4 gadgets to upgrade your beauty routine

As time marches on, so too does beauty tech, with new research and innovations helping many achieve their aesthetic goals. Even so, weekly medispa trips are outside the realm of financial possibility for most people, relegated to special occasions if visited at all.

Fortunately, there is a middle ground. Many at-home devices offer the same science-backed skincare tech used in medispas, allowing you to get similar results for less. Not only is it soothing to take the time for self care, it's also gratifying to know that your treatments are evidence-based.

Here are four science-backed gadgets to upgrade your beauty routine and help turn your home into a medispa.

CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 2

Credit: CurrentBody

Red light therapy is arguably the darling of science-backed beauty gadgets. Red light devices use low wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to penetrate the skin, which can have multiple aesthetic benefits. Such effects include reducing wrinkles, sagging, and redness, promoting skin regeneration and rejuvenation; and addressing dark spots, discolouration, and texture.

CurrentBody's LED Light Therapy Face Mask has been addressing such concerns for years, building a name for itself in home red light therapy devices. Now the company has upgraded its mask in the new Series 2, offering more complete coverage than the original. The CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 2 has almost twice the number of LED bulbs as its predecessor, boasting 236 as compared to 132, while its design has been slightly reworked to wrap under the user's chin as well. It also emits a third light wavelength on top of red (633nm) and near-infrared (830nm), with the deep near-infrared (1072nm) waves penetrating deeper into the skin.

Red light therapy has been proven safe to use, typically with minimal to no side effects. However, results aren't instant. CurrentBody recommends using the Series 2 for 10 minutes per day, three to five times per week, with results becoming apparent after four weeks or more. Fortunately, the mask's attached power pack can easily hook to your clothes or fit in a pocket, allowing you to go about your business while waiting for it to automatically turn off when your treatment is complete.

Opens in a new window Credit: CurrentBody CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 2 at Amazon

HairMax LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex hair regrowth device

Credit: HairMax

Skin issues aren't the only use for red light therapy. Multiple studies have found that low-level lasers can be used to encourage hair growth, stimulating the scalp and increasing blood circulation. HairMax's LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex addresses hair loss with 41 red light laser diodes, offering fuller coverage with less effort than red light combs.

Shaped like a thick headband, using the LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex is straightforward enough that you'd be forgiven for wondering if there was a step you're missing. You simply sit the device on top of your head at your hairline, then press the button on its side to turn it on and bathe your scalp in 655nm wavelength red light. (Putting it on your head before you activate it ensures you don't accidentally look at the lasers.) The LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex will then buzz when it's finished that section, letting you know it's time to shift it back to the next area of your scalp. 

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When you're done, press the side button again to turn it off, then place it in the charging cradle so it's ready to use next time. Complete coverage takes only a few minutes, with treatment to be repeated three times per week. 

Like a red light mask, you will have to use HairMax's LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex for several months before you even begin to see results. But the time will pass anyway, and it's only a few scant minutes every other day. You can easily do it while watching Netflix and barely even turn your mind to it.

It's important to remember that red light therapy isn't a magic cure-all, and won't be able to completely offset issues such as untreated trichotillomania. But if you're dealing with mild to moderate hair loss or thinning caused by issues such as aging, genetics, hormonal problems, or even androgenetic alopecia, the HairMax LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex may help mitigate the problem.

Opens in a new window Credit: HairMax HairMax LaserBand 41 ComfortFlex at Amazon

Braun Skin i·expert Smart IPL hair removal device

Credit: Braun

Shaving and waxing have long been hair removal stalwarts. They're also laborious, irritating, sometimes painful tasks that run the risk of causing ingrown hairs. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) devices such as Braun's Skin i·expert Smart IPL offer a more convenient solution, removing hair by rapturing up unwanted strands and metaphorically salting the earth to hinder future growth. 

As the name suggests, IPL uses intense light to target the darker pigment in hair follicles, heating them up and breaking them down. This not only removes hair, but damages the follicles so they have a hard time regrowing. Fortunately, using the Skin i·expert isn't painful or uncomfortable, feeling like a mild, brief sting at most. Each session is fairly quick, with the Skin i·expert repeatedly flashing as you glide its head over large areas. You can stamp it and manually trigger each flash as well, which is useful for smaller areas.

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Braun's Skin i·expert also only requires one session per week for the first four to 12 weeks (depending on the amount of hair you have), then maintenance sessions around every one to two months. The maintenance sessions likely won't be much of a bother though, considering that it's incredibly satisfying watching hair instantly burn away as though smote from on high. The connected app can advise an IPL schedule, as well as keep track of it for you. 

One caveat is that IPL doesn't work well on darker skin or lighter hair, so you'll want to check that it's suitable for you. The Skin i·expert does have an inbuilt detection system that will prevent it from activating if your skin is unsuitable, but you don't want to find out that's the case after you've already bought it. If you're happy to do without the detection system or app you can also save a bit of money by picking up the Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 instead.

Opens in a new window Credit: Braun Braun Skin i·expert Smart IPL $419.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $80.00

RoseSkinCo. Petal 2 sonic facial cleansing brush

Credit: RoseSkinCo.

Studies indicate that facial cleansing brushes can provide better results than just washing with your hands, reducing the occurrence of acne and improving your skin's clarity, tone, texture, and brightness. However, a brush that is too harsh can completely destroy your skin barrier, causing even more problems than you had in the first place. Such damage can take up to a month to recover from, leaving your face bumpy and sensitive in the meantime.

RoseSkinCo.'s Petal 2 is a soothingly gentle cleansing brush that you'd be hard pressed to harm your skin with. Featuring soft antibacterial silicone bristles, RoseSkinCo. says this device offers around 10,000 sonic pulsations per minute to dislodge dirt, makeup, and other impurities from your skin. In addition to this, the Petal 2 has magnetic beads which circulate beneath the silicone to massage your face at the same time. You can choose between strong or standard sonic pulsations, as well as turn the magnetic beads off, by cycling between the Petal 2's four different modes.

The Petal 2 is fully waterproof, so you can use it in the shower without worrying, and automatically turns off after 90 seconds so there's no chance you'll over-exfoliate. The device is also beautifully compact and ergonomic, fitting neatly in the hand, and comes with an attractive gold stand which doubles as a wireless charging hub. 

Opens in a new window Credit: RoseSkinCo. RoseSkinCo. Petal 2 at RoseSkinCo.