From The Beauty Brains Forum Member: Karen
What’s pink and white and vibrates all over? If you’re Sarah Bellum, you probably have an X-rated answer. But if you said the Neutrogena Wave Power-Cleanser, then you may have discovered a fun and effective brand new gadget you can use to clean your face.
According to Neutrogena, it’s called the Wave because it’s “the next wave in cleansing.” Like the Clarisonic, this product is the next generation of washcloth. Information 
from its marketing company says it will “take your skincare routine to a new level” by sweeping away layers of dead skin cells. But do you really need to go to the next level? What’s wrong with simply washing your face to maintain healthy skin as you age?
Exfoliation Nation
To answer these questions, we have to talk about something today’s beauty-conscious woman thinks about as part of her personal skin care regimen that her mother probably didn’t. That something is exfoliation. Exfoliation, simply put, is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin. That might sound harsh but exfoliation is actually a natural process of the body.
When you’re under thirty, your skin sheds its dead epidermis about every 25 days on its own. Once you hit 30, however, this process slows down. That’s not a good thing if your goal is beautiful skin. If that top layer of dead skin cells stays put for too long, your complexion may appear dull and uneven. It can also feel rough or dry to the touch.
Exfoliation is an important step in your cleansing routine to expose younger skin underneath. If you do it regularly, you can improve your skin’s texture and help stimulate the production of new cells and collagen. The shedding process also unclogs pores to prevent blemishes from forming and allows your skin care products to reach deeper into the epidermis for better results. Additionally, it provides a smoother surface for your foundation to glide evenly over your face. Simply put, if you want healthy and radiant skin, you need to exfoliate.
Scrub-a-dub-dub
But who should do your exfoliation? You have choices. You can go to an esthetician and pay for her professional services. You can also do it yourself at home using a microdermabrasion kit or a facial scrub. Putting your skin in the hands of an esthetician might be a safe choice but it’s also an expensive one.
On the other hand, do-it-yourself microdermabrasion kits can be intimidating if you don’t have the confidence or experience using them. I use facial scrubs, the simplest of the choices, but I’ll admit that I haven’t always had good results. That’s because my skin is prone to redness and excessive vascularity. My experience has been that if I apply too much pressure, my skin becomes red, blotchy, and hypersensitive. This is sometimes referred to as “Angry Face Syndrome,” and believe me, it’s nothing to smile about.
Love the Wave!
Recently, Neutrogena’s Wave Power-Cleanser with Deep Clean Foaming Pads came into my life. I’ve used it every night for one week and now I’m hooked. Here’s what I like about it:
- It delivers the perfect degree of gentle exfoliation that never damages my skin
- It’s fast and easy to use: I just attach a pre-dosed, single-use, textured pad to the top of it, run it under water, press the button, and glide it gently over my skin
- The gentle vibrating motion and tingly-cool foam gives my skin a nice, healthy glow rather than excessive redness
- My skin immediately feels softer and the dead skin cells that were problematic near my nose and chin are now gone
- It’s ultra light and comfortable to hold
- It can be used at a sink or in the shower
- It only takes up as much space as a bar of soap
- It’s been gentle enough for me to use every day
On the back of the box, Neutrogena says this device is clinically proven superior to manual cleansing in three ways:
- 100% of women showed significantly deeper pore cleansing from its penetrating cool foam
- Its massaging, vibrating action opens pores to remove dirt, oil, and makeup and stimulates the skin’s surface
- You’ll see immediate softer, smoother skin after just one use
While I can’t substantiate their claims, I did find the Wave to be one cool little gadget for consistent and gentle exfoliation with a click of the button. It requires a single AA battery included with the starter kit, as well as a two week supply of single-use, disposable cleansing pads. It comes in pink, turquoise, or apple-green color schemes. And the price? The starter kit sells for $12.99 and a 10-pack of refills pads is $7.49.
So now you know why I’m excited about my new pink and white vibrating gadget. Sarah Bellum, on the other hand, might have an entirely different story to tell you.
