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If you’ve been keeping up with all of the latest and greatest high-tech beauty gadgets out there, then you’ve probably heard about LED (Light Emitting Diode) masks.
LED light therapy was first developed by NASA scientists in the early ’90s, first for plant growth experiments in space and thereafter to boost the wound healing of astronauts. The light’s wavelengths can go deep into body tissue to promote blood circulation and collagen production, which is why the skin-care industry jumped on the high-tech train to bring LED light therapy to top Hollywood spas.
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Today, the masks are more easily accessible and have quickly become an MVP among skin-care tools for at-home facials. Among the most popular LED face masks includes New York-based aesthetician Dr. Dennis Gross’ DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro LED mask (available at Amazon and Revolve in an exclusive holiday gift set), which went viral in 2020 after stars including Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Lucy Hale and Halle Berry shared their lockdown selfies wearing the device, which was designed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and treat acne.
“The use of light on skin is not a new technology, but as LEDs have improved and become more efficient, so have LED-based technologies,” Mike Poling, president of Lightwave, and a 16-year innovator in the field, recently told The Hollywood Reporter. He explains that the usage of LED lights on the skin helps to re-energize cells: “This increase in energy helps our cells function more like they did when we were younger with the immediate effects being a release of endorphins, a reduction in inflammation, and an increase in lymphatic system activity to help detoxify the body.”
While not all light therapy masks are created equal, the colors typically treat the same concerns across the board: red light reduces wrinkles and increases cellular activity, blue light prevents and treats acne and green light helps even skin tone. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best LED masks out there (including some on sale during Cyber Week), calling out specific faves for a variety of budgets and skin-care goals.
The Best LED Therapy Face Masks, At a Glance (Plus the Top Deals)
- BEST ON ON SALE Therabody TheraFace Mask, $524 (reg. $599)
- BEST UNDER $100 SkinGym Wrinklit LED Mask, $99
- BEST ON AMAZON Aphrona 7-Color LED Mask, $165 (reg. $180)
- BEST UNDER $500 Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro Light It Up gift set, $455
- BEST FOR ACNE Omnilux Clear Face Mask, $395
- BEST FOR WRINKLES The Light Salon Boost Advanced LED Light Therapy Face Mask, $495
- MOST VERSATILE MASK HigherDose Red Light Face Mask, $349
- BEST WITH NECK TREATMENT LED Esthetics Glotech Face Mask, $609 (reg. $761)
- BEST FOR NECK CurrentBody Skin LED Neck and Dec Perfector, $339
- BEST INVESTMENT Shani Darden by Déesse Pro LED Light Mask, $1,900
HigherDose Red Light Face Mask
Made of flexible medical-grade silicone, HigherDose’s Red Light Face Mask is equipped with 124 red and near infrared diodes for reducing fine lines and wrinkles, boosting collagen and elastin and minimizing redness. Choose 10- or 20-minute treatment times; the brand suggests using the mask three to five times a week to see results. Reviewers also love that the third head strap helps to keep the mask in place while moving, making this device one of the best LED masks to use while working out or doing chores.
Aphrona 7-Color LED Mask
Aphrona’s LED face mask features a generous seven interchangeable color lights that offer a spectrum of benefits. Each color contains 150 narrow spectrum chips (which is apparently five times more than other masks) are is 100 percent UV-free, with the purple light mask being the least intense and the grey mask being the strongest. This mask also comes with a convenient remote to adjust the color, intensity and time to your liking.
Skin Gym Wrinklit LED Mask
For a good entry-level option that won’t break the bank, try Skin Gym’s WrinkLit LED mask, which features three LED colors and wavelengths to treat different skincare concerns: blue to fight acne, red to help with wrinkles and orange to increase facial brightness. Skin Gym recommends wearing this mask for 15-20 minutes max per session.
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Another celebrity favorite is the wildly popular DRx SpectraLight FaceWare Pro mask by Dr. Dennis Gross. (Kris Jenner, Rita Ora and Halle Berry and Lucy Hale snapped lockdown selfies wearing the mask). Standout features of this mask include 100 red LED lights to support collagen production and reduce wrinkles, 62 blue LED lights to target and prevent acne-causing bacteria and an adjustable head strap for a universal fit. Look forward to seeing results after 10 weeks of consistent use.
Pro tip: You can flip the mask upside down and use it on your neck and décolletage.
Omnilux Clear Face Mask
Paris Hilton told Who What Wear that she loves using Omnilux’s Contour Face mask in her morning and evening routines. For those looking to specifically target acne, Omnilux has another fan-favorite for this exact purpose: Omnilux Clear. This LED mask has passed FDA, TGA and CE regulations for treating acne and offers dermatologist-grade treatments from the comfort of your home by way of blue light that targets and kills acne bacteria and red light that aids in the production of new collagen while reducing inflammation. Recommended length of use: four 10-minute treatments for six weeks.
The Light Salon Boost Advanced LED Light Therapy Face Mask
If you’ve fallen in love with Victoria Beckham all over again thanks to the Beckham doc on Netflix, it’s worth noting that Posh — alongside equally cool Brit It-girl Alexa Chung — has said she uses The Light Salon’s LED face mask. (She has also shared her masked selfies on Instagram.) This FDA-cleared mask features red light that stimulates collagen production and helps even skin tone and near-infrared light to penetrate the deepest layers of your epidermis.
LED Esthetics Glotech Mask Pro
Customers have seen results in two weeks after using LED Esthetics’ Glotech Mask Pro for 10 minutes per day, six times per week. Cleared by the FDA for class II medical use (meaning the product is safe and effective for its intended use as marketed) the device features red, near infrared and blue light treatments that are clinically proven to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation, boost collagen production, enhance skin texture, minimize pore size and reduce or eliminate acne.
According to the company, Chrissy Teigen, January Jones, Madonna and Jessica Alba are among the stores who have shared their experiences using the LED mask on social media.
CurrentBody Skin LED Neck and Dec Perfector
While aging is beautiful, some of us may not be ready for the speed at which visible signs begin to show. In addition to fine lines and wrinkles appearing on the face, which the above LED face masks aid in treating and preventing, our neck also needs similar TLC. This is where CurrentBody’s Skin LED Neck and Dec Perfector steps in.
This mask uses red and near-infrared light to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and promote firmer skin. To use, apply a serum of your choice, secure the mask on your neck and decolletage and wear for 10 minutes. (Letitia Wright and Naomi Watts have reportedly used the device.)
Therabody TheraFace Mask
Therabody’s latest and greatest skin-care tool, the TheraFace mask contains 648 medical-grade red, infrared and blue LED lights plus vibration therapy to help produce smoother, brighter and firmer skin after eight weeks of treatment. Following a 12-week study conducted by third-party company, participants noticed a range of improvements to their skin, including lightened dark spots.
It’s currently sold out at Therabody’s website and other retailers; however, the best deal on the TheraFace Mask is at Bloomingdale’s, which is offering $25 off every $150 spent.
Shani Darden by Déesse Pro LED Light Mask
Given that Hollywood aesthetician Shani Darden is a go-to for stars including Jessica Alba and Shay Mitchell, it’s no surprise that success follows any product that her name is attached to. The actresses, along with Kate Hudson and Kim Kardashian, have turned up on social media looking like members of the Jabbawockeez while wearing the bestselling Shani Darden by Déesse Pro LED mask.
Inspired by her iconic facials, Darden’s mask features dual-diode LEDs that deliver the highest dose of red, blue and near-infrared light therapy to support collagen production, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes and target pigmentation. Bonus: This mask also comes with a custom-designed neck attachment to target fine lines and wrinkles on the decolletage.
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