Are Red Light Masks Worth It?

Summary

The Wirecutter Show – Episode: Are Red Light Masks Worth It?

Release Date: June 4, 2025
Host/Authors: Christine Cyr Clisset, Caira Blackwell, Rosie Guerin
Producer: Rosie Guerin
Guest: Rory Evans, Wirecutter’s Skincare Supervising Editor

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Introduction to Red Light Masks

In this episode of The Wirecutter Show, hosts Christine Cyr Clisset, Caira Blackwell, and Rosie Guerin delve into the burgeoning trend of red light therapy masks. Sparked by a scene from the Netflix show Sirens, where Julianne Moore’s character dons a red light mask, the conversation quickly broadens to explore the efficacy, usability, and value of these skincare devices.

Rosie Guerin (01:10):
"I was reminded about this weekend... Julianne Moore... wearing one of those red light masks."

Understanding Red Light Therapy

Rory Evans, Wirecutter’s Skincare Supervising Editor, joins the discussion to shed light on how red light therapy works and its origins. She explains that red light therapy was initially developed by NASA to aid in plant growth experiments. An accidental discovery revealed its potential benefits for skin care, leading to its adoption in dermatological practices and, more recently, home-use devices.

Rory Evans (05:15):
"The light penetrates into different layers of your skin and it boosts the production of collagen and elastin... making your skin look firmer and reducing the appearance of wrinkles."

Usage and User Experience

The hosts discuss the practical aspects of using red light devices, contrasting masks and wands. Masks are depicted as a passive experience—similar to wearing a facial mask—whereas wands require active movement across the skin, comparable to using an electric toothbrush.

Rory Evans (07:09):
"If you get a wand, you're literally going to move it around your face the way you would like... or using an electric toothbrush."

Christine Cyrclassette (07:30):
"I can barely brush my teeth for two minutes."

Effectiveness and Testing

Rory elaborates on the self-reported benefits from Wirecutter’s testing panel, noting improvements in skin firmness and a reduction in fine lines and nasolabial folds.

Rory Evans (09:52):
"Our testers were like, I feel better or I feel like my skin looks less wrinkly... my nasolabial folds are less pronounced."

The efficacy timeframe varied, with some users noticing benefits after a month of consistent use, following recommended guidelines (e.g., twice daily or several times a week).

Safety and Considerations

Safety is paramount when using red light devices. Rory emphasizes that red light therapy does not emit UV rays, making it safe for skin as long as users follow guidelines and consult with dermatologists, especially those with conditions like lupus or hyperpigmentation concerns.

Rory Evans (12:33):
"There are lots of considerations and contraindications... you want to talk to your dermatologist or your doctor before you try it."

Product Recommendations

Rory presents Wirecutter’s top picks for red light devices, recommending one wand and two masks based on their performance, design, and user-friendliness.

1. Lightstem for Wrinkles (Wand) – $200
   Appreciated for its high LED density (72 LEDs) and ease of use, the Lightstem wand allows users to cover significant facial areas without constant movement.

   Rory Evans (19:31):
   "It met our criteria for the red light... 72 LEDs. More densely packed than any of the wands we tested."

2. Shark Cryoglow (Hard Mask) – $350
   Praised for its comfortable design and effective light delivery, the Shark Cryoglow offers a hands-free experience, making it ideal for users seeking a relaxing skincare routine.

   Rory Evans (25:31):
   "When you try a product and feel like someone thought this through... like they were fixing everything before I tried it."

3. Omnilux Men (Soft Mask) – $400
   Designed with male users in mind, featuring a deeper penetration wavelength (1072 nanometers) to accommodate thicker male skin.

   Rory Evans (25:46):
   "It has a 1072 nanometers. That's the wavelength that is going to penetrate a little bit deeper."

Choosing Between Masks and Wands

The decision between a mask and a wand hinges on user preference and specific skincare needs. Masks offer a more passive, comprehensive facial treatment, while wands provide flexibility for targeting various body parts beyond the face.

Rory Evans (22:42):
"The wands are more affordable... if you're gonna spend $200 on a wand, just spend $350 on the mask."

Kyra Blackwell (23:03):
"If you want a device that's easy to use for different parts of your body, you don't mind a little manual labor... but if you want to just sit and zone out for 10 minutes, go for a mask."

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

The hosts underscore the importance of consulting with a dermatologist before investing in red light therapy devices, especially for individuals with specific skin conditions or concerns. They highlight the necessity of verifying FDA clearance and considering return policies due to the significant investment these devices represent.

