Launches from Clinique for Men come but once in a blue moon, but when they do, the men’s grooming and skin care industry scrambles into action to copy and replicate their inevitable success.

Big changes are upon us

It just so happens that a couple of weeks back I was talking with the British director of one of the world’s largest personal electrical brands who was sharing how there’s going to be a huge push in innovation within the electrical male grooming sector. I promised to keep my gob shut beyond that so I’d better behave.

So as always, Clinique and the almighty Estée Lauder machine are leaps and bounds ahead of the game with the introduction of the first electrical cleansing brush to be targeted specifically towards us guys. The device itself is absolutely the same as the original Clinique Sonic but it’s the head that comes into its own.

Men vs. Women’s Skin: Men’s skin is different

Men’s skin is on average 1.25x thicker on the outer layers (the epidermis) and this, coupled with more testosterone and a few other factors, is why we congest, block and spot up more. Plus the fact we also don’t take care of our skin as much as we should! Therefore the Clinique For Men Sonic brush head has been especially designed to target these differences.

What does charcoal do for the skin?

The two launches both use activated charcoal which is an awesome skin care ingredient due to its ability to absorb 100 to 200 times its own weight in impurities as well as breaking down excess surface oil.

Clinique For Men Sonic System Deep Cleansing Brush

Charcoal Infused Bristles

OK so this is cool. The Clinique For Men Sonic brush head bristles are actually infused with charcoal.

The bristles are then slightly stronger than the original Sonic head and are split into two areas. The larger, lighter area is for the cheeks and neck whereas the stronger, darker bristles are for the T-Zone (forehead, nose and chin).

In Action

Use the Sonic twice a day for 30 seconds (start with only once a day) to see an amazing difference in your skin. I was gobsmacked how it took all the rubbish from the pores in my nose which has been exacerbated by the heat, sun and humidity.

Simply work in small, slow circular motions over the whole face using the relevant area of the brush and avoiding the eye area. Make sure to really work it around the neck and/or beard area which just like a traditional badger-hair shave brush, will soften and tame your pre-shave bristles.

It comes with a charging station that plugs in via usb (either the provided wall socket USB or anything that has a USB port).

Compatibility

If you or say your partner already owns the original Clinique Sonic system, I want to emphasise that you can use the different brush heads on any Sonic device therefore you don’t have to buy your own but instead just pop the different heads on and off.

Availability

At the moment until the 3rd July, Clinique For Men Sonic System Deep Cleansing Brush is available exclusively online from Clinique UK at £79 for the whole brush system and head and £17 for the replacement head.

Clinique For Men Charcoal Face Wash

I was firstly taken back by how BIG it is! 200ml for £18 is a hell of a lot of luxury facial cleanser. But down to business.

Foams but not as you know it

A while back I used a pretty good charcoal cleanser from another high street brand that I didn’t end up reviewing due to its long term effects on the skin (it was a bit too drying) but this is where Clinique differs. I was surprised by its very smooth gel texture which rather than bursting into a lather, melts into a soft and sooth foam.

Works with the Sonic?

Because of how soft the lather is, it works really well both with or without the Clinique Sonic Cleansing brushes. To use with the Sonic, either work the product onto the skin first and then use the brush over or dispense a small amount onto the head itself and get to work.

Great shave prep

As well as removing trapped dirt and impurities, the charcoal face wash really softens the skin and facial hair, making it a dream to shave over. At the moment I’m using a wet electric razor and find that after washing my face in the shower, I can crack on with a really great shave.

Availability

As with the Clinique For Men Sonic System Deep Cleansing Brush, at the moment until the 3rd July, the Clinique For Men Charcoal Face Wash  is available here exclusively online from Clinique UK at £18/200ml.