Have YOU caught the Wave? Or do you like the Clarisonic system better? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Karen directly in the Beauty Brains Forum.















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Just buy it on eBay! DUH
i love the new wave. yeah it stings but it works. however for almost twenty five years i have looking for kind of treatment that would remove clot of blood. i this since i was five years old and i couldn’t get rid of it. but now that i’m using the new wave its removing the clot of blood. i’m just hoping it will remove the whole thing.
I like the wave, and I brought it about a month ago from CVS. It worked really well after I started using it, and the small bumps that would appear on my face started to disappear, and my skin looked brighter and cleaner. However, after continued use of the product, my skin is dried out, and is very sensitive. It sometimes hurts to smile, and I end up with even MORE dry skin on my face due to irritation. I recommend using this product at least once or twice a week, so your skin will not become irritated like mine.
I have mild/moderate acne and I just got the wave. It feels great but Im not sure that using it alone will help clear my face. I was going to use the wave in the morning to exfoliate and the oil-free foam acne wash at night. Does anyone have any advice on that? Should I just use the wave alone or woul dit help clear up the acne if I use the two?
I was just wondering if guys can use the wave also? I don’t have bad acne, just oily skin and a few blackheads every now and then. Please respond.
Sure, guys can use the wave too
Hi,
I’m 12 almost 13 and was wondering is the Wave will clear up my blackheads. I have tehm all under my chin and they cover my nose.
Thanks,
Rachel
Dont understand why people keep saying $21 per month. THe pads only cost about $7.00 for 30. At one pad per day, that only equals $7.00 per month. And some people will not need to use it everyday. Many of the cleansers that are sold are way more than $7.00
the wave is an easier way to wash your face, and it isn’t that expensive. I have been using it for about a year, and recently noticed that it actually isn’t doing much to my skin. My skin always looks the same, with no improvement. So I would say that there are better products out there.
I think I have come up with a solution for the “not lathering up” problem. First, attach pad to the Wave. Run water over the machine and then use for a minute or two on your face. If there are no suds, remove pad and use OPPOSITE side. Make sure that when you do this your hands are clean. Works like a charm. ;]
I love the Wave. My mom tried to tell me not to get it, worried about it being too rough on my skin. However, a friend who has my exact skin type recommended it so I decided to get it. I’m so glad I did!
The Wave is gentle, unlike my mom thought. The massaging power is controlled, so you don’t get your skin ripped off.
For me, I can get the pads very cheap, and I only have to use it every other day, because of my complexly built skin routine, so each refill lasts, oh, maybe two months? They suds up for me perfectly, unlike some reviewers.
For me, using plain old cleaning is hard because it’s harder to get every spot. With a sort of ‘applicator’, it helps me get it everywhere.
After cleaning, my skin’s soft, and it looks and feels clean. I can’t stop raving about this product. It’s AMAZING! I recommend it to anyone.
As for the sudsing I read more articles, I either rub my finger on it or start cleaning and it will end up lathering on it’s own; and who cares if the stupid pad lathers like it says it will, it works wonders anyway.
I have used the wave for the past 3 days,it’s great,it’s made my skin softer,but the thing is,for me,it’s made my face a bit blotchy. I thought this product would be very good but it turns out not. I’m now restricting to using 1 pad a week rather than everyday
The wave is 12.95 and the new and improved wave with 2 steps is 15.97 but it is worth it! I just got mine two days ago and mi skin is already clear! I do need help with 1 thing i have back acne i need help how do i get rid of it!
also the bad thing is i am only 11 and i have back acne BADD! I have a dance Friday and i have a dress that shows my back i need to get rid of it!
I hated this product. The pad doesnt even get that soapy. It’s like putting vibrating water on your skin. It does feel good, but doesnt have much effect.
The first time i used it, I LOVED IT. But its been about a week now and my face is getting really dry. And the wave is the only thing i use. I’m not sure if i should keep using it.
I got this product a month ago and I loved it, but then it stop working so I dont know what I did wrong but I know that I didnt drop it.
So… I think it is made with cheap materials.
OMG! i love the wave! i got it last night and now my skin is sooo soft and i am 12! whats funny is that even my 32 year old mom uses it and she looks great and she has really soft skin and i will totally reccomend this not only to my friends but to every other tween/teen in the world and u wouldnt believe how much stuff i have used and so far this is the best and i love the tingly foam! i got my wave at target for like 12.99 or something like that.
Anyways hope that helps!
Mikayla, 12
also in the winter or when my skin is really dry i use the neutrogena moisturizers
and jm diid u TRY switchin the batteries
Hey… Just wondering… I already have the wave and all, but what’s the diff between the new wave and the old one? Should I go out and buy the new one?money isn’t an issue, so if you say it’s worth it, I’m all for it.
I don’t have acne (acne is actually genetic. Thank god my mom didn’t have acne) so I can’t say it will work wonders with acne, but it does leave my skin really soft. And glowing!
I have acne prone skin and the wave made my skin even worse then it was. i got a major breakout out of it. Ive got oily skin and this thing made my skin very dry so i needed twice the amount of moisterizer to save it. the dryness also caused my skin to irritate. So the wave is a big No No for me.
If you’re finding the refils too expensive then make your own.
Take a cotton pad and any foaming exfoliant and just use like the normal refils, it makes it a lot cheaper and still works really well.
This thing sux… big!!!!! it never lathers up…. NEVER, Never, NEVER, Never!!!
I got this yesterday & my skin was softer right away and I noticed this mornin some of my acne is gone it great
The wave is great! If it doesn’t lather up you put the pad on backwards! It only costs $7 a month for the refill pads (30 of them) and you can usually get them cheaper if you find them on sale!
I have the wave but I didnt like the pads very much and while they are reasonably cheap, I found a better solution. The pads are 7 dollars for 30 but if you go to any drugstore or grocery store even, you can buy a pack of plain cotton rounds. Mine were a pack of 100 for under 3 dollars. They are a little bigger that the ones they provide but on the upside you can use ANY cleanser you want for a cheaper price, and you can make sure you wont have an allergic reaction.
I bought the wave and used it 6 times before it totally rusted where the battery goes and now i cant use it so i just spent 13$ to wash my face 6 times. Have only owned it for a couple of weeks. Not impressed
i just got the Wave lastnight and its going pretty good right now. I have somewhat oily acne prone skin with a lot of small bumps on my forehead and about three red pimples on either sides of my nose with blackheads on my nose and chin. I am fourteen . Every product i have ever used (professional or drugsotre) have always done nothing or broke me out more and it always made me frusterated, but this product i have used twice (once in the morning + evening) and its making my bumps smaller and my skin is SO soft. Even after im done with it and have rinsed it still feels amazing! My pores feel smaller and my acne is somewhat going away. My oil on my face is fading away like never before ! I have never expeirianced a product like this, and i am looking forward to having no acne when i begin grade nine in about two weeks ! fingers crossed
i recommend this product to anyone who is struggling and was as frusterated ith your skin as much as i was
hope this helps !
Will this get rid of black heads? And will this even out your skin tone??
OK so i brought dis thing after reading so many reviews online to see if it would be a waist of my money or not. It totally wasn’t!!! Im not trying to make you buy the product or lying about my results. The smalls bumps on my forehead are almost gonnee.. you gotta give it some time tho for it to work but it seriously helped.. My acne is ALOT lesser.Im 15 and i have combination skin,=) hope this helps! I definitely recommend dis product. ALso for the bad reviews, I think it works different for everyone .. so take a chance ^_^.
So last night my wave duo (the newer wave) i just got and love it. But last night out of the blue it turned itself on and would not turn off! I had to actually take out the battery! Why would it go on by itself like that and not turn off? Anyone else have this problem?