Christine Cyrclassette (30:52):
"Very intrigued. I want a mask... But I will be going to my dermatologist first because I do have some sun damage."

Rosie Guerin (31:48):
"Whoever is going to pursue purchasing one of these, you probably should get some consult from someone you trust besides us."

Conclusion

Red light therapy masks and wands present a promising addition to at-home skincare routines, backed by rigorous testing and positive user feedback. While the initial investment may be substantial, the potential benefits of improved skin firmness and reduced wrinkles make them worthy considerations for those seeking proactive skincare solutions. As always, professional consultation ensures safe and effective use tailored to individual skin needs.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Rosie Guerin (01:10): "I was reminded about this weekend... Julianne Moore... wearing one of those red light masks."

• Rory Evans (05:15): "The light penetrates into different layers of your skin and it boosts the production of collagen and elastin... making your skin look firmer and reducing the appearance of wrinkles."

• Rory Evans (09:52): "Our testers were like, I feel better or I feel like my skin looks less wrinkly... my nasolabial folds are less pronounced."

• Rory Evans (19:31): "It met our criteria for the red light... 72 LEDs. More densely packed than any of the wands we tested."

• Rory Evans (25:31): "When you try a product and feel like someone thought this through... like they were fixing everything before I tried it."

• Christine Cyrclassette (30:52): "Very intrigued. I want a mask... But I will be going to my dermatologist first because I do have some sun damage."

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For more in-depth reviews and recommendations, visit Wirecutter’s website.

Transcript

[Robert Vinlowen]

Hey, I'm Robert Vinlowen. I'm from New York Times Games, and I'm here talking to people about wordle and the wordle Archive. You all play wordle?

[Rory Evans]

Yes.

[Robert Vinlowen]

I have something exciting to show you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay.

[Robert Vinlowen]

It's the wordle Archive.

[Rosie Guerin]

Oh.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh.

[Rosie Guerin]

And you can see if I missed.

[Robert Vinlowen]

It, I can, like, go back 100%.

[Rosie Guerin]

Oh, that's sick.

[Robert Vinlowen]

So now you can play every wordle that has ever existed. There's like a thousand puzzles.

[Rory Evans]

Oh, my God, I love it.

[Robert Vinlowen]

Amazing. New York Times game subscribers can now access the entire Wordle archive. Find out more at nytimes.com games.

[Rosie Guerin]

If.

[Rory Evans]

You want to convey something about this person. Oh, put a red light mask on her because it means that, like, it's a status symbol. Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It's like she got money.

[Rosie Guerin]

She got money and she's got mask money.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyr. Clisette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm Rosie Guerin. And you're listening to the Wirecutter Show.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This episode is called Are Red Light Masks Worth It?

[Rosie Guerin]

Hello, my dear pod friends.

[Rory Evans]

Hello.

[Rosie Guerin]

I want to talk about this thing. I was reminded about this weekend. I was watching that Netflix show Sirens. It's a new one with Julianne Moore, and she plays this, like, eccentric billionaire. And there's a scene where she is lounging in, like, a very fancy robe and drinking champagne and she is wearing one of those red light masks.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, yes.

[Rosie Guerin]

Have you seen these devices?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, yeah, I've seen them everywhere.

[Rory Evans]

Everywhere.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. I mean, I've been thinking about buying one for years.

[Rosie Guerin]

Serious.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I haven't pulled the trigger years.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I've only been seeing them on my timelines for the past, like, few months.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, you youngins. You youngins.

[Rosie Guerin]

What I'm hearing is this is not a silly trend, that this is a thing that's, like, been in the zeitgeist.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's been around a long time.

[Rosie Guerin]

Okay.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. They're supposed to, you know, make you look younger, essentially, like, boost collagen, reduce the look of wrinkles. Like.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, so it doesn't just make you look like an Android with red light in your own home.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, there's that too. We just came out with a review of them, which I am so excited about, and I have been waiting because I've been wanting to get a recommendation, so. Because I. I want to have that Android look at home.

[Rory Evans]

But.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So I think at the end of this episode, you're gonna know which one you're getting.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Hopefully. Yes.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. I think a lot of people who are maybe considering buying one of these. It's not a cheap purchase. There are devices you can get that are like wands that are under $200, which, you know, that's still, that's still some money. But the actual, you know, those are like 500. Some of them can be like 2,000.

