I am liking the extra boost in my exfoliating routine! I find that the stubborn rough patches on the bottom of my chin and black heads around my nose are clearer than usual. Those are usually spots where I have trouble even with regular use of the Cure Aqua Gel. They're not visible, but I can feel them before.

So, here's a more detailed run-down of my thoughts on the Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush!

• The brushes in the kit are super soft and far from being abrasive once they get rotatin'. They're made of thin nylon filaments that won't cause micro-holes or irritate your skin.
• Mary Kay recommend 15 seconds of the brush on each cheek, chin, nose, and forehead. It's ample time to cleanse and exfoliate those areas thoroughly.
• The brush is battery-powered and fits into my hand nicely. And yes, it's also water-resistant! You can't dunk it in your bath tub or use it under a running shower (perhaps you can but not too long). However you can get it wet within reasonable means such as using wet hands or quickly rinsing the brush without detaching it from the handle.
• The kit comes with two brushes. I don't know if there's a difference between the two other than the color, hmm. MK suggests replacing the brush head every three months for sanitary reasons and to make sure they're still working as they should. (Just like tooth brushes!) Make sure to wash the brush thoroughly after every use.
• There are two speed settings that you can choose with the button on top of the power button: slow and slightly faster.
• The price tag at P2,190 is quite affordable compared to the Clarisonic, which sells for around P7,000-8,000. I haven't tried that one yet. 

The results so far

First time I got this brush, I used it for two straight days, twice a day. That wasn't a good idea. Some old pimples surfaced - I know they're old because I could feel slight bumps where they were, even before I used the brush. There were a couple of new pimples too. Too much too soon, yes, but at least they are out of my face now.

PS My face looks more yellow in the left photo because the white foam + white brush made my yellow tones stand out more. It happens with all my cameras ugh.

Then I scaled back and just used this twice a week along with my Cure Aqual Gel (which I use once a week instead of thrice). It's likely too much exfoliation but my skin hasn't been this clear in a while! Besides my skin doesn't feel dry at all. This is a great combination, I think, and my face feels silkier and much less rough because of it. Now black heads are almost non-existent while rough spots are smoothed out.

The downside to all this clarity, however, is that I'm a bit oilier than usual. That's the price to pay for clearer pores, I suppose! I don't mind naman.

But do you absolutely need this brush in your life?

Ahhh, the crucial question. The answer is, well, conditional. IF you have fairly clear skin, with minimal black heads and dry patches of skin, this will disrupt your routine. Just do what you're doing - you definitely don't need this brush.

I believe it will be a great addition to your cleansing routine especially IF you have a lot of gunk in your pores that you can't seem to get out no matter what you do. Your skin would have occasional pimples only in this scenario.

IF you have quite a bit of acne at the moment, I don't recommend you use this cleansing brush until you clear up most (if not all) of it. Your priority is acne treatment, not exfoliation. I'm afraid that this brush will just make your skin issue worse, and even leave scars if it accidentally pops deep pimples while you're cleansing.

So that's what I think of the Mary Kay Skinvigorate Cleansing Brush. :) Oh, I used the Mary Kay Foaming Cleanser with this and I like the results. No breakouts and my face never gets dry with this cleanser. You might wanna get them together if you're in the market for a new facial wash too!

Do you use cleansing brushes already, or are you looking to get into the bandwagon?