When it comes to celebrity skincare, one of the biggest trends taking over Instagram, salons and beyond is a treatment called LED light therapy . The likes of Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardasian, Jennifer Anniston and Barry Keoghan are among the long list of celebrities who have tried the anti-ageing treatment that promises to reverse the signs of ageing - and now, our beauty reporters have given some of the futuristic-looking devices a go.
Previously only available in salons, a number of brands have gone on to launch at-home LED light therapy masks, which can range anywhere from £150 to £2,000. And while it may seem like a costly investment, many have praised their ‘easiness and convenience’, not to mention the money you’d save in the long run compared to salon treatments.
Beauty reporters at OK, The Mirror and Daily Star have all trialled different LED light therapy masks from Bondi Body, CurrentBody and Oliviere Wilson in a bid to tackle fine lines and acne. All three of them praised their portability, and the fact that they can be used while doing other tasks, be it tackling emails, or catching up on your latest Netflix show. But one in particular had people asking our reviewer if they’d had Botox.
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Here’s what happened when our beauty-obsessed reporters tried each of the masks that are hailed as ‘masters of anti-ageing’.
Bondi Body LED Face Mask
One of The Mirror’s beauty experts, Shani Cohen, has been on a mission to get her skin in check ahead of her wedding next year, and has been using the Bondi Body LED Face Mask to tackle inflammation and fine lines. She said the £249 mask gave her ‘glowing skin’, while some of her friends even asked if she’d gone under the needle.
Promising to improve fine lines and wrinkles, balance skin tone, reduce texture and brighten skin, the £249 Bondi Body LED Face Mask uses four different infrared light settings for acne, wrinkles, pigmentation and skin rejuvenation. And it’s even got a deal which gets you £40 off with code 'FORTY', making it £90 cheaper than the well-known CurrentBody option which sells for £299.
Reviewing the mask, Shani said: “With my 28th birthday and wedding creeping closer, I’ve thought about treating myself to some Botox for a while now after spotting some lines across my forehead and a faint shadow in between my eyebrows. But, as someone who’s pretty afraid of needles, I decided to treat myself to an LED Light Therapy Face Mask instead to see if I could stall my trip to the clinic.
“By committing 10 minutes of self care, three to five times a week, my new light-up mask promises to ‘reduce wrinkles in just 4 weeks and improve my skin tone, texture and firmness,' and as I work from home full-time, it was pretty easy to find the time to schedule in a 10 minute glow up - I even tested it out for the first time whilst getting through some emails.
“The 4-in-1 mask comes complete with adjustable velcro straps so you can fit it perfectly to your face, eye shields, a charging cable and a controller which allows you to time your session, and your desired light setting. There are four different lights to choose from depending on what results you’re after, but I decided to try out the red light option which reduces inflammation, fine lines, and stimulates the production of collagen. After one week, my skin already looked brighter and firmer.
“Even my friends have noticed my glowing skin too, with some asking if I’ve had Botox. Despite it looking a little scary, it’s super easy to use once you’ve read through the included instructions manual. I also love how you can use the mask whilst multitasking - whether you’re watching your favourite Netflix show or in my case answering some emails - although you may want to steer away from Zoom calls to avoid giving your colleagues a fright.”
Oliviere Wilson’s OW LED Glow Mask
OK’s Zoe Cripps used the £350 Oliviere Wilson’s OW LED Glow Mask , and noticed a reduction in redness and facing acne scars. She said: “While all LED masks tend to promise, over time, a generally improved skin condition, boosted blood flow and increased skin plumpness, this one in particular claims “optimised” results thanks to it having a higher number of lights than usually found on a home mask, plus professional grade dual red and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths.
“I like that the mask is also portable, lightweight and made from a soft silicone. I’ve used other very rigid versions in the past that don’t seem to fit my face, but I felt like my full complexion was getting a proper whack of light with this one. The only little niggle I have is that the straps which hold the mask to my face are made of velcro, and as a result get caught very easily in my hair.
“I’ve been using this for three weeks now for the recommended ten minutes daily, which is long enough to see some good results. After each use I notice my skin looks a lot less red – probably the main reason why celebs use it right before red carpet appearances. After I have a shower and wash my face, my skin can stay red for an hour or so, but when I use this mask right after moisturising, almost all the blotchiness in my skin tone disappears in minutes.
“I’ve also recently started to note that some of the pigmentation left from old blemishes has started to fade, which is a miracle really. I also find the red light very soothing, and it can easily be worn while I’m watching Netflix. I know £350 sounds like a splurge, but a salon LED facial would set you back around £75 per session, so really it’s a smart one-off buy, I say.”
CurrentBody LED mask
Popularised by the hit Netflix show, Emily In Paris, CurrentBody’s LED mask comes in at £299. Daily Star’s Tiffany Lo trialled the device for three weeks , and said: “You might think "what can you do when you have a glowing mask on your face?" - well, thanks to the portable power bank, I didn't have to stay near any socket. I could watch a movie, use my computer and even take a sip of wine (yes, the slot is big enough to fit a wine glass).
“The LED mask automatically turned off after 10 minutes and I quickly peeled off the Vitamin C sheet mask I’d put underneath the mask to see if there were any instant results. The LED mask and the vitamin C-infused sheet mask lifted the dullness off my complexion and gave me a glow, particularly around my forehead and cheeks, making my skin look brighter.
“I followed the routine for 10 minutes a day, five days a week and did it for roughly three weeks. The mask did a good job at brightening up my complexion and making my skin tone more even, but it didn't have a significant improvement on my enlarged pores and acne scarring. It might take a longer period of regular use to see these results but so far, the chance of minimising the pores is minimal.”
