Dark spots? Eye bags? Puffy skin? Whatever the issue, there’s a high-tech or traditional tool for that. Here are the 9 best new at-home gadgets, from just £7
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At-home beauty tools exploded (not literally, thankfully) during the pandemic. From lasers, LED and radiofrequency safe enough for home use to a basic face brush, it’s highly likely you already own one or two gadgets to turbo-charge your skin or body care routine.
That stream of new launches hasn’t abated, with interesting new innovations (and tried-and-trusted ideas brought back from the dead) arriving in our inboxes on a regular basis. We got prodding, zapping and massaging with the latest crop to bring you the best of the bunch.
The no-pain laser for skin rejuventation: Nira Pro Laser, £569
Lasers have been notoriously difficult to develop for use at home to be pain-free and effective – which is why there are hardly any on the market. There certainly haven’t been any on the market worth shouting about – until now. Used for two minutes every day for a month, this lightweight laser that’s only a bit chunkier than an electric toothbrush can pack the same rejuvenating punch as a session with a non-ablative (meaning it doesn’t flay your skin) clinic laser. It was designed by the man who created the basic laser diode technology used in professional laser machines – he’s been on a mission to shrink lasers for the home market.
How does it work? It delivers the same energy as a salon laser to the deep dermal layer, where it kickstarts collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production to fill out lines, firm tissues and replace pigmented cells with new, clear ones.
A month of daily treatments will actually put in more energy than a single visit to the laser specialist, while 90 days of treatment will see you with significantly plumper, smoother, brighter skin. You pass the treatment head over clean skin and beeps tell you when to move to the next point. There are five power settings and the most discomfort you’ll feel is heat. You won’t see any bright flashes or need to wear goggles to use this – you can do it in front of the TV. There are two devices, the Nira Precision £429 for around the eyes (two minutes daily) and the Nira Pro £569 (three to five minutes) which has a wider head for the full face but does the eye area as well.
Our verdict: Costing a lot less than a course of salon laser treatments, it delivers comparable results. You just need to commit to using it daily – consistency is key. But they’ll give you your money back after 90 days if you don’t like it!
The LED light therapy wand: Lightinderm LED Device, £400
Backed by ten years of the company’s own research and developed in France alongside hospital doctors, this snazzy wand (styled by the man behind the 2024 Paris Olympics torch) combines skincare serum capsules with LED light to turbo-charge the effectiveness of the serums, plus rollerball facial massage thrown in.
How does it work? The six programmes use varying combinations of red, green, blue and near-infra-red wavelengths. (blue, red and near-infrared are proven to affect the skin – read more about this in What exactly is LED therapy?). The idea is that light-activated botanical ingredients (photo-active plankton) plus massage can help the serums travel deeper, making them ‘three times more effective’ than traditional cosmetics, they say. It’s safe to use around the eyes too.
Choose a set of serum capsules (£80-£90) depending on your skin concern (e.g. anti-acne, lifting, repairing, eyes); each set will last a month. You click the capsule into the device, which sets the light programme accordingly and dispenses the serum as you roll the ball around various zones for 15 seconds each – the face takes three minutes in total.
Our verdict: The serums have high levels of proven actives such as niacinamide and salicylic acid. Professional LED light stimulation is a well-established skin-boosting strategy, albeit very gentle with subtle results, and the light in this device is not as powerful as that in pro machines. That said, if you want an easy way to get your daily dose of skincare actives, light and massage in one three-minute go while capitalising on the synergistic benefits of all three, this is the stylish gadget for you.
The old-school face exfoliator: Vose
100% Horse Hair Face Brush, £22
This diddy dry brush for the face ticks one important box for getting face brushing right: bristles should be made from natural, undyed hair (horse hair in this case) that’s firm but never too scratchy.
How does it work? Body brushing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stimulate your lymphatic system and keep your body skin taut, soft and glowing. So why not do the same for your face?
You make gentle strokes from the middle of the face outwards, starting at the forehead and working your way down, avoiding the eyelids. Once you’ve reached your jaw, brush downward from your earlobes towards your collarbones to direct the lymph fluid towards the nodes there.
Remember to keep your brush scrupulously clean, only use it on dry, freshly cleansed skin, use only the lightest touch, and apply serum or moisturiser straight after brushing. Those with very sensitive, rosacea-prone skin or acne should probably steer clear.
Our verdict: Not only can this help deal with puffiness (especially in the morning), it will exfoliate skin and rev up circulation.
The hot-and-cold massager: Dr Levy Switzerland Thermoglow Pro, £249
If, like 99 per cent of the population, you don’t have the money and/or space for an at-home sauna and a cryo chamber to practise hot and cold contrast therapy, you might like to try this chubby, palm-sized hot-cold facial device, for soothing, de-puffing, deep-cleansing and infusing your skincare.
How does it work? You stimulate skin with alternate blasts of cold and hot, both of which have been shown to produce heat shock proteins in the body to into ‘rescue me’- regenerative mode. This five-minute ritual starts with 90 seconds of cold massage (18C) on cleansed skin. Apply more cleanser for three minutes in ‘hot’ (43C) mode. This has microcurrents that emit cleansing negative ions and is the ‘purifying mode’ stage of the treatment. You then clean the device and your face, apply your serum and use the ‘infusing’ function at a warm 37C (normal skin temperature is 32-34C) to help skincare travel deeper. You can repeat this last step with your moisturiser.
