Mask Up
Looks Weird, Works Great: Try These Red Light Therapy Masks for Smoother Skin
Fight wrinkles and acne with these trusted, high-tech face masks
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Ensuring that your skin stays clean and healthy throughout your life starts and ends with your skincare routine. This doesn’t involve selling your soul or spending an unreasonable amount of money. Instead, identifying an array of key products, such as a trusted cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, and implementing them into your daily routine.
Your skincare routine may not resemble your friends’ or the people you follow on social media, and that’s okay; everyone’s skin isn’t the same and we all have unique needs. Regardless of what skin type you have or what products you’re currently using though, one essential step to consider adding to your daily routine is a red light therapy mask.
In This Article
The Best Red Light Therapy Mask
How Do Red Light Therapy Masks Work?
Red Light Therapy Mask Buying Guide
How We Chose the Best Red Light Therapy Masks
What Are the Best Red Light Therapy Masks?
We rounded up some of the best red light therapy masks currently on the market. Unlike red light panels, which are placed in front of your face and body, these red light masks fit directly on your face.
All of these masks are designed for unisex use and can be worn multiple times without losing efficacy.
Best Overall: Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Most Comfortable: HigherDOSE Red Light Therapy Face Mask
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: NEWKEY LED Light Therapy Face Mask
Best Full-Body Mask: CurrentBody’s Skin Complete LED Kit
Best Lightweight Mask: GYH LED Beauty Mask
1. Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
It kind of looks like one of the masks from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, but Dr. Dennis Gross’ DRx SpectraLite Pro is one of the most coveted red light therapy masks on the market.
It’s won over momager Kris Jenner, supermodel Charlotte McKinney and even award-winning actresses like Salma Hayek, Julia Garner and Halle Berry. So, what’s all the fuss about you ask? Simple: it really works.
I’ve been using this mask two times a day for several months since I started my red light journey back in May, and have noticed a significant improvement in my skin’s appearance and texture; not only does it look smoother and more supple, it feels that way too. Prior to using the mask, I had noticed some pesky bumps on my skin around where the temples of my glasses touch my skin, which have since smoothed.
A combination of 100 red lights and 62 LED blue lights work to even out your skin, whether you’re someone who has fine lines, age spots or discoloration.
With three different modes at the push of a button, you can provide more targeted relief to your skin; turn on red light mode if you’re looking for more anti-aging benefits, or blue light to fight acne related issues. A third mode combines both the red and blue light modes for the best of both worlds. The mask will turn off automatically after three minutes.
Buy Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite