OXY Clearlight Light Device

 

RRP: £39.99

--What does the promo say?--

"A proven technology called blue light therapy has been used extensively for years by dermatologists for the successful treatment of spots, acne and blemishes. It has been scientifically proven that blue light at the specific wavelength of 415nm kills spot-causing bacteria. OXY Clearlight harnesses the healing power of blue-light technology in a safe, convenient and hygienic device for home use. OXY Clearlight penetrates to the root of P. acnes, killing spot-causing bacteria and helping prevent spots from erupting. The light emits NO heat, and NO harmful UV rays. It does NOT cause drying, peeling or discomfort, either."

--Packaging--

Surprisingly small! The white-grey device blasts all of the enormous, hideously expensive light-emitting devices that are currently available to home users into the shade: it's no longer than your own hand, meaning it's perfect for neat bathroom storage or for travel. At one end of the device is a series of small lights within an indented circle. This is the part that you press against your face wherever you want its rays to target. There's just one simple button that slides and clicks into place to turn the device on, and it turns itself off automatically when you're done too. This product runs on batteries, but they seem to last a very long time before replacement is required.

--Application--

OXY's instructions read as follows: "Press the power button and place the Clearlight device over the spot. Listen for the beep indicating that the therapeutic light is at work. The device will automatically switch itself off at the end of the 3-minute treatment cycle. Use twice daily, morning and evening, for 3 minutes until your spot has cleared." There's nothing difficult about this, although it's obviously quicker if you just have one or two spots, as opposed to having a full face of them.

--Appearance--

The design of the device is clearly functional rather than decorative, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's ergonomically designed, from how it feels in your hand to how it feels against your face, so there's certainly no discomfort involved. The blue lights are only visible if you're not pressing the device against your skin correctly (but it's so easy to use that this should be an unlikely scenario).

--Sensation--

Having used at-home hair removal devices and also had professional electrolysis, where your skin often tingles in a way that almost breaches on pain thanks to the heat involved, I was expecting to feel something while I used this device. Happily, it's completely pain-free to the point that you feel absolutely nothing - you can quite easily clean your teeth, chat to your partner, or just have a little uninterrupted thinking time while you use the device until it turns itself off at the end of the cycle. Brill.

--Effects on the skin--

If you press too hard you'll get a little pressure ring on your skin where you've used the device, so be careful! This is just inconvenient, not painful, but just remember that there's no need to press the device against your skin for it to work effectively. I definitely found that spot size and redness was reduced much more quickly than normal while using this product. Top stuff!

--Value for money--

I can understand why consumers may baulk a little at the nearly-£40 price tag, especially as a lot of acne sufferers are going to be students with little spare cash. However, I'd definitely say it's worth the investment. It gets rid of the spot quickly, that's true - but the peace of mind and confidence this also affords you is invaluable.   

perfect partners

Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash, £5.99

Seaweed Power Clear Pore Exfoliant, £5.99

Seaweed Power Deep Calm Balm, £5.99 

Emergency Spot Treatment Gel, £6.99

All 5 OXY products are also available as a special bundle from OXY's website at a promotional price of £54.95, saving you £10 of the full retail price.
For the 4 skin care products alone (minus the Clearlight device), another special package is available at the price of £19.99 (instead of £24.96).   

OXY Emergency Spot Treatment Gel

RRP: £6.99

--What does the promo say?--

"Oxy Emergency Spot Treatment Gel is an anti spot gel that reduces the size and redness of spots in just 4-hours."

--Packaging--

The small tube comes encased in hard plastic (the kind often seen protecting Easter eggs, that you sometimes need a chainsaw or similar to crack), but once you've opened it, this convenient little tube can be carried in your handbag or pocket, or kept in the bathroom (lain down or stood up), all without risk of leakage. While it sticks to the blue and green colour scheme of OXY's new Seaweed range, the tube itself doesn't feature the seaweed design like the other products do.

--Application--
OXY say you can apply this directly to any spots that are troubling you as often as 6 times a day, but I didn't find it was needed this frequently (see below for notes on efficacy).

--Appearance--

A completely clear gel with just the right amount of viscosity, which leaves no visible residue on the skin.

--Scent--

Sports the seaweed scent like the other products, but perhaps less so than they do.

--Texture and consistency--

Possibly the nicest of the products to use. Offers a pleasing cooling sensation on application, which can make you feel like it's really working, rubs in beautifully, and leaves no sticky or tacky residue either.

