This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Her Campus.
This post is sponsored by Clarisonic.
Let’s face it, collegiettes: Between classes, extracurriculars, and everything else on your calendar, the semester can take a toll on your skin. That’s why we’re all about finding cost-effective and easy-to-use products and routines that leave your skin feeling fresh, cleansed, and rejuvenated.
We partnered with the experts at Clarisonic to get the low-down on all things skincare so you’re ready for anything—whether you’re traveling, working out, or hitting the books. Not only this, but we also armed members of our InfluenceHer Collective community with Clarisonic’s Mia 2 device, Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, and Detoxifying Clay Masks so they themselves can observe (and share) their improved skincare experience.
As the inventors of sonic cleaning, Clarisonic has become the #1 most recommended skin cleansing device by U.S. dermatologists. Their devices and products help beautifully transform skin by cleansing it 6x better than hands alone—making it the ideal holiday gift for anyone on your list. Plus, right now Her Campus readers can get 15% off purchases from Clarisonic.com using the code HERCAMPUS! Note that this code is valid through November 20, 2016 and is not combinable with other offers.
In this spirit, we sat down with Clarisonic Co-Founder Dr. Robb to learn how to reduce breakouts, why sonic cleansing is so important, and more. Check it out:
Clarisonic sits down with Dr. Robb, co-founder of Clarisonic from Her Campus Media on Vimeo.
Windsor: Hey there Her Campus, it’s Windsor and I am so excited because we got the opportunity to sit down with one of the co-founders of Clarisonic, Dr. Robb, and get the scoop on how to have your best skin ever! We’re running a program with them now where we have 200 of these bad boys. It’s the Deep Pore cleansing brush on the Clarisonic Mia 2. We’ve been sending out packs of this along with their Deep Pore daily cleanser and their detoxifying clay masks. These three products, we’ve sent them to 200 members of our InfluenceHer Collective and we’re collecting their feedback. The girls are having great results. They’re seeing beautiful skin. We had the opportunity to sit down directly with Dr. Robb and ask him his tips. So here we go!
Dr. Robb: Hi I’m Dr. Robb, one of the co-founders of Clarisonic and I’m here to answer your questions for Her Campus.
What sets Clarisonic apart from other facial cleansing devices?
Clarisonic has patented technology, in fact, 40 patents. That means that we’re protected by law. You’re not allowed to create a Clarisonic unless you work for Clarisonic. And so the other devices out there are technologies that sort of try to make you think that it’s really cool and good-looking but they’re not the best product out there. Clarisonic is. And the thing that I love about Clarisonic is that we have clinical research that actually backs up our technology to show that Clarisonic is both safe, and very effective-very effective including 6 times better cleansing than your hands alone and also the great things and all of the benefits that happen afterwards. Softer and smoother skin, this radiant glow and just a really good, healthy-looking appearance to your face.
Is Clarisonic suitable for all skin types?
Clarisonic is suitable for all skin types. In fact, if you have oily skin it’s great, combination skin, dry skin, young skin, mature skin. The great thing about Clarisonic is that we allow you to customize the cleanse, meaning you can pick the brush head that is specific for your skin type so that you get maximum use out of the sonic technology.
What types of brush heads does Clarisonic offer, and which one is for me?
Clarisonic provides you with a custom cleanse, meaning you can select the brush head that’s best for your skin type. What I have here is a sensitive brush, we also have a delicate brush which has a little longer bristles. We have brushes called the luxury cashmere cleanse that are super long. Those are for mature skin, also great for hydrating the skin. We even have brushes for people who have acne. This is ultra plush so that it actually can be used on acneic skin. And then we have even a brush head for men that takes into account the whiskers and the changes and the differences in men’s skin.
What we recommend is that after about 3 months of use, you actually change out your Clarisonic. Because what happens is the bristles still move but they don’t give you that same sensorial feel that you get when you first use a Clarisonic and it’s also just not as efficient so we recommend every three months that you change out your Clarisonic brush head. And the thing is, just to remember, your skin changes throughout the year. So you should change your brush like when you’re going to change your fashion. So every three months or so, you’re going into the winter and your skin is going to be different than it is going to be in the spring so you can actually change out the different brush heads to accommodate the changes that occur with your skin during the different seasons.
How often should you use your Clarisonic?
Clarisonic is safe to use everyday, twice a day. Now we know most of our consumers use it once a day. A lot of women that wear a lot of heavy makeup use it in the evening to get rid of that excess makeup. It’s very easy to remove all that makeup using Clarisonic. It doesn’t really matter based on your skin type. We know that if you have ultra sensitive skin Clarisonic is great to use and if you have mature skin it’s also great to use. It doesn’t really matter. The main thing is that Clarisonic is great for everybody and you can use it every single day.
What’s the best way to cleanse a Clarisonic?
After you use a Clarisonic, and by the way, Clarisonic is waterproof so you can take it in the shower with you no batteries to change, you can just charge it up and it’s good for about 2 weeks of use. But after you’ve used the Clarisonic if you’re in the shower for example, all you have to do is put a little shampoo on there, rub the brush, turn it on, sort of rub it under the showerhead. Shake off the excess water, dry it on a towel by turning it on- that’s my helpful hint to just turn it on on the towel that you just used- and then you stick it back in the shower and it’s good for the next use. Now if you’re really a phobic about germs you can actually take the brush head off, place it in some alcohol if you want- rubbing alcohol- for about a minute, rinse it off and make sure you get all the alcohol off. And inside the brush, let me show you real quick, so inside of here you want to cleanse inside this area by running water on it once a week. Remember it is waterproof so you can’t damage the handle itself.
I’m on a tight budget. Is it possible to afford a Clarisonic?
Well I understand how money is tight when you’re a college student. Believe me, I know. The thing is that this is your first impression and you need to get your best foot forward and the best way to do that is with a Clarisonic. So, you know, gifting is not a bad idea, ask your parents, ask somebody, your boyfriend, anybody for the holidays to get you a Clarisonic. It is actually worth it because what you will see is an immediate difference in your skin and the main thing is in your confidence level. I hear women tell me time and time again they feel more confident because they’ve used a Clarisonic and that it has changed their life and I hope that happens to you too.
Why is sonic cleansing so important?
Well sonic cleansing is super important because what you have, is, you think you’re doing a good job with your hands but you’re not really cleaning away the impurities, the things that are in the air, the long-wearing makeup and that just congests your pores. So you want to use technology that is gentle but very effective and that’s what Clarisonic provides.
Which do you recommend first: Cleansing or Exfoliating?
Cleansing. Cleansing is a daily routine, you can do that everyday. In fact, Clarisonic is about sonic cleansing so you can do that, even twice a day. Exfoliation is a different process. It’s removing the dead skin cells, deeper and you can only do that once or twice a week. So first, cleanse everyday. You can exfoliate if you want. I think when you use something like a Clarisonic you won’t have to exfoliate as much because Clarisonic is removing those skin cells that need to come off for that day.
Is it possible to spread your acne if you cleanse too much?
Well it’s not possible to spread acne, period, because the bacteria that causes acne doesn’t like oxygen they live inside the pore and that’s where the whole problem begins. So as soon as those bacteria come out and touch the air they start dying. Cleansing too much, no because actually the other part of acne is the fact that the skin cells get plugged into the pores so if you’re cleansing away the dead skin you’re preventing the blockage from occurring.
What are some skincare myths and misperceptions?
A couple, that your hands are the best things to use for cleansing your face. Not true. We have developed, of course, the Clarisonic sonic cleansing to cleanse better than you can with these little guys [motions hands]. The other one that’s huge is that people think you have to spend tons of money on skincare and I’m here to tell you that you can use very simple things. Even homemade products like oatmeal masks, I know people do their own sugar scrubs. Those things are great and will give you the same benefit, especially if you’re on a budget, that you can get with those more expensive brand products.
What are the common causes of breakouts among college women?
Okay so first of all, let’s talk about acne. People think that acne is due to certain things- diet. I remember when I was growing up it was about, don’t eat chocolate, don’t eat pizza, you’re going to get pimples. No one knows really. Acne is so complex. It’s a spectrum disease, it goes from everything from the one pimple you have on the end of your nose when you’re going out for your first hot date, to full-blown cystic nodular acne where you have open wounds and you’re bleeding. And no one knows what triggers it or what can actually prevent those triggers from causing it.
