My love for Darphin is well documented on this blog, and I've been getting more serious about skincare over the past years - not because I'm scared of aging, but because I've grown to understand my skin's issues more, and I want to do right by my skin. Combine those two factors, and it should come as no surprise that I was excited AF to try Darphin's latest renovation: the 2-in-1 sonic cleanser and massager.
The Darphin sonic cleanser/massager is supposed to contribute to your skin's appearance by reducing pore size, boosting microcirculation and optimizing the absorption of moisturizers, all of which should result in smoother, more radiant, plumper, better hydrated skin. I used this lovely little gadget daily for about a month to get a feel for it and to test what effect it would have on my skin, so read on if you're interested to find out more!
First things first: I feel like the luckiest woman in the world for having received a MONOGRAMMED Darphin facial sonic cleanser and massager. How boss is that?? Started from the bottom (raggedy old washcloths) now we here (monogrammed sonic facial tools), what what! Also, the cleanser/massager itself is totally adorable. Light minty blue, it turns on if you push the grey flower button, and then it turns itself off after 30 seconds of sonic pulsation. It charges in a little docking station that you plug into a regular electrical socket, and after the initial couple of hours long charging session, I haven't had to recharge it yet, so the battery lasts ages.
It took me a little while to figure out how to switch the two heads (the cleansing brush and the metal massager), but I've found that it's easiest to push something thin but firm (I use the handle of my nail file) tool into the opening between the head and the body and then just use leverage to push off the head. Fastening the other head is simply a matter of alligning the half circle on the body and the head and clicking it into place.
The Darphin Sonic is a two step program: first you apply your cleanser of preference all over your face (after removing your eye makeup - this one is not for your eye contours). I go back and forth between my Darphin aromatic cleansing balm with rosewood, my Corine de Farme micellar gel and my Rituals sensational soft oil cleanser (I reviewed all of these in this post about cleansers). After applying the cleanser all over my face, I wet the sonic cleanser brush head and turn it on. Then I slowly move it around my face, focusing on one half until it switches itself off automatically after 30 seconds, and then moving on to the second half.
After the cleanse, I wipe all of the residu off with a washcloth. One note: resist the urge to push the brush into your skin, because it might leave your face feeling kind of sore and sensitive. You should just move it around sitting lightly on the surface of your facial skin. I use this one once a day, at the end of the day when removing my makeup.
After the cleansing, I pop off the brush head and wash it with some soap and water, leaving it to dry for the next use. Then I click on the massaging head, and apply my moisturizer messily all over my face. Then I repeat the same routine as during the cleansing: slowly move around the massager around one half of my face, and moving on to the second half after it has switched itself off the first time. I use this one twice a day, with my morning moisturizer as well as my nighttime skincare routine. I love this part best, the cool metal head feels great against my skin and I really have the impression that my moisturizer sinks in more quickly rather than sitting on the skin.
And this is what it has done for my skin.
Is my skin plumper? I have no idea. I never feel like my skin is... un-plump, so I find this hard to comment on. I have definitely noticed my skin having a super healthy glow, noticable from the first time I used the cleansing brush. My skin also seems less red, but that's more about lighting and the fact that I'd just gotten out of the shower in the before shot. Is my skin smoother? Yes, absolutely: after just a couple of days of using the cleanser/massager, I noticed that my skin felt less "rough". Dead skincells and grime were removed more efficiently, and the cleansing seemed to prepare my skin superbly for the next, moisturizing step. The massager then did its part by making the moisturizer sink in better. After using the Darphin sonic, my skin felt amazingly soft, clean and smooth, in a very noticable way.
All of that is just something I'm telling you, though, and although I'd neverrrr lie to you, it's nice to be able to show something too. Let's zoom in, and pay special attention to the pores on/around my nose.
See? I mean, I do! My pores are smaller, less noticable, which is a clear result of proper, deep cleansing. It's hard to show the true result because the lighting is slightly different in both shots, but still!
All in all, I absolutely feel a difference in my skin's texture, and I see that my complexion has more glow to it: the dullness of winter has gone completely.
The Darphin Sonic cleanser and massager costs about €150. The brush head is supposed to be replaced every 3 months or so, and costs €30. Have you used sonic cleansers or massagers, and what is your experience with them?
The Darphin Sonic cleanser and massager costs about €150. The brush head is supposed to be replaced every 3 months or so, and costs €30. Have you used sonic cleansers or massagers, and what is your experience with them?
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