On the Neutrogena website, it says that the Wave is a battery operated "vibrating cleanser" that is supposed to deep clean your skin. It comes with "deep clean foaming pads", that you attach to the attachment head, run it under water, and then use it to cleanse your skin. There are two speed settings, and it's water resistant.
That doesn't sound terrible, but let's break it down. First off, battery operated compared to rechargable. I don't know about you, but I HATE when something needs its batteries changed. I don't even use batteries for anything anymore, so I don't ever have them laying around. Add up the cost of batteries over time and that can get pricey, not to mention annoying. The Clarisonic is rechargable, so all you have to do is set it on the cradle and it's always ready to go.
Next up is the issue of the deep clean foaming pads. Personally, I'm NOT ok with the fact that I wouldn't be able to use my own cleanser. I love my Epicuren, so that is a huge turn off about the Neutrogena to me. It is a great way to get people to use their products, but the fact that you can't customize this product for your skin type isn't great. (And no, having an option between "Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser" or "Shine Free Blemish Free" pads doesn't consitute as being suitable for all skin types). I read some reviews on the Wave, and there were a few consumers that said it made their skin "red and irritated". The Clarisonic has an option of three different brush heads for the face: Delicate, Sensitive, and Normal. The Sensitive brush head is what comes standard when you order the unit, and that is what I use on the majority of my clients. The Decliate brush head is for sensitive or rosacea skin types, and the Normal has a stiffer bristle, so although it says it can be used on combination/normal skin types, I still prefer the Sensitive brush head. Still, it's nice to have options and to be able to customize the product to your needs!
The Neutrogena has two speed settings, and on their website it recommends the low speed for everyday use, and the higher speed for a deeper, weekly cleansing. The Clarisonic model that I carry has four speed settings, which again, is more customizable. The Clarisonic also has a timer on it. You can set the timer many different ways. The standard timer setting is for one minute - 20 seconds on the forehead, 20 for the nose/chin, and 10 for each cheek. I personally like having a timer, so I'm making sure I'm washing every area thoroughly, and the beeping noise makes it seem like a game! As far as I know, the Wave does not have a timer.
I've also checked out some other websites that offer customer reviews, and it seems as though most people tried the Neutrogena Wave first, liked it, but were then blown away by the Clarisonic, to the point where it didn't compare. The Wave just claims to deep clean, where as the Clarisonic has real life studies that offer proof to their results. It also seems as though the Neutrogena unit just vibrates, where as the Clarisonic uses a sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second. The thing moves so fast it doesn't even look like it's moving if that makes sense (you have to see it to believe it).
So overall, yes, the Neutrogena is cheaper initially, but I would rather use something that will work with my skin type and actually gives substantial results. In my opinion, you get what you pay for a lot of the time and this is another example of where the bigger inital investment pays off in the long run.
