I received this product as part of a trial team review.
Manicare Sonic Mini is a facial cleansing brush that uses “sonic vibrations” to purify the skin. The device is a half sphere shape that is baby pink in colour and has a soft silicone casing. It comes with a sensitive bristle brush head and a designated USB charging cable. There are also additional heads that can be purchased separately, including a massaging head for use with creams etc.
The instructions state to charge before first use, which I did using the included cable. It is a USB cable which you can plug into a computer/laptop or a wall charger. The end that plugs into the device is a special pin shaped jack so don’t lose the cable! The device took about 1.5-2 hours to fully charge as indicated by the red LED on the power button.
After clicking on the brush head the device is ready to use. It has two power settings - gentle and normal, and you can cycle through them by pressing the power button. Please note the brush head does not spin, it just vibrates.
I started on the gentle setting and used it with a cream cleanser. I found it easy to use, the device fit nicely in my hand and the brush was easy to manoeuvre over my face. The vibration felt relaxing and the bristles did not feel irritating on my slightly sensitive skin. The device has a 5 minute auto shutoff and does not have a zone timer like some other sonic face brushes.
After use my skin felt soft and clean. I felt like the brush helped my cleanser go further. The brush head was easy to rinse off and the included brush cap has plenty of ventilation holes to allow the brush to dry.
The instructions say to use this device morning and night, but I find this might be too much for most skin types. I have been using it most evenings or when I feel my skin needs a deeper clean, e.g. after wearing makeup. I have also used it in the shower which was just as easy as using it over the sink, but it has slipped out of my hand once due to the shape and smoothness.
Overall I feel that this device is nice to have but definitely not necessary. It does little more than a manual face brush in terms of cleansing, but I think the massaging head will be beneficial and soothing - it’s a shame you have to purchase it separately.
When I was a teenager who was trying desperately to conquer the mountainous terrain that was my face, I often used a facial cleansing brush. I remember exactly the stinging, roughed-up feeling that the rather stiff bristles used to leave on my poor red cheeks. Thankfully, using the Sonic Mini was nothing like those bad old days.
First of all, I love the design. The half-sphere shape sits neatly in your palm and the soft, matte pink is stylish enough to leave out in your bathroom, not tucked away in the back of a draw! The bristles of the brush are flexible and almost rubbery they're that gentle.
I have quite sensitive skin and I don't use a cleanser in the morning so I used this just at night for a minute or so. I could see from the brush that it was working to take off my sunscreen and makeup. Obviously, it's not suitable for removing eye makeup but it left my face feeling clean and fresh, without being scrubbed. I also use a cream cleanser, not a foaming one, and it did the job just fine. I imagine getting up a good lather with the brush would be more fun though!
I played around with both settings and I preferred the more vigorous one. I don't think the 'sonic vibrations' make much of a difference at all on the lower setting. I'd love to try the massage attachment that can be purchased separately. I imagine those settings would be more beneficial there, than with the cleansing brush.
The charge has held all week and I liked that it came with just a USB cord instead of a full power unit, so you're not having store yet another plug!
Tips: Depending on your skin type I'd recommend easing into this one! Try once a day and then move onto twice if your skin enjoys it and you feel it's necessary.