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Claro Acne Clearing Device Review

Acne sufferers! Take notice of the CLARO Acne Clearing Device (Nordstrom Exclusive)! This intense pulsed light device (IPL) works quite well at clearing standard acne and, although not developed for use on cystic acne, had some effect on some that was bordering on being that type for me as well. Before I give my Claro review, here is what the company says about it:

CLARO offers a completely new way to treat acne–no lotions, creams or pills. CLARO is a personal acne-treatment medical device that is based on the same Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology used by dermatologists worldwide. The IPL system used in the CLARO harnesses a powerful combination of heat and light to treat mild to moderate acne quickly and naturally. CLARO delivers a series of pulses in six seconds that safely penetrate the skin to target the cause of acne.The effective and natural treatment for acne:- Fast and easy to use.- Kills up to 94.8% of acne bacteria after just one treatment.- Results you’ll notice quicker than with competitive devices.- Painless, gentle treatments.- Safe, with no side effects.- Natural alternative to drugs and lotions.- Portable, battery-operated and rechargeable. Color(s): cobalt blue, hot pink, onyx black.

I have been using the Claro for over a month now, with some particularly heavy use on a post-holiday breakout. I think all that bad eating didn’t do well for my skin! I ran into a couple of minor difficulties using it, but overall I was quite happy with the results.

About the Claro Acne Treatment Device: The Claro uses a pulsed light laser to kill bacteria. It also generates heat, something that also help treat acne. It is formulated for use on standard pimples, not for use on cystic acne or blackheads.

Using the Claro Acne Clearing Device: To use the Claro, it is turned on and held over the pimple that is being treated. Two sensors on either side of the light must be in contact with the skin for the device to work. The unit beeps to let you know that contact is made. Then, the button is pressed and the device emits 12 pulses of light over 6 seconds. After one treatment, the user is instructed to wait a few minutes and then treat the same area again. One pimple should be treated this way no more than once every 8 hours. After one set of two cycles, the device pauses and cant be used again for a minute. This is a safety feature to allow the device to cool.

I found that using the Claro Acne Treatment Device was generally easy and comfortable. It heats up slightly while emitting the IPL pulses, but it is not uncomfortable. If you have ever used a Zeno (link is to previous review), the sensation is similar. It is not at all like the quick shocks of heat that come from the now discontinued Thermaclear (link is to previous review). Where I ran into problems at times was lining up the device. It is a bit hard to tell if it is centered over the area of acne being treated, and I have contemplated drawing a black arrow on mine with a sharpie! Also, in areas where the face curves, such as the chin, it can be hard to keep both sensors in contact with the skin. This can result in the treatment cycle being cut short. I sometimes had both cycles cut off, and then had to wait for the device to allow me to use it again.

Effectiveness of the Claro: Here is the great part. I found the device to be very effective, and much more so than the Zeno was for me. The first time that I used it on an area of standard acne, it was practically gone the next day, with only a bit of redness remaining. Needless to say, I was impressed! Then, I tried it on an area that had several pimples, including a bit of particularly inflamed acne. It cleared the entire area up quite well. Finally, I gave the Claro Device a try on a particularly difficult area of adult acne, that was bordering on being cystic acne, but not quite there yet–keep in mind that the Claro was not developed for use on cystic acne. It did not completely clear that one up, but I felt that it hastened its clearing—something I also feels that the Zeno and Thermaclear do with particularly inflamed or cystic acne. I think that heat generation might be the main cause of help when it comes to the tougher to treat types of breakouts. Again, the Claro does not advertise that it works on cystic acne, and does not recommend its use on that type, so there should be no expectations from it on that type of acne. Any such use is off label and not recommended by the company (or me for that matter). It also won’t do a thing for blackheads, and is not recommended for use on them.

Safety of the Claro: Because the Claro uses a pulsed light laser, the user should never look into the light and it should be used with caution around the eyes. The device is shipped with a set of mini goggles if you would like extra eye protection. I used them when treating an area underneath my one of eyes.