[Rosie Guerin]

But the question is, okay, you're gonna pay $500. Does this thing actually work right?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, I think we should find out. I think we should get to the bottom of this.

[Rosie Guerin]

You're gonna phone a friend.

[Kyra Blackwell]

That's why it's always so cool to work at Wirecutter, because we can always phone a friend here. So we're gonna talk to Rory Evans today, Wirecarter skincare supervising editor, who's covered everything from facial cleansers to the best Korean skincare products.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's right. So when we're back from the break, we are gonna talk LED red light devices. Do they work? Are they worth your money? Will you look 15, 20, 30, 40 years younger if you start using them?

[Rosie Guerin]

Or are you just going to look like the movie poster for Eyes Wide Shut?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I mean, for those who don't know that reference, I think that's who doesn't know that reference.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I had to Google it, as you.

[Rosie Guerin]

Know, Lord in heaven. All right, we'll be right back. Foreign.

[Lori Leibovich]

Hi, this is Lori Leibovich, editor of. Well, at the New York Times, there's a lot of misinformation in the health and wellness space. But at the New York Times, no matter what the topic, we apply the same journalistic standards to everything we write about, whether it's the gut microbiome or how to get a good night's sleep. Even if we're talking about something like is it bad for me to drink coffee on an empty stomach? Everything that our readers get when they dig into a well article has been vetted. Our reporters are consulting experts, calling dozens of people, doing the research. It can go on for months so that you can make great decisions about your physical health and your mental health. We take our reporting extra seriously because we know New York Times subscribers are counting on us. If you already subscribe, thank you. If you'd like to subscribe, go to nytimes.com subscribe.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back. With us now is Rory Evans, who is Wirecutter's Skincare supervising editor, who's been covering this area for over 20 years. She also previously worked at Allure, Real simple, and Martha Stewart before this.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Welcome to the show, Rory.

[Rory Evans]

Thanks for having me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Today we are going to do a deep dive Into LED lights. Some people call these red lights. They're often kind of like these masks or wands that shoot red light at your skin. And I've long wondered whether these things work. So can you explain to us what are these supposed to do?

[Rory Evans]

The light penetrates into different layers of your skin and it boosts the production of collagen and elastin. So it's going to make your skin look firmer and it's gonna make your wrinkles look less visible. Like fine lines are gonna look less visible. So that is what's happening.

[Rosie Guerin]

So when did this red light therapy for skin come about and what's the backstory?

[Rory Evans]

The backstory is that it was developed by NASA and sort of like any good invention, it was discovered by accident because they were using LEDs, light emitting diodes to grow plants. And the scientist who was doing the experiment that lesions on his skin were less pronounced looked better. So then it sort of made this shift into healing and skin care.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But they haven't really taken off as like a skin care facial treatment until like the last decade, right?

[Rory Evans]

Yeah. The treatments are used in dermatologist offices and then there are this, like, this home care. And the ones in derm offices are stronger. You use them longer, you might use them for different skin challenges. The derms that I talked to for this guide, almost all of them use them in their offices and have been using them for decades.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And do they look like vampires? Like they're like so young.

[Rory Evans]

There is one woman who is she not, not like a vampire? Because that's like, so she looks amazing. And I made that point at the end and she was like, like anything with skincare is like, it's my jeans. It's how much I stayed out of the sun. It's. I knew to stay out of the sun. It's using sunscreen when you're in all the things.

[Rosie Guerin]

So it's not a secret concoction, like.

[Rory Evans]

The substance or something? Yes, exactly.

[Rosie Guerin]

So let's back up for a second because I know nothing about these devices at all. I've seen them. But I want you to hold my hand and walk me through how I would use one if I was gifted one of these.

[Rory Evans]

Okay, Hint.

[Rosie Guerin]

Kyra?

[Rory Evans]

Well, it would depend. If you get a wand, you're literally going to move it around your face the way you would like. I want to say it's like the way you would shave. Just like keep moving it around your face. Or using an electric toothbrush, you just like wait for the two minutes, move it to A different quadrant, but you do it for 12 minutes, which is an eternity.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, I can barely brush my teeth for two minutes.

[Rory Evans]

Same, same. It is like the time melts. Like the clock is wax, but it takes forever. Or you take a mask and you put it on your face and you just sit there.

[Rosie Guerin]

You just sit there and press a button and then the session just goes.

