The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Beauty brains
Annabel Jones
Why a light mask could be your smartest skin investment yet
Lockdown 3.0 might be preventing you from visiting your facialist, but you can bask under a skin-enhancing LED mask while you watch Netflix. Welcome to the age of the facial gadget. In a recent survey of 2,000 women by Onepoll and Foreo, 71 per cent were interested in an at-home facial device that could deliver professional-level treatments, while 73 per cent were looking for a single, multifunctional skincare device instead of using numerous individual facial products.
After all, there’s only so much serums can do. To achieve great skin you must rejuvenate at a deeper level to encourage sluggish skin cells (which don’t produce as much collagen as we age) to wake up and get moving. Most of us have at least one beauty device these days, whether it’s a lo-fi jade roller or a hi-tech light mask, as we’ve become increasingly enamoured with radiance over and above unlined skin.
However, when you’re committing to your first high-ticket device, think less about the upfront investment and more about cost per use. Amelia Kendrick, beauty buyer at John Lewis & Partners, says, ‘One of our most popular beauty devices is the MZ Skin Light-therapy Golden Facial Treatment Device, because it has multiple settings that address different skin concerns – which delivers a better payback.’
I don’t disagree. When it comes to holding on to a healthy complexion, your skin cells need constant nudging in order to maintain the bounce and firmness of your skin’s ‘mattress springs’. LED (light-emitting diode) therapy harnesses the light spectrum to penetrate to different depths of the skin. Each colour of light stimulates a different response: blue helps to heal acne, red gives glow, and so on. LED is suitable for all skin tones and has zero downtime, making it the perfect gadget to use at home. Take your pick from these devices – and watch your skin transform.
EVENS SKIN TONE