And you know some people do notice with the monthly cycle, you do end up having hormonal acne on the chin area or on the sides, that is one thing that has been shown to happen because of the hormonal cycle. But the thing is that people have these other beliefs that things trigger acne and because of that, people worry about changing out their pillow cases. Do you want to change out your pillow case? Sure, it’s just hygienic. But do people say, we have documented proof that dirty pillows cause acne? No. The thing is that you want to do things that keep your skin healthy. Don’t touch your face because you don’t know where your hands have been. Don’t use other people’s towels. Don’t share towels. The other things are, constantly change your makeup brushes because when you’re using that same makeup brush and you put the bacteria on the makeup brush and then back on the makeup, those are issues that you should try to avoid. So clean makeup, change out your makeup every 3-4 months because you’re actually contaminating it with your own bacteria. Now it’s your own bacteria, but the thing is, it’s still got bacteria in it. So those are just some common ideas of what people think cause acne to be activated. The main thing is just keep your skin nice and clean, make sure you remove all the makeup, try not to touch your face and just enjoy life.
How can collegiettes reduce breakouts?
Well you know that’s the problem, when you’re in college, nothing is predictable other than the fact that you have to go to class and you have long nights of studying. Sleep is not an option, I know because I’ve gone through several degrees in which all I’m doing is studying all the time. You know the number one thing is sleep. You’ve got to get your sleep. You’ve got to be hydrated and take a lot of water. Take a bottle to class with you. Eat healthy, it’s not easy to do. I know I was a junk food addict in college because the only thing I could do was just grab something and run but the best thing to do is make healthy choices in diet. I’m not telling you anything you haven’t heard already. The only thing I would say is that college is worth it, even though it’s stressful on your skin. I know that the end result, if you keep your skin clean, such as with Clarisonic, you’ll have a healthier look to yourself and you’ll feel better and more confident- and it’s all about confidence when you’re in college.
How can you prevent breakouts while working out?
So let’s look at the different phases of working out. Before you get to the gym, remove your makeup. I know that gyms are social environments but you want your skin to be clean, you want it to be breathing. So make sure you don’t use makeup before you go to the gym because you want that perspiration. It’s needed.
While you’re working out, gyms are notorious for being dirty places because people cough on their hands and then they touch the weights or touch the equipment and then you touch it and you put it on your face. Not a cool thing. So make sure that you cleanse your hands between working out. And I see a lot of people using the hand sanitizers when they’re working out or wiping down the equipment before you use it. And again, don’t touch your face. Now after a workout, the best thing to do is you can cleanse your face and of course, I’m shameless, you can use a Clarisonic Mia Fit. It’s easy to use you can just toss it in your handbag. It’s great for cleansing your skin and then once you use the towel, make sure you throw it away or hopefully it’s a gym towel and you can just leave it there. But make sure if it’s your own towel, make sure you change it out because what you don’t want to do is keep using it over and over again. That’s sort of gross. So those are the three points on different areas of working out and how to keep your skin nice, healthy and clean.
How do you keep up a skincare routine while traveling?
The best way to do it is make it simple. The environment that you’re going into wherever you’re going is usually horrible, especially if you’re in airplanes because you dry out like a prune. The best way to do it is to cleanse with something like the Clarisonic Mia Fit, put on a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated, and always use sunblock.
Why is removing your makeup so critical to skin health?
Primarily because what you want to do is keep your skin in balance. The bacteria, and people don’t like to think of it, but bacteria grows on your skin and when you have makeup there, you’re basically causing fusion on your skin, so just cleansing it away to give your skin a chance to breathe and to get back in balance between applications is critical.
At what age do you recommend collegiettes start using anti-aging products?
I think you should do it as a preventive. I mean there’s nothing wrong with it, they’re not going to hurt your skin and the main thing is that you want to prevent the oxidation from occurring, the radicals from attacking your skin and the sooner you start, the better. You know the main anti-aging product that you should always use? Sunblock. People do not realize the sun is your enemy. Even though you love it and you love to be tan when you get older you’ll regret it.
What’s the best way to introduce your partner to a skincare routine?
Well you know what’s interesting about men? They basically copy what you’re doing. So I know a lot of women use Clarisonic and their boyfriends or their husbands actually get it from them without them knowing and actually use it to cleanse their skin but the best way is actually by setting by example. And guys want things that are simple, so just get him to cleanse with Alpha Fit from Clarisonic, it’s great for cleansing the face. If you can get him to cleanse, their skin will change like that. And then just to get them to put on a sunscreen with a moisturizer in it would be the best thing for guys. Super simple, two steps.