[Rory Evans]

You press a button? Yeah, and it goes. And then it turns off in like 10 minutes. And Dr. Glynis Ablon, who is one of the doctors that I interviewed for this, she's like, people think that in order for it to work, it has to hurt. And this does not hurt at all. You know, especially with light, with laser, you think it's. There's gonna be something that's like burning and blasted off your face. It doesn't hurt.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It shouldn't hurt.

[Rory Evans]

No. Yeah, it shouldn't hurt. And it shouldn't. It can feel warm. It shouldn't feel, like, hot.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I've had a professional level one of these used on my face. And we wore goggles because the light is so bright. So with these at home devices, are you supposed to wear goggles?

[Rory Evans]

Y. Yes. And some of the masks have like little, you know, protective, almost like silicone shields around the eye. A few of them come with, you know, like the little goggles that you would wear, like in a tanning coffin. You know, like a tanning coffin.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I don't like that vampire.

[Rosie Guerin]

If they were called tanning coffins when I was in high school, I feel like a lot. You know, fewer people would have gone.

[Rory Evans]

In them, but still, even I wore those with some masks and I could still just see a wall of red. Oh, wow. So it's kind of intense.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But what are you supposed to do when you have these masks on? Like, I've seen some of them literally look like the Phantom of the Opera masks where they have, like the eye holes. So maybe you could watch tv, but it sounds like you're not supposed to keep your eyes open.

[Rory Evans]

People say that. They're like, I just like, walk around my house and do my laundry and whatever. That was not my experience. I would recommend. The other thing is, it's 10 minutes. Like, just sit down, relax.

[Rosie Guerin]

It's therapeutic. You're supposed to be taking a minute of self care.

[Rory Evans]

Listen to a podcast.

[Rosie Guerin]

Preferably this one.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, exactly. I would just recommend not having your eyes open. There were a few I could very comfortably leave my eyes open, but most of them were really. I don't know. It's intense. It was intense.

[Kyra Blackwell]

These kind of sound a little bit too good to be true, as most things with skincare that you can do at home. Did a lot of your testers think that these masks work?

[Rory Evans]

That was definitely the case. Our testers were like, I feel better or I feel like my skin looks less wrinkly, or I feel like my nasolabial folds are less pronounced, or the lines around my mouth, like sort of those parentheses that you get around your mouth and crow's feet. They felt like it looked better. Was it the only thing they were doing for the skin at the time? No. You know, that's the challenge of the way we have to test. But they did, they did like it. And the other thing is that I think a lot of people felt like they had nothing to lose and only something to gain.

[Rosie Guerin]

What is a nasolabial fold?

[Rory Evans]

It's the lines between your nose and your lips.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What separates your cheek area from your lip area?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Smile lines, right?

[Rory Evans]

Yeah. Exactly.

[Kyra Blackwell]

How long did you have to use them or did most people on your testing panel have to use them before they saw a difference?

[Rory Evans]

Some people were like for a month and were feeling like it was better.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Wow.

[Rosie Guerin]

Every day, once a week, as instructed.

[Rory Evans]

And I want to say that some of them were like, some of them are like ten minutes, five times a week, every other night, three times a week. It really depended on the instructions.

[Rosie Guerin]

So were you taking before and after headshots of everybody, like testing for efficacy?

[Rory Evans]

No, it was self reported improvement and enjoyment too.

[Rosie Guerin]

What was the main criteria, would you say, in terms of judging?

[Rory Evans]

Like, did you look less crinkly, wrinkly? Did you look firmer and fresher? And I mean, some of it was just user experience too. Yeah, some masks had. All the controls were on the masks so you would be pushing buttons to change modes and change the color of the lights and kind of impossible to tell while it's on which one you're on. And you know, it's almost like when, like a door has three locks and you're like, wait, I did that one and that one. You know, like. And you can't figure out like which one you're actually in. Some had wand, like remote control wands that were also a little bit tricky. Some were great. Some were really uncomfortable to wear, some were very comfortable to wear. Some were. You had to wear eye goggles with it. But wearing the thing with eye goggles and then operating it was literally groping in the dark. If the dark were a wall of the brightest red you've ever seen in.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Your life, why why do this to yourself?

[Rory Evans]

I know it was that too. You know, just like, is this something that I want to use for 10 minutes every night or five nights a week or every other night, or however often it's recommended to be used. And the price too.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

LED lights, do they have any negative impacts on your skin? Like, is there any UV light that's actually penetrating your skin so that it could be like, damaging in the way that sunlight would be?

