(Gift Guide)
The High-Tech Tools Skin Care Obsessives Will Love To Open
You’ll want to gift yourself one.
Waking up super tired calls for a third shot of espresso in your morning latte. Skin concerns, like an inflamed pimple or puffy under-eyes, call for adding a high-tech beauty tool to your skin care routine because sometimes, topical products are limited in what they can do. These devices deliver similar modalities a dermatologist or esthetician would offer you, but at levels safe for at-home use. So if I can’t schedule an in-office treatment when I’m dealing with a particularly large zit on my chin that won’t go away or need to look sculpted after a long flight, I reach for my red LED mask or micocurrent wand for a little extra help. On the flip side, beauty tools also serve as an easy self-care moment, which make them a great holiday gift.
Maybe you have friends and family like I do who consider trying new skin care products a hobby. Or maybe you have a loved one who really needs to prioritize rest and relaxation in the new year. Either way, a device will level-up their routine, with options for each and every skin type and concern out there.
Ahead, I’ve compiled trending and cult-classic skin care tools that live up to the hype. Spoiler: It’ll be tempting to want to treat yourself.
Currentbody’s LED mask is the one-size-fits-all of skin care gifts. The device is safe for all skin types and addresses a slew of common concerns such as inflammation, fine lines, wrinkles, and redness by stimulating collagen production which, in turn, improves elasticity, skin texture, and tone. The updated version of the mask features stronger wavelengths and a revamped silicone shape that contours the face for added comfort.
There’s a simple explanation why this Medicube wand is all over TikTok and has received a seal of approval from Hailey Bieber: It’s like having a customized aesthetic treatment in the palm of your hands. The best-selling facial tool in Korea, the Booster Pro is a compact, six-in-one device, featuring electroporation, microcurrent, EMS, electric needles, LED, and sonic vibration. This means it can treat a range of concerns (or multiple ones) depending on what your skin needs on any given day.
With late nights of festive revelry on the horizon, the TheraFace Depuffing Wand will come in clutch the next morning. It offers both cold and hot treatment modalities in three pre-set temperatures that help minimize under-eye puffiness, improve elasticity, and boost radiance.
Confession: I’m quite lazy when it comes to regularly using devices. However, I rarely skip a Lyma session because it’s so low-lift. While it’s often mistaken for an LED treatment, this is a painless, low-level clinical strength laser that promotes cell repair and regeneration. The results manifest as improved appearance of wrinkles, sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and redness. You don’t have to stand in front of a mirror to use it, so I like to run it over my face while reading or catching up Real Housewives (my guilty pleasure).
If you’re after a more sculpted look ahead of a big night out or special event, might I suggest the ZIIP Halo? The palm-size tool combines microcurrent and nanocurrent technology to instantly lift, sculpt, and enhance your glow. Results will last up to 72 hours.
Evict the zit that’s been living rent-free on your chin with Omnilux’s Blemish Eraser. After applying the brand’s hydrocolloid patches infused with salicylic acid and green tea extract antioxidants, you place the device on top. It uses blue light wavelengths to kill surface bacteria and red light wavelengths to minimize inflammation, pigmentation, and redness.
I reach for Shani Darden’s vibrating facial tool whenever I’m feeling puffy for a nearly-effortless sculpting lymphatic massage. It harnesses sound wave technology and comes with two attachments that specifically target nasolabial lines and crow’s feet for optimal results.
When a facial with your favorite esthetician isn’t in the cards, turn your regular skin care routine into a spa-like experience by adding a steamer into the mix. The one from Dr. Dennis Gross is equipped with micro steam technology to deeply hydrate skin and decongest pores.
Ideally, I’d take my entire skin care routine (tools included!) with me whenever I travel. Unfortunately, I use a carry-on suitcase whenever possible so space is limited. That’s why I love Solawave’s wand. It’s compact and is equipped with red light, galvanic current, facial massage, and therapeutic warmth technologies so it’s like having multiple tools in one. What’s more, the head swivels so you can adjust it according to the area of the face you’re treating. I like to use it after a long flight to de-puff, sculpt, lift, and reduce redness.
For nearly 20 years, beauty editors, celebrities, and estheticians have been raving about the NuFace. The microcurrent device has become a cult-favorite skin tool because its low-level electrical current instantly lifts and tightens the face. The original is of course a must-try but I like the mini version because it perfectly fits smaller areas of the face, like the brows and nasolabial folds.
