The following question was asked last week on my Facebook page.
Hi Jackie! What do you know about the Clairsonic Opal? Is it worth the investment? Christine, L. Twinsberg, OH
The question “is it worth the investment” is almost always asked when a product or tool is pricey, and to be sure, the Opal is pricey–retailing at around $185.00. I can’t answer whether or not it’s “worth” it because the answer will be different for everyone, but I can tell you what my experience was with it, and how I used it. First things first.
What is the Clairsonic Opal™?
The Clairsonic Opal™ (a division of Pacific Bioscience Laboratories) is an at-home skin care device designed to use sonic infusion technology to hydrate, firm, and to reduce fine lines and puffiness around the eyes.
Basically, sonic technology is a very high/fast level of vibration. What makes this technology interesting for skin care purposes is that the vibration stimulates an increase in blood flow which improves absorption and the distribution of product.
The unit contains two parts, the infuser and the dispenser, and a topical serum. The “infuser” is a sonic device that gently massages a specialized serum into small/targeted areas of your face.
The serum-dispensing unit holds Clairsonic’s proprietary Anti-Aging Sea Serum, and dispenses in into the infuser prior to each use on the face.
Functionally, the Opal uses a gentle massaging action to infuse the serum to the specific area(s) you would like to see the most improvement. The sonic action helps to distribute the serum into the outer layers of the epidermis, where (according to their website) “it starts working immediately to reduce the appearance of fine lines and puffiness.”
Important note: This device does NOT address dark circles under the eyes. Over the past year I’ve read many reviews complaining that the Opal did nothing to help their dark circles–it’s not supposed to. The company makes no claims regarding dark circles.
The serum
The Opal’s proprietary serum is called the Anti-Aging Sea Serum, and it is designed to increase hydration, reduce fine lines, wrinkling, and improve elastin. It comes pre-packaged in the top of the Opal unit, called the dispenser. Here is a breakdown of the top 5 ingredients in the serum profile:
- Water: Base
- Epilobium Angustifolium Leaf/Stem Extract: Skin conditioner
- Glycerin: Humectant
- Hydrolyzed Elastin:Humectant and skin conditioning
- Glycosaminoglycans: Emollient, film forming, and skin conditioning
- See complete ingredient list here
What is it supposed to do?
This hand-held device is intended to reduce:
fine lines (around the eyes)
light wrinkling
small areas of dehydration
skin laxity
Purported to work well on sensitive skin types
Does it work?
As with any skin care product, tool, or technique, it will only be as effective as you let it be. If you use the Opal once every couple of days, you will not see the results the company suggests are possible. If you over-use it, you will not get better results faster, and you will be disappointed and/or discouraged. The take away here is that the Opal is not a stand-alone tool that will do everything you want it to without having to support it with good skin care practices.
The “does it work” question is always loaded. Based on my personal use, yes it does work. However, it “worked” for the following reasons:
- I followed the directions, exactly as instructed*
- I used it in combination with a complete basic skin care process 2 times a day for six weeks
- I applied sunscreen on top every day
- I cleaned the sonic infuser tip after each use
- The lines I used it on were truly “fine”
*My first series of using the Opal, I used the Anti-Aging Sea Serum, and did notice results. However, in subsequent series, I have used serums manufactured by other companies, and had equally as good results, if not better—no science to back that up, just sharing my professional opinion.
Claims
Manufacturers make claims on their products all of the time. Rarely do they easily provide the studies that backup the claims. Clairsonic Opal™ prominently displays the methodology and results of their studies on the website—here are direct links to the PDF files:
Results for fine lines and wrinkle claims
Results for hydration claims
Results for elasticity and firmness
Results for gentleness
Is it worth the investment?
Yes Christine, it was worth it for me based on the way I used it, the expectations I had, and the results obtained. I would also suggest that this device will be more effective for those whose lines are soft and fine–it won’t hurt deeper lines, I just don’t know how effective it would be.