--Effects on the skin--

I found that the time scale varied with this one. Even if it didn't always reduce spot severity within 4 hours as promised, it definitely acted within 12 hours on a consistent basis - and that's without applying the gel 6 times a day as directed, so perhaps if you did, you'd see even faster results. And even if you can't be bothered with all that messing around, just one application should mean that if you wake up with something the size of Mount Olympus on your face and begin worrying, it should be significantly smaller by the time of that important meeting or party come later.

--Value for money--

At £6.99 this is the most expensive of all four OXY Seaweed skincare products, but I would definitely buy this when my current tube runs out. Delivers a wow-factor results at affordable prices.

perfect partners

Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash, £5.99

Seaweed Power Clear Pore Exfoliant, £5.99

Seaweed Power Deep Calm Balm, £5.99
Clearlight, £39.99

All 5 OXY products are also available as a special bundle from OXY's website at a promotional price of £54.95, saving you £10 of the full retail price.
For the 4 skin care products alone (minus the Clearlight device), another special package is available at the price of £19.99 (instead of £24.96).   

OXY Seaweed Power Deep Calm Balm

RRP: £5.99

--What does the promo say?--

"Proven to reduce the number of spots and blackheads when used daily with OXY Fresh Skin Wash. OXY Deep Calm Balm is an oil-free moisturiser. It harnesses the power of natural seaweed to keep skin soft and hydrated, whilst helping to prevent oily skin, spots and blackheads. Apply OXY Deep Calm Balm liberally to the face after cleansing with OXY Fresh Skin Wash. As well as being effective against spots, OXY Deep Calm Balm is also naturally kind to skin. Dermatologically tested, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and contains no alcohol, parabens or SLS.

--Packaging--

Smaller than the other tubes in the range, other than this the moisturiser is essentially the same: plastic, flip-top lid, secure closure, eye-catching design.

--Application--

Use morning and night after cleansing, without rinsing off. No problems here bar what I outline under "Texture and consistency" below.

--Appearance--

This moisturiser is almost pure white, with what I assume to be white silica beads suspended in it. The beads do unfortunately have a tendency to stick to the face, so make sure you take a last look in the mirror before leaving the house!

--Scent--

Smells authentically of seaweed, but is not overpowering.

--Texture and consistency--

Can leave a slightly sticky film on the face after application, but not enough for it to be too unpleasant. The silica beads sticking to the face is a bit more of a problem, as unlike with the exfoliator, you obviously don't want to rub too hard with a towel or flannel after you've put it on, or else you risk rubbing away all the good stuff too.

--Effects on the skin--

Works well to reduce spots and redness while keeping dry skin at bay. Nice work, OXY!

--Value for money--

I would definitely replenish my stocks of this along with the other OXY Seaweed Power products once my current supplies (kindly sent to me by OXY's PR) run out; it sinks into skin nicely and offers acne sufferers a welcome reprieve.

perfect partners

Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash, £5.99

Seaweed Power Clear Pore Exfoliant, £5.99
Emergency Spot Treatment Gel, £6.99
Clearlight, £39.99

All 5 OXY products are also available as a special bundle from OXY's website at a promotional price of £54.95, saving you £10 of the full retail price.
For the 4 skin care products alone (minus the Clearlight device), another special package is available at the price of £19.99 (instead of £24.96).   

Oxy Seaweed Power Clear Pore Exfoliant

RRP: £5.99

--What does the promo say?--

"Proven to reduce the number of spots within 48 hours. OXY Clear Pore Exfoliant harnesses the power of natural seaweed to cleanse deep into your pores. It cuts through grease and oil, removing dead skin, clearing spots, blackheads and oily skin. As well as being effective against spots, OXY Clear Pore Exfoliant is also naturally kind to skin. Dermatologically tested, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and contains no alcohol, parabens or SLS."

--Packaging--

Clearly part of a unified range concept, the seaweed image is unisex and instantly recognisable as being part of OXY's latest initiative. The packaging is reasonably durable although some of the exfoliant does leak inside the plastic flip-top lid at times.

--Application--

The OXY website instructs: "Wet your face with warm water. Massage OXY Clear Pore Exfoliant into your skin, then rinse thoroughly. For best results, repeat this process 2 to 3 times a week in conjunction with daily use of OXY Fresh Skin Wash and OXY Deep Calm Balm." There's nothing difficult about this and it generally helps to keep dry skin at bay, meaning you shouldn't need to use it more than the recommended weekly frequency.