[Rory Evans]

No, because UV is at the other end of the spectrum. Right. So it's ultraviolet and infrared. We're like in the red, not in the violet end of the spectrum. There are also, like, lots of considerations and contraindications for using it, like lupus, if drugs that cause light sensitivity, if you have light sensitivity and you get migraines, if you have darker skin. It's also sort of. It's one of those things that you kind of want to talk to your dermatologist or your doctor before you try it. And if you try it, spot test it before you go all in on your face, because it may cause hyperpigmentation, it may cause a reaction in some ways. It's like any skincare thing.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So probably a good idea. Especially if you have melanated skin, you should be talking to your dermatologist before using one of these devices. And then if you have something like lupus or you have something where you're have, you know, you might be impacted by light, you should also be talking to your doctor.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, I would say talk to your doctor anyhow, just to be on the safe side. I said to my dermatologist, I was like. And she's like, oh, I love red light devices. So I was like, okay, that's my. Go ahead. And she was taking into account my, you know, what's going on with my skin or whatever. So as your dermatologist or doctor would do for, for you, are there places.

[Rosie Guerin]

You can try these devices out or can you. Is it like, you know, the bed in a box where you can sleep on it and then.

[Rory Evans]

Well, it's. That was one thing that we considered for the guide was that we wanted to sort of make sure that they have solid return policies and good warranties because you try it and you're like, oh, I'm down 350 bucks. And this thing like, doesn't feel good, doesn't fit.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, it doesn't work for my skin for whatever reason.

[Rory Evans]

Exactly. So that was a piece of our consideration.

[Rosie Guerin]

So we're talking about devices. These are things that you can line your couch and Use at home. What are the considerations and why would someone opt in to a device rather than going for treatment at a dermatologist's office?

[Rory Evans]

Some of it is affordability and some of it I think is also like any piece of skincare. It's sort of like the maintenance in between. So like you're gonna see a dermatologist for like expensive treatment and then you're gonna do self care in between.

[Rosie Guerin]

Did you cap your search in terms of price?

[Rory Evans]

We did. We put a cap on it. We put it at $600 and that was like not an easy one to set. Cause it felt, it still felt high. None of our picks, you know, I wanna say our top pick is like, are just under 400 bucks.

[Rosie Guerin]

And they're also like, I mean this is speculative, but they're in the zeitgeist more than they've ever been, I think.

[Rory Evans]

Yes. And it's almost like such a signifier. It's like the prop. If you wanna convey something about this person. Oh, put a red light mask on her because it means that like she's.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It's a status symbol. Yeah, it's like an immediate flag. Like she got money.

[Rosie Guerin]

She's got money and she' Mask money.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So I have looked at a lot of these. They're all over the place. There's ones on Amazon, Goop has a quite robust page with a very, very wide range in prices. Could you just give us like what is the cheat sheet of what someone should look for in a red light device? Because I have no idea. Just looking at the prices, it just seems like it's all over the map and I wouldn't really know where to begin. What were you looking for and what's the just simplest list of things?

[Rory Evans]

We were looking for one. If it was just a straight blue light device, we cut it out of consideration because blue light is used to treat acne. So many of the derms that I talked to were like, there are so many options for treating acne. Like blue light shouldn't be the only thing. And then we were looking at red light devices that had. Bear with me, I'm going to talk about nanometers, I'm going to talk about wavelength. So we looked for ones that had red light in the range of 630 to 650 nanometer.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And can I just ask, Nanometer is a measurement of wavelength. Is that what that is?

[Rory Evans]

Yes. And those numbers, they indicate the color.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Of a light and that means like how deeply they will penetrate the skin.

[Rory Evans]

Yes, exactly.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay.

[Rory Evans]

And so red light in the 630 to 650 nanometer range and then near infrared in the 830 plus nanometer range. And then we also looked at irradiance, which is the power over an area. And that's measured in megawatts over square centimeters. It's recommended by the dermatologist that I interviewed. Soft masks had at least 30 megawatts over centimeters squared. Hard masks had at least 50, and ones were at least 49.5. Also, you want to make sure that it's FDA cleared. And we made sure that the ones that we have are FDA cleared.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, but they shouldn't say FDA approved.

[Rory Evans]

If it says FDA approved, they're telling tales because the FDA does not approve these devices. They will clear a device, which is to say that the company has done their due diligence and submitted paperwork to say that you cleared a device that's a lot like this. And then they get clearance as well. You might not be able to find that information on the Amazon page. On the Amazon page. You might want need to go to.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The brand page, to the brand page and look it up.

