Years ago I used a silicone facial pad (sort of like this one) as my primary cleansing aid. I loved how soft and gentle the silicone felt, but after a while I lost the brush and never bothered to replace it, and eventually forgot about it. But all those sassy silicone memories came flooding back when I saw the LUNA™ cleansing brush by Foreo—it looked like a silicone cleansing pad/sonic brush hybrid, and you know what? That's exactly what it turned out to be! I've been testing out the LUNA™ for over a month ago, so now it's time to discuss everybody's favorite questions: Is it worth the money? And how the hell does one use this weird-looking thing? Ooh, the suspense!
Product description:
An innovative skincare device that delivers deep-cleansing via T-Sonic™ technology and anti-aging through lower-frequency pulsations. Available in 3 models tailored to cater to specific skin types.
Those three models are: LUNA™ for Sensitive/Normal Skin (pink), LUNA™ for Combination Skin (blue), and LUNA™ for Ultra-sensitive Skin (white). I've been testing out the version for combination skin. The size and shape of all three brushes is the same—the main difference is the number and placement of bristles. All of them are made of phthalate-free, body-safe silicone, which is both gentle and nonporous (making the brushes resistant to bacteria buildup).
About T-Sonic™ technology:
Up to 8,000 pulsations per minute are channeled through soft silicone touch-points to gently remove dead skin cells, as well as unclog pores of 99.5% of dirt and oil, and 98.5% of makeup residue.
In other words, the brush makes a large number of mini vibrations to dislodge face grime. Clarisonic cleansing brushes use a similar technology, if you've ever used one of those. But of course those are traditional bristle brushes, not silicone.
Pricing/availability:
The Foreo LUNA™ retails for $199 and is available from Sephora, Amazon, and Foreo.com.
Here's a picture of the device out of the box, next to a walnut for scale:
Why a walnut? Why nut a walnut. (Ha ha HA!) The controls on the device are very, very simple: An on/off/mode button in the center, and +/- buttons to adjust the speed and intensity. To use the device, simply charge it up and then do the following:
- Press the center button once to turn it on and activate cleansing mode.
- Press the center button again to stop the brush and place it in standby.
- Press the center button a third time to activate anti-aging mode. (I'll explain the difference between the modes in a bit.)
- Press the center button again to turn the device off.
Easy peasy! In addition to the device, there was a wall charger and travel pouch in the box:
...and a warranty/authenticity card:
Just visit their website and enter the code printed on your card to register the device. (I've blocked mine out for obvious reasons.)
Now let's talk about MODES! The LUNA™ is dual-sided—one side is packed with bristles for cleansing action, and the other has smooth ridges for "anti-aging" purposes.
A close-up of the cleansing side:
The cleansing instructions are as follows:
- Remove all of your makeup.
- Wet your face and apply your cleanser. I wouldn't recommend using the LUNA™ with a scrubby cleanser, as it's fairly exfoliating on its own and the rough bits might damage the silicone. I used CeraVe Foaming and it worked well.
- Start cleansing at your chin with gentle upward strokes along your jaw to your ear, moving gradually higher to cleanse the whole cheek. Repeat on the other side of your face.
- Then cleanse your forehead, starting at the center, making outward strokes on both sides.
- Finally, cleanse the sides of your nose by gliding the brush up and down. The manual recommends reducing the intensity when you get near the eye area, as that part of the face is more delicate.
The LUNA™ automatically pauses every 15 seconds as reminder to move onto a different section. Kind of like an electric toothbrush for your face. The manual recommends cleansing your whole face for one minute total—personally I felt more satisfied after 90 seconds of cleansing, but YMMV. The device automatically shuts itself off after three minutes to prevent battery drainage and to prevent you from scrubbing your entire face off.
After one minute of cleansing, the brush will pulse three times. This is meant as an indicator for you to press the button again, putting it into Standby Mode. Rinse off your face thoroughly, then press the center button once again to engage anti-aging mode.
Close-up of the anti-aging side:
"Anti-aging mode" is basically just a fancy term for facial massage. Just like Cleansing Mode, you're supposed to move the device around different sections of your face every few seconds, but focusing on wrinkle-prone areas (like the forehead) instead of the whole face. Just like Cleansing Mode, the brush will pulse three times after a minute, and shut off completely after three.
I'm a big fan of the anti-aging mode. It doesn't do anything to make your face cleaner, but facial massage feels amazing and improves circulation, which generally improves the condition of your skin (and perhaps even your mental well-being).
To charge the device, look for a little port at the bottom of the anti-aging side and plug 'er in. (This port is waterproof, FYI!) I was impressed with how quickly the device charged up—I didn't time it, but it definitely took less than half an hour. Once charged, the device supposedly will last for up to 450 cleansing sessions... I haven't really been able to test that out because I've only been using the device for a month (and 450 = several months of cleansing), but the point here is that it holds a charge for quite some time.
Overall impressions:
I'm quite impressed with the LUNA™. It seems to exfoliate effectively without making my skin totally raw, and the buzziness of the cleansing mode is sort of like a little facial massage in itself. I also appreciate the concept of anti-aging mode... like I said before it's basically just a facial massage, but massage is very beneficial, even if it doesn't contribute to the overall cleanliness of your skin.
I also like the silicone material used on this brush because it doesn't get as grubby-feeling as bristly brushes, and the material is very soft. The only downside is that the wide, round size of the device makes it a bit difficult to get into the crevices next to your nose, but besides that, it's very effective. I like it more than any traditional bristle cleansing brush I've ever tried.
In summary...
PROS:
- Charges quickly, holds a charge for a long time
- Gentle and effective
- A cleansing device and massager in one
- Possibly more hygenic than bristle brushes
CONS:
- A bit expensive (but with proper care, the device should last several years)
Overall I consider the LUNA™ to be a bit of a splurge, but worth it if you're in the market for a cleansing device that exfoliates without being too rough. It's also a better investment in the long run than traditional bristle brushes because you don't have to buy replacement heads every few months. I will certainly continue to use mine, for the massage benefits if nothing else.
For more information, visit the Foreo website or the product pages on Sephora and Amazon.com. And if the standard LUNA™ doesn't seem quite your style, they also have a few other models to check out:
- LUNA™ mini ($139)
- LUNA™ for MEN ($199)
- LUNA™ LUXE ($6,500+, aka HOLY CRAP)
What do you think of the Foreo LUNA™? Are you a fan of automatic cleansing brushes or do you prefer to use manual exfoliation methods?
Disclosure: The product featured in this post was provided to me by iFabbo for review, however any opinions expressed above are honest and my own. I did not receive any other form of compensation. Some or all of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on them. For more information, check out my full disclosure policy. #LUNAbyFOREO #iFabboMember
No comments:
Post a Comment