Im alergic to benzoyl peroxide (found in most acne meds)so I’ve always suffered with my skin. And My mom bought this for me for my 17th birthday, so yes it is just fine for teens. And I am hooked. I have never had smoother skin. I always follow with Wet n Wild Moisturizer. And its amazing. Also a very handy peice of info, the same pads for the Clean and Clear Black Head Eraser also fit if you are looking for more concentration in the area
Bought my Wave last night. It worked fine for me and really cleared out my blackheads. I did find the pad a tad harsh.
Do NOT use Olay moisturizer after using the Wave. I applied moisturizer after use (as specified in the instructions) and it irritated my skin a few minutes after application. I washed it off right away. It’s always a good idea to rinse the moment some pain sets in.
I’m going to buy ordinary cotton pads and use good old facial wash.
A friend recommended the Wave to me and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. The first night I used it, I spend like 10 minutes cleansing my face with it because it just feels so good on my skin. And it makes my skin super soft. DEFF. RECOMMEND IT.
I bought a Wave and used it three times before it quit working. It worked on my cheeks and forehead area but was not effective on the nose area. I think Clairons is probably superior in this area.
I have been using the Wave for about a week, once a night. I don’t exactly think it vibrated quite enough, though. Also, after using it about 3 times, my face has gotten strange, dry very small bumps, almost flaky. I don’t exactly think that’s normal.
For the ones with the lathering problems try to start out on your nose or a hard surfes on your face it helps to get it started. Oh and I love the wave. tried everything and so far this is my fav.
I have been using the product for 6 months and I like the result. My issue is the device. The 1st two I purchased DIED when I tried to change the battery. Before I purchase another one, I will look for an alternative. I do not want to have to replace the device everytime it needs a battery change.
Hey – I just bought the wave last week – i got the duel action one – it does work good. My skin is a softer and my skin is very very oily – i used to have to wash my face 2 or 3 times a day cus i could feel it getting oily. With the wave i use it once a day only cus it removes my makeup and stuff at night and leaves my face smooth in the morning. However i don’t find it lathers up as much as it shows in the commerical but it does get deep into my skin. I have been breaking out really bad lately and i had a HUGE pimple and after the week its pretty much gone, its dropped in size, its not pussy its clearing up, and my other pimples and small red spots r gone
. it does hurt a little going over a larger pimple but it works 
I have yet to break out more, but i did otice some of my black heads comig to surface which means the wave is pulling them out of my skin. when this happens… DONT try and squeeze em out – thats how they get worse and then you get more from the oil your pushing out… i like it. it works great for me.
I am buying the wave in a couple of days and have read MANY great reviews and seen some reviews even on YouTube.. I have read alot about it drying out my skin and I am also going to buy moisturiser with it. =D I don’t have many pimples, maybe just 3 or 4 on my forehead and haven’t really used any facial clensing product before, only once or twice. I have also read about buying regular cotton facial pads instead of buying the refills and appying my own facial cleanser and think this is a great way to make sure I will not be allergic to the soap and to save money. =D I hope it works for me, and has anyone got any tips on what moisturiser and facial cleanser (to put on the regular cotton facial pads) to buy with it and any other tips. =D Thanks, and I’ll update you when I try it out. =P
Oh, by the way, I am 13 and a girl =P
I just got the wave!!
I’m so excited to use it and I promise I’ll update all of you after the first use tonight! I’m also kind of worried about the reviews about it drying my skin out, and my mum hasn’t bought any facial moisturiser yet
But I hope it should be ok….. :S Wish me luck!
I am buying Neutrogena Oil-Free Fresh Moisture to moisturise my skin after (so it doesn’t dry out) and I’m buying that moisturisor because it had great reviews
OMG! The Wave is great! It has made my skin REALLY smooth in just 4 or 5 days (1 use each day at night), but not gotten rid of any pimples yet but I think I know why that is (nothing to do with the wave itself). The Wave is GREAT.
Rate: 5/5 from me!
Hey SR!
I got the wave too, and how much did it cost you to buy it?
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