[Rosie Guerin]

So I'm recapping here. The consensus here is that these work. No two people are created equally. So it's hard to say that it will 100% work on you. You gotta check with your dermatologist before you jump into this purchase. These aren't cheap. The mask is gonna be a more passive experience in terms of kind of sitting back, putting the thing on your face, running a session and repeat. Whereas the wand is gonna be a little bit more active, like using an electric toothbrush. You gotta run this thing over your face for 12 minutes. That feels like an eternity.

[Rory Evans]

Yes.

[Rosie Guerin]

That's a direct quote from you. And also, if you're shopping for these online, you're going to want to look for red light in the 630 to 650 nanometer range. And you're going to look for near infrared light in the 800 plus nanometer range.

[Rory Evans]

Yes.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, we're going to take a quick break, and then when we come back, we're going to get into all the details of the three LED devices that Rory recommends. Be right back.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Welcome back. Now that we have discussed all of the sort of things that LED lights can do for your skin, Rory, I want to get into the actual picks that you made, because you tested a lot of these devices and you recommend three in our guide, you recommend one wand and two masks. Right. So can we start out with the wand first? What did you pick and why do you like it?

[Rory Evans]

We chose Light stem for Wrinkles, and it costs $200. And at first, it's called light Stim for Wrinkles.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, that really stopped me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Jesus is.

[Rory Evans]

What's it for? It's for wrinkles.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Certainly that. That marketing group could have come up with a better name, but.

[Rory Evans]

Well, there are. There are, like, other. In the line of LightSim. There are other. Like Lightstem for acne, Lightstem for whatever. We chose Light for Wrinkles because it met our criteria for the red light. At first, I will admit, I was like, kind of. I wasn't underwhelmed. I was just sort of like, oh, my God, this is it. Like, it seemed like, dumb, simple. You plug it in, you hit a single switch, and it turns on. And then after three minutes, it, like, shakes a little bit, lets, you know to move to a different spot on your face. It was sort of like, without bells and whistles. And so many of these options have, like, bells and whistles. And then I was like, but wait a minute, like, where it matters. Which is to say, like, the number of LEDs that it has packed on the face of it is legit. It's 72 LEDs. And that is more than any. Any of the wands that we tested. They were also more densely packed. Those lights were more densely packed than the. Than the masks that we tested.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I think a lot of people I. I know when I think of a wand, I think of the solo wave, which is very, very popular. And it kind of looks like a little shaver, but this. This one is actually bigger. Right. It's got like a.

[Rosie Guerin]

Looks like a shower head.

[Rory Evans]

Yes, it does.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. Right. Or like a big flashlight or something. Right. So it's got a lot of little LED bulbs in this, like, big, round surface.

[Rory Evans]

Yes. And so. And the. And the round surface is maybe a little bit more than two, two and a half inches across. And it's got 72 LEDs packed in there. You just kind of. You pressed against your face. And for a wand, it was not as. It didn't require the sort of. The constant motion. You could just kind of like, press it against your face, lean against it. I would sometimes do it in meetings because for research, it's my job. It wasn't as arduous as the solo wave.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Why do you guys keep referencing the solo wave? What is that?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, we should explain what the solo wave is. It's not a pick, but I've seen it, like, for years, recommended on Instagram and influencers using it on Their posts online and stuff.

[Rory Evans]

The Solo Wave wand is also affordable. It's also one of those things that's sort of always on sale, but we just thought it was too much work. It has 14 LEDs, whereas the. The light stem, you're looking at, you're like, I know what I'm getting here. I'm getting a lot of LEDs, and the solo Wave, it just. It. It's not as much. It's in the skinnier line. You just have to move it around your face all the time. Whereas, like, I could lean against my light stem and feeling like I was getting a lot of coverage on my face and being certain of where. Where it was covering on my face.

[Rosie Guerin]

And it's a wand, so you can use it on other parts of your body as well, and you can use.

[Rory Evans]

It on your chest. It was enjoyable. It was so straightforward. We liked that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So if someone is debating between a mask and a wand, is it just purely like, do you prefer to sit with a mask on your face, or do you want the ability to use a wand kind of on your face or maybe somewhere else on your body? Like, how do you make that choice?