Price and Product Life: The Claro is $250. Not mentioned on the Nordstrom sale page is that it also has a product life. It will last for about 800 six second treatments, which if you are comparing it to the Zeno, comes to about equal in pricing since the Zeno is cheaper but needs its tips replaced more frequently.

Want it? You can purchase a Claro below:

This review is based on a product that was sent to me by a representative of the company. For more, please see my disclosure page.

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Tria Beauty Laser Hair Removal Update

I have been trying the TRIA Beauty home laser hair removal device for several months now and a reader asked me for an update.

I have done 4 overall home laser hair removal treatments with the Tria and am seeing some effect. Basically, I still have hair, but it seems a bit thinner and slower to come back in. Certainly nothing dramatic, but it is noticeable. Since laser hair removal can take up to a year of monthly treatments, and I have been a bit lax on mine, doing them every 8 weeks or so instead of monthly, this seems like decent enough progress. I asked a friend who has done salon treatments and she felt it was comparable to her experience. Using the Tria is easy, painless, and really not even all that time consuming now that I am used it. I can do a leg in 20 minutes or less. Now I just have to remind myself to do them monthly!

The Tria is expensive, but cheaper than doing salon laser hair removal. They also always seem to be running specials. As of this writing, they have a $200 off special, plus they have an easy pay program payment program. Also, check out the Tria Beauty site for a chance to win a great spa package (see below)!

You can read more about my experiences with the Tria Beauty Laser Hair Removal System in my Tria Beauty Video Review, and my Introduction to Tria Beauty Laser Hair Removal.

Note: My review of the Tria Beauty is based on a product that was given to me by the company.

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Home Laser Hair Removal With Tria Beauty Part I

I will be taking a look at home laser hair removal and the TRIA Laser Hair Removal System over a series of posts. Today I just want to introduce the Tria Beauty device. Check back in a couple of weeks for a video of how to use it and then watch for future installments on how well home laser hair removal works for me. Update: You can view part two here: Home Laser Hair Removal (Part II).

The Tria Beauty Home Laser Hair Removal System is an in home laser hair removal device. While it is not cheap ($795 regular, but watch for sales and incentives that often make it several hundred dollars cheaper), it is considerably cheaper than doing a full series of laser hair removal appointments at a salon and offers the same results. For example, see this cost comparison, which matches up pretty well with the prices I have seen in the Chicago area for laser hair removal. The Tria is FDA approved.

The TRIA Beauty website has a wealth of information on the device, its use, safety, and contradictions. I ask that those who plan to follow this series read the information there first, which is why I am doing this intro post before jumping into a written and video review. Given the cost and various important considerations behind use of this product, I want to be sure that everyone is well informed.

For starters, if you are thinking about laser hair removal, there are a few things to keep in mind, and these are true whether you seek to do it at home or in a salon:

Laser hair removal is not instantaneous. To see results, treatments must be repeated over a period of 6-8 months and total hair removal might not occur, although over time it can lessened to the point of being nearly maintenance free.
Because any laser hair removal the system works by targeting a contrast of dark hair on light skin, it will not be effective on blond or white hair, and it cannot be used on dark skin tones. If you have a medium to dark complexion, laser hair removal may be dangerous for you. The best candidates are those with light skin and darker hair.
Laser hair removal is for the legs, underarm and general bikini areas. It is not safe to use in the areas of the face, breasts, or genitals.
It can sting/hurt a bit. There is no such thing as completely painless lasting hair removal. If you want longer term removal you have to look at the options that sting a bit: waxing, epilating, laser removal etc. There simply is no way around that. I have seen a few removal salons claim to be pain free–they aren’t. With that said, I don’t think it really is all that bad, and some report that it is much less uncomfortable than waxing or epilating. Plus, as you do treatments, you get used to it and the sensation lessens.
It takes time to do each treatment. Small sections are “zapped” at a time in an overlapping pattern. So it takes awhile to do a leg. Plan accordingly!

Check back in two weeks, when I will post a video showing how to use the Tria device and describing my reactions to it. From there I will post several more updates as I do the course of treatments and will add links to them here as they are published.

See the TRIA Beauty website to learn more.

