Over the last few years, sonic cleansing rose in popularity and many touted the benefits, rationalizing spending upwards of $200 in some cases to add this accessory to your regime. But, with the recent closing down of one of the leaders in the space, we're revisiting whether sonic cleansing is really necessary after all, and the pillars of what makes a really great skincare routine.
What is sonic cleansing?
Sonic cleansing is using an electronic brush with a soft bristle brush head that oscillates and/or spins to apply your cleanser and wash your face. It's meant to replace washing with your hands, and the claimed benefits include firming the skin, gentle exfoliation and treating acne.
Is sonic cleansing something I should be doing?
Our short answer here? No. If you're someone who uses a sonic brush and finds your skin is better for it, then of course do what you know is best for you - but if you're debating whether or not to make the investment in the first place, we feel compelled to flag a few things first.
To start, sonic brushes can be super intense - overuse can cause irritated skin, dryness, and increased sensitivity. Paired with cosmeceutical grade skincare like our Cleanser I or Cleanser II, and you may actually be doing more harm than good - cleansers like ours promote regular, gentle chemical exfoliation with ingredients like glycolic acid, and using them in tandem with aggressive physical exfoliation from a sonic brush can simply be too much too fast.
Additionally, if you're using a brush to remove makeup you may actually be risking pushing the makeup deeper into the skin, causing breakouts - not ideal.
If you're using a brush daily (or, dare we say twice daily), that is a LOT of physical exfoliation. We usually recommend a deeper exfoliation (something physical with a scrub like Enzyme) two to three times per week - anything more can be abrasive and irritating. If you're doing this daily (or *gasp* fourteen times a week!) then your skin will almost certainly be very unhappy about it. You might experience increased sensitivity, redness, dryness, inflammation and more.
Remember the Pillars of Great Skincare
We created the Miracle 10 line because we were meeting so many patients in our surgical clinic who wanted great, cosmeceutical grade skincare at a fair price that worked. We wanted to take the guesswork out of skincare, especially because we knew that trends just like these were always coming and going, and educating customers on the basics would ensure they'd see lasting results and skin radiance.
If you're mourning the loss of the sonic cleansing trend or wondering what you should do instead, allow us to remind you what makes a great skincare routine that will deliver on everything those brushes promise: radiant, firmer looking skin, minimal acne, regular exfoliation, and a noticeable glow.
- Active ingredients: It's a favourite phrase around the Miracle 10 office because we are so passionate about formulating products that are built to deliver results - they're active because they do all the work! Every skincare concern has an active ingredient that's made to treat it. Looking for those AHAs, BHAs, peptides, antioxidants and vitamins in every step of your skincare routine will ensure you're spending your hard earned dollars on products that will do the job.
- Daily, gentle chemical exfoliation: Stepping away from aggressive physical exfoliation and embracing daily, low-percentage chemical exfoliation is essential. Using a cleanser, toner and moisturizer together twice daily that pack those active ingredients we love so much will encourage regular cell turnover at a rate that's healthy and won't damage your skin.
- SPF: We can't preach this one enough. Daily SPF will protect you from sun damage, pollution, hyper pigmentation and more - and don't forget regular reapplication.
- Measured physical exfoliation: As mentioned above, we do advocate for physical exfoliation - just take a measured approach. Using something like Enzyme two to three times weekly will give you that deeper exfoliation to help promote glowing, healthy skin without drying it out or irritating it.
- AHAs, Retinol & Vitamin C: Finally, incorporating more heavy-duty night treatments throughout the week will really push your routine into high gear. Using a stronger AHA product two to three times weekly (like AHA Cream or AHA Gel I) mixed with Vitamin C like Super C will again help with safe, gentle-yet-powerful exfoliation while also treating hyperpigmentation and smoothing skin. Adding Retinol on alternating nights will help treat anti-aging concerns and acne.
We've come a long way from thinking exfoliating had to equal hard, physical scrubbing and we're relieved to see people moving away from things like sonic brushing and walnut scrubs to do the job. Simply trusting a high-quality skincare line that leverages active ingredients is truly the way to go, and we can promise that you'll see better results than you would with harsh treatments.