The best at-home beauty gadgets

My next important beauty appliance (I am not including those silver wands with a tiny cup and hole at the end that were meant to “extract” blackheads if you pushed them hard enough into your chin) was a device of maximum torture known as the Epilady. Oh, what exquisite pain we endured as its gyrating metals rings removed the stubborn hairs from around our ankles, only for them to grow back a week later somehow curly, as if they’d been permed.

In short, beauty in the Eighties and Nineties was not something that happened at home. To really be transformed you needed a week at Champneys.

Then came the Clarisonic, a facial cleansing device with soft bristles and a rotating head that promised pristine pores and basically used the same technology as the electric toothbrush. The Clarisonic was the herald of our new age, in which there is high-tech at-home device for every aesthetic issue.

One of the best places to find these tools of transformation is currentbody.com, a shop devoted solely to aesthetic devices that was set up by Laurence Newman more than a decade ago. “When I started out we had literally nothing on the website,” Newman says. Now it has nearly 1,000 products: at-home LEDs, lasers, electrical-current devices, laser hair removal, thermal facial cleansers. “These are devices that replicate treatments that you might normally have in a salon, but they have been miniaturised to be used at home,” he says.

Many of these are serious bits of kit, and while I’m all for sitting on the sofa and watching Succession while I blast my skin back to its former youthful loveliness using a variety of Bond villain machines, is this safe?

“There are certain things that are OK to do at home, to save money and time,” says Dr Anita Sturnham, a GP who specialises in dermatology. There are also certain things that are not. “One ofthe biggest issues I see is when people try to use at-home needling devices. Microneedling is a fantastic treatment, but I would always leave thatto the experts.”

Facial microcurrent devices can be used safely at home and do make a difference. “We have been using microcurrents in dermatology for over 30 years for fibroblast function, wound healing and gentle collagen remodelling,” Sturnham says. “These devices are quite safe and foolproof.”

The lasers and LEDs in at-home devices are not as strong as their in-salon counterparts, but are still powerful and effective, so Sturnham recommends brands that have crossed over from the clinical to the domestic and are able to capitalise on years of research and data such as Dermalux and Déesse Pro. She emphasises the importance of following all the safety protocols suggested, and especially the wearing of protective eyewear.

And so, goggles firmly attached and toast in hand, I have trialled some of the newest and most powerful at-home aesthetic devices.

NOT KNOWN

Lightinderm

French women are good at ageing and it’s not just the customary chin tuck that they all seem to have around the age of 50 (a fashion insider told me that if you want a chic jaw, go to Paris — all the best surgeons for this procedure are there). There is also an innate, no-nonsense self-assurance around ageing that is sexy. So when one Parisian, Géraldine Decaux, spent ten years creating an innovative new beauty gadget, of course we were going to be interested. Decaux had skin cancer following too much exposure to sun as a child, but during her therapy she discovered the paradox that light can heal as well as damage, depending on the wavelengths. It was this that led her to create the Lightinderm. “My mission is to save people’s skin,” she says.

It’s a lofty ambition and Decaux has collaborated with scientists, doctors and dermatologists. The Lightinderm has been subject to 12 clinical studies and has 47 patents. Its USP is that it combines light therapy with photoactive ingredients, each complementing and amplifying the other. The glossy, ergonomic white wand (which looks a bit like a posh TV remote) offers five different light wavelengths that can be combined with one of six different capsules that contain serums concocted to address various skin issues. The serum is dispensed via a glass ball (think deodorant applicator) and each capsule carries out seven applications, after which it can be put in the glass recycling.

The different programmes target the following: lift, repair, redness relief, brightening, purity and eyes. Each has its own capsule, which activates the appropriate light wave programme when it is popped into the device. For instance, the lift programme uses red and infrared light, with a serum that contains dipeptides, saccharides and niacinamide.

