Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

Anyone who has ever given a any heed (or read) to my posts would know that there are two things I insanely love: Lipsticks & Skin Care products. My splurge urge for these knows no bounds. The only difference is - I am bit more particular about the products I try on my skin.

Clarisonic intrigued me greatly, but the prices were...ahm, wee bit discouraging :-P If/When I get Clarisonic, I'd want it to be the uber Plus version. I did what any beauty fanatic does, typed in "dupe for Clarisonic" in Google and checked the results. Unbeknownst to me, there were several brands of cleansing brushes, but they lacked the "supersonic" capabilities of Clarisonic. One name that appeared ever-too-often was Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System. You'd find YouTubers and Beauty Bloggers compare the two and everyone suggested it is a good enough step for everyone getting into cleansing brush routine. 

Availing an online sale through ULTA, I ordered mine and thus began my Pro-X journey:

It came in a secure cardboard box with instructions and features detailed on the back. Although I photographed them with patience, I was too keen on putting these together and using it on my face :-P Unboxing is usually the quickest step for me. One noteworthy thing is - you'd see zoomed pictures of Olay Pro-X online, expecting it to be huge. The size isn't smaller, but for reference, do check how the girl is holding it to her face and it is compact like that. It doesn't impact the performance, yet makes it very travel-friendly.

The plastic divider holds different parts that are to be put together - it's fairly simple. Attach the brush head to the base. Pop in the batteries. Switch it on with the top button. Pick between the two speeds with the second button and Voila! You got your skin a new best friend.

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System comes with Deluxe-sized exfoliating cleanser from the same range. It is a creamy face wash with very fine micro exfoliating particles that give you a good cleanse. I used it once/twice max, the results were okay-good. Didn't dry out my winter combination skin (that leans towards the drier side in the cold weather), but also wasn't a MUST-HAVE for me. I stuck to my regular face wash items for the usage.

Now let's come to the performance bit. I received it in February and had been using it almost every day since then. 

Since I had never used any face brushes, I feared them being harsh on my face. Great thing is, the bristles of Olay Pro-X brush are so soft that on either of the speeds, they don't irritate my skin. For reference, imagine the softest bristles of kids' toothbrush. May be even softer than those. Based on your skin sensitivity, you can toggle between the two speeds and move the brush with an appropriate pressure around your face and neck.

Till date, I have used the brush in three ways:

Morning Routine: In mornings, I splash some water followed by face wash on parts of my face. After that, I use this brush at low-speed on sensitive portions of face and neck. Do not concentrate on one area for more than 1-2 minutes as it may cause redness. I use high-speed cleansing on my T-Zone to unclog the pores. For every day usage, you can use any face wash with it, but my recommendation is to not let them be the ones with harsh granules. This brush exfoliates by its bristles any way, so daily scrubby-particles might overdo it for your skin. 

Even though the packaging claims it to be water-proof, I find it water-resistant only. Don't let it be directly under the tap, shower, or dipped in a tub. 

Weekly Routine: I had a weekly ritual of extra pampering for my skin. I used Olay Pro-X for the cream cleanser and the scrub gently for keeping the blackheads at bay. That would finish off with a mask, of course. I would never go extra-scrubby with the brush and turn my skin raw with the harsh items, but this helped a lot in achieving clean glowy "post-facial" face.

Makeup Removal Routine: For the post-wedding dinners, the makeup used to be slightly heavier and by the time we'd reach back, I would be too lazy to use makeup remover followed by a face wash. My weapon of choice would always be Olay Pro-X brush and Noxema face wash to let the foundation off. I have committed the cardinal sin of using it over my eyes as well, but I would strongly advise you against it. So, if you can cleanse with fingers there, well & good. Otherwise, opt in for an eye makeup remover, the wiser choice. 

IMPORTANT - There are several who report breakouts after using cleansing brushes. Sounds like a turn-off, right? Here's my theory (please do share yours in the comments below, lovelies) - Since these brushes are meat for deep-cleanse, they open the pores to purge them of dirt. When you apply moisturizer or get exposed to dirtier environment immediately after washing face, it might block the opened pores and cause zit(s). Splash cold water after you're done, it will minimize the pores. Using toner can also help in clearing any residue and reduce the appearance of pores, but please use the one that suits your skin. Don't towel-dry your face. Even if you're the only one using that towel. I gently pat with the tissues. Similarly, don't share your brush head with anyone else. Sanitary reasons, of course. Separate the brush from the base after every usage and wash it PROPERLY. You may use an antibacterial hand wash to clear the bristles properly of any residue. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you wear SPF indoors/outdoors. It may not be directly related to cleansing brushes, but if you could only manage on thing in your skin care routine, let it be your sunscreen (it rhymed!). 

I am head-over-heels for this baby. The batteries that came originally with the Olay Pro-X System lasted for about two-months. That wasn't a biggie, you can replace them with any standard (and reliable) cells for a fuss-free usage. Using this improved the skin and made it easier for me to manage the Summer skin oilies. A must-have for me. 

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System retails for approximately $30, but you can find better prices during discounts/offers. Check Walmart, ULTA, Drugstore, CVS, Just4Girls.PK (Pakistan) etc. if you wish to order online from Pakistan. It was previously available at AlFatah, Lahore, but I had not been able to find it there for long. I hauled mine at an offer price from ULTA through the awesome Rouge. Can't even count how many times I've shopped from them. Special thanks for feeding my addiction :-P

A lot of you have been requesting this review, so I hope this helps you make a decision. If anything changes, I would love to update the post. Let me know your thoughts and experiences - What is/are your favorite product(s) to be used with your cleansing brush?

Cheers,

Bia