Neutrogena Wave Sonic Reviews

Myra Schjelderup "Ignolopi" (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)

I've been taking care of my face diligently for the past few years and have gone through several types of cleansers. This was my first time trying any kind of electrical solution, and while all-in-all I prefer plain ol' cleanser and water, I found the Sonic Cleanser fun to use. (By the way, 'sonic' has nothing to do with sound as far as I can tell, it's more of a catch-word. The device just spins, at 2 speeds.)


Pros:

Feels nice, like a mini massage.
Easy to use: stick on the pad, run under the water, start it spinning, move over the face. When finished, remove the pad and throw it away, rinse the face.
Waterproof, you can stick the whole thing under running water and not worry about it.
The price of the main part is pretty good.

Cons:

14 pads won't last you long, you will definitely need replacement pads. It looks like basic replacement pads are 30 for about $5. That's not too bad, just a bit more expensive per use compared with face cleanser + a towel (+ cotton rounds + witch hazel). You may want to wash your face twice a day, but I recommend using this just once a day. (This point isn't so much of a con as something you will want to consider.)
The pads have a lot of soap on them, way more than the face needs, and it feels like a waste. I use the rest up on my hands.
Even on the lower setting, it's rough on sores, and scrapes off the healing skin.
The pads catch on my hair, the hair then gets caught in the spinning part.
The instructions could be better, i.e. they don't tell you how often to use it, how hard to press, or how fast to move it across your face to get the best results.

To cover some other issues I've seen in other reviews: Yes, it cleans my face. No, it doesn't leave pieces of pad behind. If I turn the device on and shake it off before using it (after rinsing) it doesn't drip down my face. After rinsing and applying moisturizer (Gold Bond Ultimate lotion) my face did not feel dry. The scent was not strong for me. I had no problems cleaning all areas of my face and neck.

I have tried just 1 other type of cleaning pad and I found this option more practical. I don't wear makeup typically so I can't say anything about how this works with removal.

Overall, I like using the Sonic Power Cleanser occasionally, but it's not something I really need or will invest much in. The cost of the replacement pads will add up, and it's just one more thing to store in my bathroom. You have to ask yourself, do I really need this?

The ease-of-use and relatively inexpensive price (of the initial package) make it a fun thing to try out and a good gift idea.