A facial massage protocol has been developed to go with each programme, which in itself helps to stimulate the skin. There are lots of exciting numbers that come with the Lightinderm: for example, reportedly up to 93 per cent fewer neck wrinkles after four weeks’ use. But my favourite Lightindern number is three. As in the treatment takes just three minutes each day. Many devices require so much time and faff that eventually we just give up and go back to slapping our faces with CeraVe and hoping for the best. But three minutes a day I can — and did — do (if you are extra keen, you can do six minutes each day by doing a different programme in the morning and the evening — lift and repair is a good combo). Soon enough my skin looked smoother and plumper and perhaps even a little more youthful. Who knows if this was just the application of a good serum and rolling the little ball around my face every day, but still. I’ll take it. Merci!
Device £400, serum capsules £80-£90; lightinderm.com (also available from CurrentBody and John Bell & Croyden)
Gavanndra Hodge

The ZIIP

Melanie Simon is the facialist of Hollywood stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Margot Robbie. She describes herself as an “electrical aesthetician”, and her preferred tool for beautification is electrical current. She has been in the business for 20 years, and for 15 of those she used a suite of machines, until she grew frustrated with the approach and decided to develop a gadget that would do everything she needed and that her clients could take home to use — particularly helpful when they are on location or, indeed, during awards season, when her talents are required by a number of clients simultaneously. And so we have the ZIIP, launched in US in 2015, and now available in the UK.

I had my first encounter with the ZIIP in the hands of its creator, who ran me through some of its functions. Unlike the traditional CACI devices that use electrical current, the ZIIP has many different levels of current, from the barely perceptible “nanocurrent” to the more powerful microcurrent and direct current. As such, it can be used for different purposes, from generally improving skin tone with nanocurrent, which is meant to promote collagen and elastin production, to the manipulation of muscles and fascia to lift brow and jowl. And it has a setting that blasts away bacteria and can be used for breakouts or full-on acne.

The ZIIP looks a bit like a mouse, with two electrical probes that both need to be in contact with the skin for it to work. It is best used in conjunction with the ZIIP app, which offers tutorials for treatments, guiding you through each, with none longer than ten minutes, and the spot-blasting lasting just one minute.

The process starts with a liberal application of the gel that comes with the device. Then a sun-lit Melanie appears on your phone to explain what to do. There is calming plinky-plonky music in the background so you can close your eyes and imagine you are in Los Angeles. Then its down to business. On the nanocurrent setting you really do not feel a thing, and it can be used freestyle while you’re watching TV (you may want to mute Melanie in this instance).

The “lifting” settings can feel quite intense — a sort of juddering, tugging sensation — but at least that means something is happening, and with the spot-zapping setting you feel little pin pricks every time it hits bacteria — whether you continue to hold the device over the blemish or move on depends on how hard you are. Ideally you would use the ZIIP twice a week. Of the many devices I have tried, it does seem to be one of the more simple and enjoyable to use. Plus, my face had a definite tautness to it post-treatment. And if it works for Margot Robbie . . .
£425, currentbody.com
Gavanndra Hodge

ZIIP Halo

The ZIIP’s newer model, ZIIP Halo, has all the same benefits of the earlier model, but is now also equipped with a four-minute routine that can be used without having to sync to the app first. This means you can now use the machine from anywhere, even when you don’t have your phone handy.

The Halo’s acne-busting benefits are no joke. Usage during a breakout helped to zap my blemishes away in about half the time it would normally take for them to subside. I also found that the Halo was successful at targeting scarring and pigmentation from my past breakouts at the same time, using the machine’s famous nano and microcurrent technologies.

ZIIP experts recommend using the Halo three times per week to see the best results, which will usually start appearing within about 21 days, and then become more noticeable after six weeks of use.
£379, currentbody.com
Chiara Brown

HigherDose

This Gwyneth Paltrow-approved sauna blanket was one of the first of its kind on the market and is a big hit in wellness circles. The HigherDose looks a bit like a large black sack. Inside are small infrared lights that create thermal energy to heat up the body. The idea is you zip yourself up, plug in and let yourself be slowly warmed. Infrared technology can offer many of the benefits of regular sauna use, such as reducing inflammation, and improving sleep quality and circulation, as well as aiding in weight loss and anxiety management. Some studies have found that regular sauna usage can even help to manage the risk of heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms. The blanket is also fitted with charcoal, clay and crystal layers that the brand claims can “amplify detoxification and balance your electromagnetic field”. Fancy.

What makes the sauna blanket so practical is that it can be folded up and kept in a cupboard or under the bed when not in use. It’s also extremely easy to maintain — all you need to do is spray it down with a bit of non-toxic disinfectant after use. It comes with an attached controller that allows you to set the temperature on a scale from one to eight, with the blanket reaching up to 70C.

I spent 30 minutes a day in the blanket for a week and noticed a real difference in my sleep quality and general stress levels. Also, because the infrared technology heats you from the inside out, you don’t have that oppressive hot air feeling that can make traditional saunas unappealing for some.