[Rory Evans]

The wands are more affordable. I always think about. And because I've done this so many times, where you buy the thing that feels like the bargain, and then you're like, only compromise, and you kind of hate using it, and then you get the real thing anyhow. So it's like, if you're gonna spend $200 on a wand, just spend 350 on the mask. That's my thinking.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, we spoke about this when you came on talking about facial moisturizers, this idea that the most effective one is the one you're gonna actually use.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, there is an argument to get a wand if you really think that you want to target other areas that are not your face.

[Rosie Guerin]

Right.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Because it's very flexible and you can move it around anywhere. Whereas, like, most masks are very rigid and you can pretty much only use them on your face, right?

[Rory Evans]

No, because we had flexible masks and rigid masks, and then the wands and the flexible masks you could use elsewhere on your body.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Is it as easy as a wand?

[Rory Evans]

Yes. I mean, especially if you're using. If you're doing your upper chest, just lay the thing down on your chest. I have, like, a fresh surgical scar on my arm, and I did use. I sort of tested all these products on my arm, with the exception of the rigid masks, because they don't fit my elbow. The wands on my elbow Were definitely, like, easier to apply. But the mask also was sort of set it and forget it. I would just wrap it and leave it. And I do think that I can't say which one and I can't say what, you know? Cause it wasn't the only thing I was doing for healing. But, like, my scar is pretty impressively invisible now.

[Rosie Guerin]

That sounds like it's great. If you want a device that's easy to use for different parts of your body, you don't mind a little manual labor sort of rolling that thing around. Although you said the head of it is the size of a tennis ball, so that's pretty good coverage.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, I know. And like, that's why it's sort of like it felt like you could cover your face. Cause I'm like, how many tennis balls is my face? Probably like eight.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm constantly asking myself that. I know, but what if you just want to put something on and zone out for 10 minutes?

[Rory Evans]

We recommended two masks. One is a hard mask and one is a soft mask. And so we recommend the shark cryoglow and the Omnilux men.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But why is it called Omnilux for men? What is that?

[Rory Evans]

Oh, I know. The entire time I was working on, I was thinking about, like, the old secret ad where it's like, strong enough for a man, but made for a woman, but it's like the other way around. So essentially it's gray. It's not pink. Like, it literally is gray. It's not pink for the men, and it says men on it. It's a little bit crazy germs that I talked to mention that male skin, men's skin tends to be thicker than women's skin, maybe by like 25%. This mask has a 1072 nanometers. That's the wavelength that is going to penetrate a little bit deeper.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, so it's just like the strongest option.

[Rory Evans]

Yes. The deepest reaching penetration. Okay, exactly. It says it's for men. But we tested another mask that we also really liked. We gave it a worth considering denotation, and that also has 1072 that doesn't mention men anywhere.

[Rosie Guerin]

What's that one called?

[Rory Evans]

That's the current body.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So why would you choose, like, I hear one's rigid and one is flexible. It kind of sounds like from everything that we've talked about, what is the case for a rigid mask? But, like, just in general, why would you pick between the two?

[Rory Evans]

Specifically for the cryo glow, it was so pleasant to use. Like, literally everyone who tested it was like, when's my turn with that one again.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And this is the rigid mask.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know when you try a product and I feel like we all do this at wirecutters, like, oh, someone thought this through. Like, someone thought through.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Rory Evans]

Good design and like comfortable, easy to use. It's like they were reading my mail about everything that I didn't like about the other ones and were like fixing it before I tried it. So I feel like that's the case for the hard mask.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

If somebody was trying to decide, say between one of the soft silicone masks versus the hard masks, Is there like a, a decision tree?

[Rory Evans]

Oh, right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

About why you'd want to choose one or the other.

[Rory Evans]

It's a little bit like, how are you really gonna use it? One of the reasons why we liked the soft masks, like a selling point is if you wanna like lay it on your chest, if you wanna like hold it sideways and like get your neck a little bit and sort of use it as like a flexible panel. And the hard mask was. I think it was probably more like if you didn't need that or also if you just kind of wanted to have a very enjoyable that I think in some ways the, the hard mask, especially our pick, really feels like a self care moment.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And it's not that expensive, right? Like out of the kind of the range. How much does the cryo glow cost?

[Rory Evans]

It is 350 bucks.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay. Which is still not nothing.

[Rory Evans]

But. Not nothing.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But when you compare it to a lot of the things you could buy, it's a lot cheaper.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So if you're someone listening to this podcast and you're like, I actually think this rigid mask sounds great, but I want to get my neck in my chest. I've seen some of these masks, at least online. I've seen that there are like add ons. Like you can buy a neck add on or you can buy it. You can.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh my God.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Of course you can not mods. So do any of these come with add ons that, you know, you could do your neck? What would you say to someone who is like, I want the most comfortable face mask, but I also want to cover my chest and my neck?