Our verdict: It’s recommended that you use Dr Levy products, which is great if you have the funds. But, in truth, other brands will do, as will using no skincare, as long as the skin is moist in the purifying mode. Your blood circulation will still benefit from the hot-and-cold stimulation and it all feels rather pleasant.
The body depuffer: Hay’ou Body Sculptor, £89
An outsize gua sha with a hole in it for a firm grip, this smooth bian stone from Chinese medicine brand Hay’ou does for the body what its smaller sibling can do for the face, stimulating blood and energy flow but also releasing tight fascia and muscles alongside stagnant fluids.
How does it work? It helps drain stagnant lymph fluid, a major contributor to puffy tissues, bloating and cellulite. When used with force (be careful of bruising though), it helps release the fascia, thin layers of connective tissue that over time can get welded together, obstructing blood flow and nutrient delivery and causing pain and lumpiness.
You draw the tool across your limbs and torso but you need to watch the online demo first as the direction in which you do this is important – it relates to ‘energy channels’ and the direction of the lymph. You can use the serrated edge on areas that might need more attention, like the back of the arms. You need to prime your skin with body oil and don’t use the tool at all on cuts, bruises or varicose veins.
Our verdict: Consistent treatment with a tool like this will minimise puff and fluid retention and so lead to a more sculpted appearance. It can soften tight muscles too by improving blood flow. Fascia release is also an important practice for health and supple, sculpted muscles. Used every day, your bod is bound to look better.
The hand rejuvenator: FAQ 221 Anti-Aging LED Hand Mask, £289
It may have shades of Madonna’s ’80s lace gloves but this is actually an LED device for hands that claims to calm inflammation and boost regeneration of skin’s natural plumping proteins such as collagen. In the long term, this should soften the crepiness, age spots and gnarly appearance that means your hands give away your age. FAQ, owned by facial cleansing and microcurrent device brand Foreo, also makes the most wearable (but not the cheapest) LED face masks around.
How does it work? This uses a combination of no less than eight light frequencies, with a very impressive 623 ‘optimised light points’ which aren’t the usual mini diodes, but small reflectors that pick up light from the central panel and spread it around the treatment area.
You wear the mouldable lightweight silicone glove for 15 minutes, every day for eight weeks. Note: there’s only one glove so you’re looking at a 30-minute stint.
Our verdict: It’s convenient – it fits so snugly that you can do it in your office and carry on typing. It’s wireless and operated through an app, which some may think is great but I found a faff. That said, if you use this consistently, you should see results after two months.
To nix eye bags, crow’s feet and pigmentation: Dr Sabrina Eye Regenerate LED Mask, £250
An LED mask for your under-eye area with potent active skincare-infused patches, created by an oculoplastic surgeon.
How does it work? Anything too aggressive will do the delicate skin around the eyes more harm than good, so restorative LED light is, according to many experts, as far as you want to go when it comes to whizzy at-home tech for that area. Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai has developed these eye patches to flood crepey undereye skin and crow’s feet with clinically proven red (collagen-boosting) and near-infrared (anti-inflammatory) LED light.
The flat, flexible patch-masks are charged in their holder (like your Airpods) and come with 25 sticky hydrocolloid patches infused with brightening and plumping azelaic acid, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. You attach a fresh patch to each mask for every treatment, stick them under your eyes and relax for ten minutes. Use three times per week for four weeks.
Our verdict: The results look impressive – in the brand’s clinical trial 96 per cent of testers said their fine lines appeared less visible. You can repeat the course of treatment as often as you like, but bear in mind a refill pack of patches costs £50.
The face de-bloater: Mina Lee Massage Comb, £42
A lymph-draining facial massager in the unusual shape of a comb. It’s made from smooth sandalwood and imported by acclaimed London aesthetic therapist Mina Lee, who’s long used these tools as patrt of her facials.
How does it work? It helps boost circulation for improved radiance, targets acupressure points and aids with relaxation. Its five rounded points seem to grab your face at exactly the right points (around the orbital bone, under the cheekbone, alongside the jaw) when you move it from the side of your nose outwards (always using face oil for plenty of slip). You can precision-target acupressure points with the two longer prongs at the ends. Plus, it works as a stress-relieving neck and scalp massager.
Our verdict: Once you get over the oddness of the concept of combing your face, you realise this is a nifty tool. We find facial gua sha too fiddly and jade rollers a bit meh, but this is effective and straightforward.
The steamy skin fix: Magnitone Steamahead 2 Hydrating Facial Nano Steamer, £39.99
A table-top gadget that’s a modern version of good ol’ face steaming, but you don’t have to hang over a bowl with a towel over your head. In fact you catch watch TV while you do it.
How does it work? This egg-like device emits a fine mist of ‘nano’ steam and you sit in front of it for up to 20 minutes. It’s small enough to hold in your lap while watching TV or to put on your desk. You can add aromatherapy oils if you like, to make it more ‘spa’.
Steam helps soften pore blockages and allows you to squeeze blackheads without irritating or damaging your skin. Steamed skin will also be more receptive to skincare applied afterwards, but avoid steaming if you’re rosacea-prone as the heat will worsen dilated capillaries.
Our verdict: We know how well steam opens up pores; facialists use it regularly before extractions and over sheet masks – you can try that with this machine too. Yes, a hot steamy bath will open your pores as well, but this is more intense and targeted, and quite fun. Handily, you can also use your face steamer as a room humidifier – and, I (not the company) suggest, a clothes steamer.
