Boost your beauty game without leaving the comfort of your bathroom. There’s no substitute for the expertise, not to mention the big guns of powerful skin-boosting technology available at skin clinics, but with all the time spent at home recently, DIY beauty devices have significant appeal. But how effective are they really? It’s not like you can try before you buy like you would swatching a lipstick or a moisturiser, but there are those that tout convincing benefits and the beauty-tech industry is booming. We look at some of the most popular players and what these tools have to offer.
Nu Face Trinity, $548
This hand-held microcurrent device is one of the most effective things we’ve tried for instantly lifting and tightening skin. Passed over skin, the current promotes muscle activity deep within the skin. Skeptics will become believers once they try treating only one side of the face and note how skin, particularly above the brow bones and upper cheek looks lifted and the jawline more defined. The results are visible for up to 24 hours but you’ll notice a more toned look over time also.
Tripollar Stop X, $903
While microcurrent works to stimulate the muscles, or deep scaffolding of the skin, the popularity of radio frequency treatments, which work more on the surface level of skin to stimulate collagen with miniscule heat ‘injuries’ (similar to the way microneedling stimulates a repair response) is on the rise. This version works at 38°C, which is said to be the lowest temperature for clinical efficacy, and takes 6-8 minutes per full-face treatment.
La-Roche Posay Spot Scan, spotscan.com
Less of a device, and more of an app, but dermocosmetic brand La-Roche Posay has put a tonne of R & D into new technology that helps use care for skin more effectively. The brand has previously launched a scannable sticker that monitors how much UV you’ve been exposed to during the day and when to top up your SPF. Now, they’ve introduced an app that can diagnose your acne and prescribe helpful products for your skin type without leaving home. spotscan.com on your mobile phone. With the help of your front facing camera on your mobile phone, spotscan.com takes three photos of you and analyses the results before suggesting a relevant routine that might help.
Permaderm Ilumask Pro, $299.99
LED light therapy is another collagen-boosting treatment that was once confined to salon, but has now become achievable at home – albeit at less powerful strengths – thanks to a variety of wearable LED masks. This one offers not only collagen boosting red-light, but settings to treat acne (blue light) as well as other therapeutic effects.
Angela Caglia Vibrating Rose Quartz Sculpting Roller, $344
Think you know jade and rose quartz rollers? Think again. While massaging with a traditional one is said to help with lymphatic drainage and puffiness as well as skincare absorption, this next-level option calls upon 6000 sonic vibrations per minute to superpower results, helping sculpt and tone your face the way an intense facial massage in salon would. Caglia uses her tools on celebrity clients like Barbara Streisand, Chrissy Teigen and Helena Christiansen so you’ll be in good company.
Aceology Ice Globe Facial Massager set, $70.40
There’s something to be said for Kate Moss’ morning routine of submerging her face in a bowl of iced water, but if you want an easier option, your solution is here. The smooth, cooling cryo-globes popular in salon facials – not to mention blowing up on Tiktok! – are now available for use at home. Akin to the classic move of using cold metal spoons to vanquish eye bags, the tools come in pairs and are designed to be placed in the freezer before use. Massaged over skin together in upward strokes they are said to calm, tighten and reduce redness and pores.
Dermaflash Dermapore Pore Extractor and Serum Infuser, $171.30
You either are a squeezer or you aren’t! With the number of views Dr. Pimple Popper’s Youtube channel gets, there’s a fair few of us that are, but there can be serious downsides for your skin if you don’t do it carefully. This handpiece again uses sonic current but on wet skin, to safely help de-gunk clogged pores. Clean and flip it over and you can use it to infuse your serums during your skincare routine.
Words: Megan Bedford Images: Supplied