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Looking to get back on track with your beauty regimen? Or maybe you're using this time to kick-start your skincare? Our Junior Content Producer, Tom, shows us how he’s been perfecting his cleansing routine during lockdown. 
I thought that I would make the most of this time and learn how to take better care of my skin. I wanted to document my first week of using the Clarisonic Mia Men, just to let people know how simple implementing cleansing into your daily routine can be. You can also see the benefits of it so quickly too.
Having clearer, less oily skin has made me feel a lot better about myself too - I feel so much more confident now!
The Clarisonic Mia Men has been expertly designed to cleanse men’s tougher, more resilient skin. It’s especially good for lifting out grime and impurities under facial hair, as the device has two intensities. The second, more powerful intensity delivers a deeper clean, prepping skin for a smoother, closer shave.
The device is compatible with all of the Clarisonic brush heads, so you can cleanse, exfoliate and prep skin for shaving with this single device. You can even tailor your routine to meet your skin’s needs with a range of brush heads that target pores, blemishes and sensitive skin.
Day 1
On the first day, I started with just using the device once a day, in the morning. I’ve learnt that it’s really important to cleanse first thing in the morning to get rid of all the oil build-up that happens overnight.
The first morning I was just trying to get the hang of using it, I had a lot of questions about using it, like how much pressure did I need to apply, which way do I move the device and how much cleanser do I need? I've learnt now that you don't need to apply any pressure, as the oscillating bristles do all the work for you. You should move the device in circular motions and there's really no right or wrong amount of cleanser to use - it's completely up to you.
I used the Charcoal Brush Head, which comes already included in the box with the Mia Men. The bristles are infused with charcoal, which gently massage the skin and help to draw out deep dirt and impurities. The charcoal also helps to protect your skin against everyday pollutants, another great reason to cleanse in the mornings. The soft elastomers that sit in between the bristles achieve a much deeper cleanse, perfect for cleansing underneath facial hair like mine.
I was actually so surprised at the remarkable difference after just the first use. My skin definitely felt less oily and so much cleaner than usual
I wet my face and applied the Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser to my skin, massaging it into a lather all over my face. I wet the brush head a little too and then switched the device on, moving the device around my T-Zone (full disclosure here - I got a lot of the cleanser in my eyes and up my nose!) before the device beeped and its cleansing intensity increased. I moved on to cleansing around my beard, I could really feel the bristles and elastomers working underneath my beard to lift out any grime and excess oils. The device automatically turned off after 60 seconds and I patted my skin dry with a towel.
To be completely honest, I was pretty sceptical about how well this was really going to cleanse my skin, 60 seconds did not seem like a long time at all. However, I was actually so surprised at the remarkable difference after just the first use. My skin definitely felt less oily and so much cleaner than if I had cleansed with my hands. I was looking forward to using it again tomorrow already!
Day 2
Today I was really eager to try out a different brush head, so in the morning I did the same cleanse as the day before with the Charcoal Brush Head, then I followed this up with the Exfoliating Head.
The Exfoliating Head has triangular elastomers that are really soft and flexible, it's perfect for exfoliating the smaller crevices of my face, like my nose and chin. It's convex shape can really exfoliate every part of your face, without feeling rough or abrasive either. It felt like it was giving my skin a good exfoliating massage and at the same time I was surprised at how gentle it was on my skin. It does look like it's going to be quite harsh to use but it didn’t cause any irritation at all.
The Exfoliating Head has triangular elastomers that are really soft and flexible, it's perfect for exfoliating the smaller crevices of my face, like my nose and chin.
My skin after my morning cleanse and exfoliation felt really refreshed, clean and it was definitely a lot less oilier throughout the day. This is a big win for me as I struggle with controlling my oily skin.
I was so keen to keep this oil-free complexion that I thought I’d use my Clarisonic again in the evening before bed. I did cleansed with the Charcoal Brush Head and my skin, again, felt really taut and completely free of oils which I found so relaxing before going to sleep.
Day 3
I learnt that my skin feeling that tight after cleansing wasn’t a good thing, I had over cleansed and my skin was feeling the consequences today. My skin was all dried out! With no moisturiser to hand either, I decided to take a complete day off. I had definitely over done it yesterday and my skin didn't feel good today. I also had a small break out around my chin. So I took a day off from cleansing, hoping that my skin would naturally regenerate its oils and feel hydrated again.
I also knew that breakouts were to be expected, this is because the device is drawing out all of the impurities and oils from my skin.
I realised that I needed to let my skin get used to this new regimen. I also knew that breakouts were to be expected, this is because the device is drawing out all of the impurities and oils from my skin.
Day 4
I woke up this morning and my skin felt much better after having a break, I definitely know now that I need to let my skin adjust to this new cleansing routine before adding in extra brush heads or evening cleanses. I also bought a moisturiser which I applied in the morning to rejuvenate my skin and restore hydration.
I’m already seeing a reduction in pore size and less blackheads as the device thoroughly flushes out any dirt from my pores.
I did an evening cleanse instead today, letting my skin repair and renew further throughout the day. Even by day 4, I’m already seeing a reduction in pore size and less blackheads. This is thanks to Clarisonic's patented oscillation technology, delivering 300 pulsations per second to loosen dirt and oil and flush out pores.
As I've been dealing with some minor breakouts, I’ve added some tea tree oil to my routine too to get rid of any stubborn spots which has definitely been helping to keep them at bay.
Day 5
Another morning cleanse today, cleansing with the device in the morning has been really helping to rid my skin of excess oils that have accumulated overnight. I definitely feel like my face is oilier in the mornings than in the evenings, so it makes sense for me too.
I have noticed that my skin has been producing much less oil throughout the day.
I have noticed that my skin has been producing much less oil throughout the day, which I think has also been helped by the cleanser I’ve been using too. The Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser helps to control excess oil and shine, whilst removing daily oil and dirt build up. It’s key ingredient, Glycerin, rebalances the skin’s oils without stripping the skin dry.
Final thoughts
I can't believe what a difference this has made to my skin in just 5 days. From being sceptical on day 1 to having less oily and clearer skin by day 5 is just incredible. I know as well that with consistent use this is going to have huge benefits and I'll definitely be trying out some of the different brush heads next.
This new cleansing routine that I now do everyday is making things feel a little bit more normal. Having clearer, less oily skin has made me feel a lot better about myself too - I feel so much more confident now!
