Just like how technology has transformed how we live, it’s even transformed how we treat and prep our skin. The world of at-home skincare devices have rapidly been expanding since the days of the Clarisonic version one (remember that?!).
Now there are devices that depuff your eyes, activate your serums, lift your skin and stimulate the collagen in your skin. The only downsides to these improvements in beauty and technology? The hefty price tags and the inability to test out a machine at your nearest Sephora.
To help ease some of your worries, here are 13 facial devices that we’ve personally tested worth your next payday splurge.
Uses: 3D Sonic Ion Technology
How often: Twice a day
What it is: Good cleansing is the basis of any skincare routine, and ReFa’s Clear Cleansing Brush does a superb job with a 3D Sonic Ion Technology that combines sonic vibrations and positive ions. Adding to the comfort and efficacy of the cleanse are the ultra-fine bristles crafted by Japanese artisans from Kumano, a small town in Hiroshima famed for brushes; the width of each bristle is said to be smaller than even a pore, while the bristles in various lengths cater to the uneven surface of the face. The device is also waterproof, which means you can use it in the shower. Choose from three modes: Soft, for a gentle one-minute morning cleanse; Clean, for a one-minute cleanse that removes makeup and the grime of the day; and Deep, a 30-second intensive cleanse.
Where to buy: Sephora stores and on sephora.sg
Uses: Sonic vibration, LED Blue and Right Lights with Sonic Vibration
How often: Five to 10 minutes, once or twice a day
What it is: Keep your locks in gorgeous condition with Vedure’s LED Hair Regrowth Scalp Activator, which delivers a hair spa right at home with phototherapy and sonic vibrations. Helping to maintain the lushness is red light, which promotes microcirculation in the scalp—crucial for healthy hair growth—and stimulates the production of adenosine triphosphate to help maintain the hair’s growth phase. Blue light, meanwhile, helps you get a fuller look by regulating sebum production, and targets acne-causing bacteria to soothe itchiness and inflammation. Wrapping things up are sonic vibrations that enhance circulation, stimulate hair follicles and improve the penetration of scalp care. Bonus: Blue light also stimulates serotonin production, so expect some feel-good vibes along with the aesthetic benefits.
Where to buy: verdurehair.com
Uses: Reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, reduce puffiness and alleviate signs of eye fatigue caused by blue light
How often: 10 minutes a day
What it is: With mask-wearing, it’s ever more important to take care of the eye area. Why not have some fun while you’re at it? Put on Skin Inc’s Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light Glasses For Bright Eyes and live out your sci-fi heroine dreams – 10 minutes is all it takes for the device to work its magic. Using red, yellow and orange light, it promotes collagen synthesis, lightens dark under-eye circles, reduces eye bags and general puffiness, and helps ease the eye strain caused by the blue light emitted from electronic devices. Tip: Wear it like a headband and your scalp can reap the benefits of light therapy too.
Pro tip: Apply eye cream or serum around the cleansed eye area before use.
Where to buy: Skin Inc, Sephora and sephora.sg
Uses: Increase skin moisture levels, prevent signs of premature aging caused by dry, dehydrated skin
What it is: While Singapore has an average relative humidity of 80 per cent, you can still experience skin dryness in air-conditioned spaces. Cue Osim’s uGlow Mist, a portable face humidifier that delivers a fine mist to the skin to ward off dehydration. It’s sized like a regular BB cushion, making it super easy to bring around and whip out whenever you need a moisture boost. Its 2,000mAh battery also doubles as a power bank when your phone runs out of juice.
Pro tip: Use it after your moisturiser for a boost of hydration
Where to buy: OSIM stores and sg.Osim.com
Uses: Smooth wrinkles, diminish discolouration, and clear acne
How often: Three minutes
What it is: Since Nasa discovered that red LED light can help with wound healing and cellular repair, the beauty industry has been quick to harness its benefits. Among the plethora of devices out there that make use of LED light therapy, Dr Dennis Gross’s DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro stands out for its hands-free convenience and the fact that it works on the entire face at once. Tackling a range of issues from fine lines to redness, an uneven tone and discolouration, it boasts a whopping 162 LED lights in red and blue to stimulate collagen synthesis while reducing inflammation and eliminating the bacteria that causes acne.
Pro tip: Use after cleansing your face. Also, remember to follow up with a serum and/or moisturiser of your choice.
Where to buy: Sephora stores and sephora.sg
Uses: Therapeutic Hot Compress, Sonic Vibration, LED Red Light Therapy
How often: One minute, once or twice a day
What it is: Improved microcirculation to reduce puffiness and lighten dark eye circles. It’s also said to boost the absorption of the eye-care area tells on you when you’re fatigued, had a bad night or binged on K-dramas till the wee hours. So keep it looking fresh with Est.lab’s OptimaLift A+ Intelligent Eye Revitaliser 2.0, which utilises LED light and heat therapies as well as sonic vibrations (in three different combinations) to stimulate collagen and elastin production, relieve fatigue, and ire products, so be sure to use it together with your regular serums and creams, which can also help the device glide smoothly over the area. The best part? You need only use it for a minute to reap the benefits.
