At-home LED masks are hugely popular nowadays, and this new one might be the best value one yet. Beauty editor Laura Mulley was one of the first to try it out…
If there’s one product that myself and the rest of the Mirror beauty team get asked about more than anything else, it’s probably LED masks. Once an advanced technology you’d only find in the salon, nowadays there are lots of at-home devices on the market, promising brighter, clearer, younger-looking skin.
We’ve tested out lots of the best LED masks over the years – including the one used on the stars ahead of this year’s Academy Awards – but the major downside is that they don’t come cheap; most start from about £300 in price, and can go up to over £2,000. However, a new one has just launched, and it may just be the most affordable option yet.
The world’s most searched lash serum brand UKLASH – makers of the popular Eyelash Serum, which sells one every 10 seconds – has just dropped its UKSKIN LED Dual Light Pro-Therapy Face Mask, launching today to a waitlist of over 1,000 people. Priced at £199, it’s certainly not cheap – but it is cheaper than most others, and has impressive before-and-after results.
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This UKSKIN LED mask is a flexible silicone design that features 112 professional-grade LED lights that deliver red light at 630nm and also near infrared light at 830nm. In UKLASH’s tests, 96% of participants reported visibly reduced fine lines, and 95% saw a brighter-looking complexion. Other features include an auto shut-off after 10 minutes, a drawstring travel pouch, and protective eye guards.
I was one of the first people to get my hands on one, and have been testing it out ahead of its launch, and here are my honest thoughts…
Pros
- Cheaper than a lot of other LED masks
- Flexible mask that fits all face shapes and fits comfortably around the head
- Protective eye shields make it easier to see while wearing it
- Skin looks calmer, brighter and healthier with consistent use
- Easy to clean
- Travel friendly: it rolls up easily for travel and the box comes with different plugs so it can be used anywhere in the world
Cons
- Still an expensive beauty purchase
- You need to use it regularly and for at least a few months before you’ll see results
- Strap might be a bit small for those with very large heads
I’m often hesitant to recommend LED masks to people because, although experts agree that they are beneficial, they are expensive, so I was excited to try out this new UKLASH UKSKIN mask ahead of its launch.
First impressions were great: I liked this flexible silicone style, which rolls up neatly for storage and travel, and the colour is cute. I was also impressed with how many accessories it comes with in the box: travel bag, eye protectors, charging cable and four different plug sockets (lots only provide the cable nowadays).
The first ever LED mask I ever tried was a similar design to this and, to be honest, I didn’t fit that it fitted very well around my head – the strap seemed to fall in an awkward place, and it often slipped down. This one, however, fits really well; the strap falls slightly lower on the back of my head, which makes the lower part sit a little away from the skin, but it’s very comfy and feels very secure.
The good fit is also helped by the silicone eye guards that can be fitted in to the mask. These are optional to use (the LED light won’t isn’t dangerous to your eyes) but I think they’re a huge plus. One problem I found from my old LED mask was that the red light would make it hard to watch TV, read or scroll through my phone when the mask was on, but these rings really help to stop that (CurrentBody’s new model also features these). The fit and the fact that it’s cordless means that it’s easy to use while watching TV or pottering about the home.
Its results are a little harder to pin down as, as I say to everyone who asks, you really need to use an LED mask most days and for at least a few months to notice a difference, but after using this UKLASH one almost every night for about a month, I can see that my skin looks brighter, healthier and calmer, with redness reduced and breakouts less angry-looking. It’s subtle, and other factors come certainly come into play, but I can see a difference. (If it’s spots and acne that you’re really looking to target, however, then look for device that emits blue LED light; I’ve been liking the Lustre ClearSkin SOLO stick-on LED tool, currently down from £63 to £50.40).
UKLASH’s own before-and-after results from testers are also very impressive, with a visible difference in redness and pigmentation, and shoppers reporting “fine lines have definitely softened, and skin looks brighter and more even”.
My one minor criticism is that, if you have a very large head, you might find the strap too small, as it doesn’t have a lot of leeway with its length. It also doesn’t have additional features like, for example, the Shark CryoGlow, which is our head of shopping Zoe’s favourite.
If, however, you’ve been thinking about splashing out on an LED mask and are looking for the best value one that still delivers results, I think this is the perfect choice. I’d say it’s very similar to the CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 1 but is £100 cheaper and, I think, fits better (the CurrentBody Series 2 is a much better fit).