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Lancome Oscillation Mascara: Just Another Mascara

I tried Lancome’s Oscillation mascara some time ago when they had a limited pre-sale of it. This vibrating mascara is one of several brands that turn, shake, twist, vibrate etc., supposedly in a way that leads to perfect lashes. I tend to find it to be more hype than anything though.

I liked Spin Lash (read review), which is available at big box retailers and drug stores, although I know of others who hated it. Lancome Oscillation was basically ho hum for me. I adore Lancome mascara in general, so right off, I did like the quality of the Oscillation mascara, but I can’t say that the vibrating action made any difference in how my lashes turned out. I tried the product turned off and got exactly the same results.

In the end, it is a perfectly good mascara, but I didn’t find it to be anything special. Instead it just seemed like an attempt to come up with a gimmick to suck people into buying, and it certainly was successful at that. I and a ton of other people bought one!

Shop for Lancome Mascara

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Starlite In-Home Laser Skin Care

The Starlite in-home laser skin care device is an at home light treatment product used for anti-aging and acne treatment. Known as a “soft laser,” it works by using the power of a specific wavelength of light to heal. According to the product’s website, that wavelength tends to be effective for superficial skin use without penetrating to deeper tissue and has been shown to be best for wound healing and skin conditions. The company lists the following as conditions that the starlite laser can treat:

•Wrinkles and Fine Lines

•Age Spots

•Blemishes

•Scars

•Stretch Marks

•Collagen Stimulation

•Cuts and Bruises

•Chapped Skin

•Sun Damaged Skin

I gave the Starlite a try for a period of 4-6 weeks. The “laser” is hand held and easy to use. Simply turn it on and massage it over your skin. If it is taken away fro the skin, the light automatically goes off to avoid accidentally shining it in the eyes. Treatment times vary from six minutes to upwards of fifteen, with multiple session per day recommended.

After a couple of weeks, I saw some effect on my adult acne and perhaps a tiny bit on some of my areas of minor hyperpigmentation when I used the Starlite with two 15 minute daily treatments. I was particularly happy with how it worked for acne, because the results were certainly noticeable after 4 weeks of regular use. I also detected some overall skin brightening. But I did not see any effect on the areas of dark melasma. I think that to have success there, the device would need to be used more than twice daily and for a longer period of time.

If you have the patience to use the Starlite enough to see results, it is a fairly decent product– it really does require regular and lengthy use. At a retail price of around $160, it is certainly cheaper than full blown pulsed light or laser treatments.

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Three Beauty Uses For Jell-O and One that Doesn’t Work

Powder Jell-O is a secret beauty item in the cosmetic world. Here’s how:

1) It imparts a natural stain. Rub some Strawberry or Cherry powder on your lips for a natural tint and top with a clear gloss. Mix with a bit of water and you have a natural looking cheek stain. I have read of its use to stain other parts of the body as well.

2) It is a tasty scrub. Pick the non-sugar-free flavor of your choice and rub the powder onto the lips for a great sugar scrub exfoliation. Tip: because it will also leave a tint, I recommend avoiding lime green or other flavors with odd colors!

3) It is good for the waistline. Put a bit of powder in a vial for your beauty uses and make the rest up into diet friendly snack. Take a look at the Jell-O recipe page for a section on healthy snacks. Note: Jell-O is not vegetarian.

Unfortunately though, despite rumors to the contrary, eating Jell-O will not make your nails stronger.

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A Couple of Pink Beauty Tech Items for October

Here are a couple of neat pink “tech” items for your October shopping. If you have been considering one of these and love pink or want to see a portion of your investment go to charity, here is your chance!

The CLARISONIC Skin Care Brush Limited Edition Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness + 2 oz Cleanser. I have yet to try the Clarisonic, but it gets generally pretty good reviews. The pink version is adorable!

The Nu Face Facial Toning System, Limited Edition Pink is an FDA approved device that uses microcurrent technology to lift and tone the face, reduce and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles, improve facial circulation, skin exfoliation, lymphatic drainage, treat sun damage and skin pigment, and improve product penetration. the NuFace Toner is another one that I haven’t personally tried.