Pro tip: Take an appropriate amount of eye cream and spread it evenly on the skin, before gently pressing the metal massage probe and gliding it around eye contours.
Where to buy: Est.lab
Use: Microcurrent facial toning and T-Sonic TM firming massage
How often: Three minutes, once or twice a day
What it is: Give your face a full workout with Foreo Bear’s Microcurrent Facial Toning Device, which emits microcurrents to stimulate facial muscles, cell growth and collagen production for a more defined visage. The accompanying app from FOREO makes the process fuss-free with preset treatments that have easy-to-follow instructions, thanks to detailed graphics and animation. The device needs to be used with a water-based serum to improve the conductivity between the skin and the electrodes. The tingling sensation you’ll experience may be shocking at first, so start with the lowest setting and work your way up once you’re used to it.
Pro tip: Use Foreo’s conductive serum and app for enhanced results.
Where to buy: Sephora stores and sephora.sg
Uses: Hyper-infusion, thermal therapy, cryotherapy, T-sonic pulsations and LED light
How often: 90 seconds, once a day
What it is: Boosts the effects of any facial mask. The UFO 2 offers the same tech as the original, but with added LED light options, each with different qualities that activate your mask’s key actives. Besides red, green and blue, there’s white to tighten and reduce puffiness, yellow to soothe sensitivity, purple to boost radiance, orange to revitalise skin, and cyan to calm stressed skin. The ultra-fast heating tech also helps the active ingredients penetrate deeper into skin. To use, just glide the UFO 2 over the face.
Pro tip: You should download the Foreo app, which helps you adjust each technology for a personalised masking experience.
Where to buy: Sephora stores and Sephora.sg
Uses: Ultrasound waves
How often: 70 or 120 seconds daily
What it is: Emits 370,000 ultrasonic micro-vibrations per second, said to be higher than most ultrasonic cleansers, to remove micro impurities. The antibacterial silicone brush itself generates up to 4,200 micro-vibrations per minute, creating fine bubbles with your cleanser that penetrate deep into the skin for more effective cleansing. The device can also be used in the shower. What we love: The voice feature guides you on the correct cleaning motion and duration for each face area.
Pro tip: Apply cleanser on the bristles rather than on your face, then choose from one of four pre-set cleansing levels.
Where to buy: Best Denki stores and at official LG stores on Lazada.sg and Shopee.sg
Uses: LED light and infrared therapy
How often: Five to 20 minutes (which you can customise) daily
What it is: Studies have shown that red LED light helps increase blood flow in the scalp, which stimulates the hair follicles. It also creates ATP (also known as cellular energy), which lays the foundation for hair to grow well. The device uses LED light in three intensities, to reflect red light and near-infrared rays onto the scalp and roots, to help stimulate tissue activity.
Pro tip: Use the device on a dry scalp and hair; if you use a hair serum, apply that after the session, as some formulas may contain active ingredients such as BHA and salicylic acid, which react to light.
Where to buy: Net-a-porter.com
Uses: Randomised microcurrent pulse technology
How often: Two minutes daily
What it is: Uses microcurrents delivered in intermittent variable pulses at eight times per second. Helps to reduce the look of dark spots, improve skin tone and luminosity, and keep skin soft and supple. It’s comfortable to use, with no stinging or zapping sensation.
Pro tip: The Activating Treatment serum is made for the device, which helps activate the formula (which includes vitamins C and B3, and hyaluronic acid) to help skin become bouncy and look younger.
Where to buy: Nuskin.com
Uses: Galvanic ion technology
How often: Daily
What it is: A multi-use skincare device that deeply cleans and nourishes the skin with positive and negative ions, and micro-vibrations. On Cleanse mode, use the device with micellar water or toner to draw out impurities from the skin. And on Nourish mode, pair it with a serum or essence to boost absorption of the active ingredients in the formula, for more effective results.
Pro tip: You can further enhance absorption by massaging your skin in circular motions during the Nourish mode, and allowing the warmth of the device to relax tense facial muscles for a more youthful complexion.
Where to buy: OSIM stores and sg.Osim.com
Uses: Multi radio frequency (RF) and dynamic muscle activation (DMA) technologies
How often: About 25 minutes, two to three times a week (12-15 minutes on RF mode for the entire face, 10 minutes on DMA mode along the jawline) for six to eight weeks. For maintenance, two to four times a month
What it is: Multi-RF stimulates collagen and elastin fibre production to reduce the look of fine lines, while DMA is like a HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) treatment, targeting the different layers of muscles, to tighten and lift sagging skin, and redefine the jawline. You can even use it on the under-eye area, though not on the eyelids.
Pro tip: You should use the accompanying gel, which reduces the device’s drag across the skin, keeps skin cool, and helps with heat transfer. In the DMA mode, use linear, upward strokes, rather than circular motions, to lift and define the jawline.
Where to buy: Net-a-porter.com
A version of this article first appeared in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore