POWER POINT
Flick the switch on your beauty regimen with gadgets that go the distance.
Supercharged skin was once a catchy moniker for a complexion that was layered in souped-up products full of brawny ingredients that may have even offered a satisfying zing on application. Fast-forward to 2018 and that self-administered zing is now an electrically charged – and efficacious – zap, thanks to the myriad of plug-in skincare gadgets on offer. While these devices won’t go so far as replacing a trip to the dermatologist (those in-office machines are more expensive and larger for a reason), an at-home skincare device, which emits healing light or sends out microcurrents, is a much-needed intermittent pep-up. Consider these the buzz in beauty.
Light wonders
1. THE GADGET: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Light Therapy Acne Mask, $70.
THE LOWDOWN: Taking cues from the upsurge of in-clinic LED light-therapy treatments, Neutrogena has released an LED mask that is designed to be used on the go. The full-face mask (disclaimer: you’ll look like a long-lost member of Daft Punk when you put it on) emits red and blue light: the red light is said to heal and dial down inflammation, and the blue light nixes bacteria and breakouts before they spring up. While the light doesn’t have the heft of the lasers you’ll find at a dermatologist’s office, of the 52 people who underwent clinical testing of the device, 80 per cent reported fewer breakouts following a week of daily 10-minute treatments.
BEST FOR: Moderate acne sufferers who want at-home care between in-clinic appointments.
2. THE GADGET: Dr Dennis Gross SpectraLite Eye Care Pro, $233.
THE LOWDOWN: Renowned for his in-clinic treatments, it was only a matter of time before noted New York-based dermatologist Dr Dennis Gross applied the same technology to his popular line of take-home products. Enter the SpectraLite Eye Care Pro. The targeted light device, which is designed to be worn like a superhero mask for just three minutes per day, aims to dive deep into the dermis via the LED lights, which stimulate collagen to smooth wrinkles and improve the overall texture of the eye area.
BEST FOR: The time-poor who are concerned with wrinkles or crow’s feet, and those after something a little more targeted than their daily eye cream.
Current trend
3. THE GADGET: NuFace NuBody Skin Toning Device, $585.
THE LOWDOWN: Utilising the microcurrent technology that made its face devices so popular, NuFace has released a skin-toning device for the body (and the first of its kind approved by the US regulatory body, the FDA). The device, which resembles an ultrasound machine, aims to tone, tighten, lift and smooth the look of dimpling via a low-level microcurrent that mimics the body’s natural cellular currents, the flow of which deteriorates as cells age. The space-age-looking device is also foolproof: it beeps on each stroke and automatically turns off after five minutes. Like going to the gym, the effects are, to a point, cumulative, so NuFace recommends using it up to five times per week.
BEST FOR: Anyone concerned with uneven skin tone, particularly on the arms, legs and buttocks.
Things that buzz
4. THE GADGET: Kat Burki Micro-Firming Wand, $146.
THE LOWDOWN: The big question in skincare has long been how to ensure products are getting to the underlying layers of skin, where they can actually work their magic. Kat Burki’s Micro-Firming Wand stands to do just that – it produces tiny vibrations when applied to a moisture source (such as a serum) and turns off once the skin absorbs the product. The hand-held device, no bigger than a pen, can be teamed with almost any skincare product.
BEST FOR: Skincare devotees or anyone noticing the first signs of ageing and needing to bolster the effects of their existing regimen.
5. THE GADGET: Foreo UFO Smart Mask Treatment, $395.
THE LOWDOWN: What do you get when you combine Korean skincare expertise with technology? The Foreo UFO Smart Mask Treatment. The small, futuristic gadget is all skin-nourishing things rolled into one: LED light, T-sonic pulsations (the buzzing sound as pulses penetrate the transdermal layer) as well as heat (for infusing into the skin) and cold therapy (for firming), depending on your preference. You pop a small disposable mask into the device, flick the switch and move it around your face. Put simply: it does all the work of a 15-minute sheet mask in a fraction of the time. Easy.
BEST FOR: Those who don’t have a specific concern but want an all-in-one device to promote overall glow.