--Appearance--

An opaque gel which has obvious particles in it. These seem to be natural sandy particles that are unfortunately quite difficult to rinse fully off the face. Towel dry well to be sure that you're rid of them, or use a toner that's suitable for oily skin to pick up the excess.

--Scent--

Like the rest of the range, a naturally salty seaweed smell is evident but shouldn't bother anyone or interfere with perfume.

--Texture and consistency--

The particles may feel too harsh for some (they really are quite hard; very different to the silica beads that a lot of supposed "exfoliators" contain, which apparently have the same exfoliating efficacy as butter), but are effective in sloughing away dry skin. However, like a couple of other products in the range, a slightly sticky residue can occasionally be felt from the gel itself. Perhaps rinse twice to avoid this.

--Effects on the skin--

Does not aggravate skin and does help to keep dry skin patches down, making it perfect for combination skin types, but I did notice a persistently dry patch between my eyebrows that I had to concentrate on more, with extra use of the exfoliant and moisturiser. It also works well with the rest of the range in terms of reducing spot numbers (and yes, it really does do this within 48 hours as stated).

--Value for money--

£5.99 can seem a bit much for a range that you'd perhaps expect to be under £5 per product, but it seems to me that OXY has really upped its ante in recent years. It's effective and not unpleasant to use; I would therefore buy it again and recommend it to others.

perfect partners

Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash, £5.99
Seaweed Power Fresh Deep Calm Balm, £5.99
Emergency Spot Treatment Gel, £6.99
Clearlight, £39.99

All 5 OXY products are also available as a special bundle from OXY's website at a promotional price of £54.95, saving you £10 of the full retail price.
For the 4 skin care products alone (minus the Clearlight device), another special package is available at the price of £19.99 (instead of £24.96).     

Oxy Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash

RRP: £5.99

--What does the promo say?--

"Proven to reduce the number of spots within 48 hours. A refreshing, lightly fragrant, everyday wash with jojoba micro beads, OXY Fresh Skin Wash harnesses the power of natural seaweed to reduce spots, redness and blackheads. As well as being effective against spots, OXY Fresh Skin Wash is also naturally kind to skin. Dermatologically tested, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and contains no alcohol, parabens or SLS."

--Packaging--

The dark blue, dark green, and white colour scheme of this plastic flip-top tube means it's nicely unisex and very practical to use. Clearly conveys the concept of seaweed as the main active ingredient.

--Application--

The OXY website recommends massaging the gel into wet skin before rinsing thoroughly, with twice-daily use being recommended.

--Appearance--

The gel is a mostly clear, slightly off-yellow colour, with red beads suspended in it. The beads can be a little difficult to rinse off, but beyond this there is no visible residue.

--Scent--

The salty seaweed smell is prominent. Definitely no overly sweet, fragrant or clinical smells here.

--Texture and consistency--

The texture of the gel itself is nice - it lathers up well into a white foam and generally rinses off easily. However, a slightly 'gritty' residue is left on the face afterwards which takes some time to subside, and this I found to be true of the entire range (which I was kindly sent by OXY's PR team).

--Effects on the skin--

 While the range of products can be slightly drying at times, ultimately this does live up to the claim of the number of spots you have being reduced within 48 hours. I was pleasantly surprised. However, this dramatically positive effect does plateau after between 2 and 3 weeks of use, so depending on the severity of your acne, you perhaps can't expect complete elimination.

--Value for money--

At £5.99 this is a little more expensive than I had anticipated. However, it's a lot more effective than some products that are a lot more expensive, and is great for people like me who are time-poor and impatient - short-term results are basically guaranteed, and that is definitely worth the money paid. I would definitely consider replenishing stocks once my current supply runs out - even if it isn't the most luxurious product to use, it's certainly incredibly effective.

perfect partners
Seaweed Power Fresh Deep Pore Exfoliant, £5.99
Seaweed Power Fresh Deep Calm Balm, £5.99
Emergency Spot Treatment Gel, £6.99
Clearlight, £39.99

All 5 OXY products are also available as a special bundle from OXY's website at a promotional price of £54.95, saving you £10 of the full retail price.
For the 4 skin care products alone (minus the Clearlight device), another special package is available at the price of £19.99 (instead of £24.96).