While using the blanket you should wear long sleeves, a pair of comfortable trousers and socks, as the lining can be a bit hot for bare skin. Luckily, HigherDose also sells a towel insert for those who prefer to bake in their birthday suit. The brand recommends building up heat and frequency over time, with a typical session lasting 30-60 minutes. You can also use the blanket for “habit stacking”, a practice through which you can check off multiple things on your wellness to-do list at once. For example, you may throw on an LED mask and meditate while you’re in the blanket. Or you can just prop your iPad on your chest and watch Netflix like I do.
£699, currentbody.com
Chiara Brown

Lyma Laser

This chic black device looks a bit like a posh torch but actually houses the strongest at-home laser on the market. It comes with serum and oxygen mist and the maker suggests you use it for between 15 minutes and half an hour every day, moving the device around your face and neck. This, Lyma says, will penetrate past the skin and fat, and trigger a genetic switch in the deeper layers, meaning that ageing cells will create collagen again. As well as reducing facial slackness it also promises to improve the appearance of wrinkles, scars and pigmentation. As with all these devices you need consistency and time for real results (the maker suggests three months before you start to see significant change).I used it daily for three minutes on a scar on my forehead and after a month it had definitely become less deep and visible.
£1,999, lyma.life/laser
Gavanndra Hodge

Jovs Venus Pro

This nifty little bit of kit offers hair removal that is painless and permanent (take that, Epilady!). It uses intense pulsed light to blast away the hair follicle, never to return. This sort of tech has been available in salons for years, but has only recently become available for use at home. It has attachments for face, leg, armpit, hand and bikini area, as well as one for improving skin tone. The device has an inbuilt cooling system so that the skin doesn’t overheat. There are rigorous safety protocols and you do have to read the instructions properly. Protective glasses are also included. As with the salon version, this works best on lighter skin with darker hair, and weekly sessions over six weeks give the best results.
£319, currentbody.com
Gavanndra Hodge

Nuface Mini

This device uses the same kind of microcurrent technology as the CACI treatments offered in salons and can be used for saggy jowels and turkey neck. Apply the supplied priming gel, then slide the device, with its two metal balls, along the problem area, enjoying the mild tingly electric shock sensation (you can reduce or increase the current according to your masochism level). It cuts out after the suggested five minutes’ use. It’s quick, easy, portable, looks quite amusing and after a month’s use there was definitely a new smoothness to my jawline.
£175, spacenk.com
Gavanndra Hodge

Slendertone Evolve Abs

Yes, Slendertone still exists! It basically feels the same to use, but looks very different. There are no more beige suckers, now it is a soft foam belt – a bit like the sort of thing you might get if you won a boxing match – to which you add sticky gel pads (the vehicle for the electrical current) and attach a small blue box, which operates the machine. There are different programs, from “passive toning” (ie sitting on the sofa) to “active toning”, which involves wearing the belt while doing planks. I think it is safe to say you would see better results if you went for the active toning option.
£149.99, slendertone.com
Gavanndra Hodge

The Dermalux Flex

This is the big daddy of domestic devices. The at-home version of Dermalux’s salon LED treatment emits powerful blue, red and near-infrared light from 360 bulbs. It’s a sizeable, flexible strip of lights that comes with goggles, and can either be inserted into a stand, making a sort of domed tunnel that you slide your face and neck into, or used draped over your body. There are different combinations of lights for different ends – rejuvenation, collagen production, healing, antibacterial. As someone who has spots, wrinkles and psoriasis, I decided to use the triple-light function, which basically means you get it all. The instructions are for three half-hour sessions a week, for six weeks, followed by maintenance. After a session I looked pink and glowy, after a month my pores were definitely smaller, my pigmentation was reduced and the rogue blemish on my chin that had been there for about three months was finally reduced.
£1,895, currentbody.com
Gavanndra Hodge

Foreo Luna Play Smart 2

The Swedish company Foreo makes nifty little devices that are basically the millennial version of the Clarisonic. They are cute, pastel coloured and look a bit like hedgehogs. Apply your normal cleanser, then move the buzzy little device around your face. The “sonic waves” shake the dirt out of pores and give an invigorating facial massage. My skin did actually squeak with cleanliness after using this. There is also an app, which the device “talks to” via sensors, devising cleansing programs suitable for your skin. It can even tell you how dry your skin is (mine had almost no hydration, so I immediately piled on the moisturiser). It’s easy, fun and effective, although I fear my 13-year-old daughter will steal it.
£79, cultbeauty.co.uk
Gavanndra Hodge