[Rory Evans]

I would say I do not get the add ons. One of the face masks that we tried, Dr. Dennis Gross, they also, they sort of sell like a chest plate. It's so specific, you know? And again, like, you can get the flexible mask and just like put it on your chest.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, exactly. So you'd say like, maybe just get the flexible mask in at that point.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Okay, Rory, after all this testing, are you going to continue to do this red light therapy at home now that you're done writing the guide?

[Rory Evans]

Yes, and I have definitely. I mean, I keep the light stem literally at my desk. That is very easy for me to use, and it doesn't hurt my eyes.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, Rory, so before we wrap, we usually ask our guests one final question, but I'm actually gonna flip the script on you today because you've already been here. What is the beauty trend that you hope dies very soon?

[Rory Evans]

I mean, how long do we have?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Pick one.

[Rory Evans]

Beef tallow. Like, I would say, are people using.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Beef tallow on their skin?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, yes, they are. They're claiming that it clears everything.

[Rory Evans]

Yeah, it just seems like, have you been to Target? Have you been to the local drugstore? Have you been to cvs and there's no option better for your skin than beef tallow?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Than beef tallow?

[Rory Evans]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I mean, maybe, like, if we're all going back to the land and the apocalypse happens, that's the choice, but, like, yeah, it seems like there are better options. Right.

[Rosie Guerin]

Raise your own cows, make your own beef tallow. All right, Rory, appreciate you. Thanks for coming back on.

[Rory Evans]

Thanks for having me.

[Rosie Guerin]

As it's so nice to have Rory on the show.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

She's so great.

[Rosie Guerin]

She's a delight. And such a wealth of knowledge on all things skincare. I'm taking away from this episode besides sort of some general knowledge about what light therapy is, that there are a variety of types of light therapy. What we're talking about, specifically with the wands and the masks the testers found to be effective is this LED red light therapy. And so I guess what I'm taking away is that the wand is gonna be sort of on the lower end of the price range, but it's gonna be a more manual experience where you're really kind of bringing this thing on your face and doing this sort of electric toothbrush type manual labor for what can feel like an eternity, but actually maybe only like 12 minutes. And then the masks are the more kind of sit back, maybe sip, you know, a green juice while you let the light blast over your face. And then you look 15 again, a.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Sip of green juice with your eyes closed.

[Rosie Guerin]

Right. That is my takeaway.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I think you really need to wear some goggles. I think you really need to wear some goggles.

[Rosie Guerin]

But I'm really intrigued. I mean, I think the takeaway is I'm very intrigued.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Very intrigued. Well, I. You both know I was already intrigued, and so now I feel like I've honed in. I want a mask. I want the. Probably the Omnilux men. I like the idea of having the. The flexible mask that I can use on different parts of my body. But I will be going to my dermatologist first because I do have some sun damage and I want to make sure that the mask doesn't cause like dark spots to get darker or light spots to get lighter.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, I think similarly, I tend. I mean, I have darker skin. I tend to have hyperpigmentation really easily and all that good stuff. I just feel like I'm gonna skip this altogether and I might just go to my dermatologist when I feel like I need it to get the professional red light therapy treatment.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ye. And you know, I mean, I think that's like very valid for a lot of people.

[Rosie Guerin]

It makes a lot of sense. And honestly, I think maybe the overall takeaway is that whoever is going to pursue purchasing one of these, you probably should get some consult. Yeah, from.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

From someone you trust besides us, you know?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, we're not your doctor.

[Rosie Guerin]

Besides Dr. Christine and Dr. Kyra. All right, well, if you want to find out more about Wirecutters coverage in general or these red light devices, if you want to check out any of Rory's reporting, go to our website or you can find a link in the show notes. That's it. On behalf of my dear friends Kyra and Christine, thanks so much for listening.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Bye.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Bye.

[Rosie Guerin]

Bye. The Wirecutter show is executive produced by me, Rosie Guerin, and produced by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Maddie Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Katherine Anderson, original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Alicia Ba Itup and Diane Wong. Wirecutter's deputy publisher is Cliff Levy. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin. Thank you for listening.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I think I want the flexible one. Yeah, then my man can use it as well without being embarrassed.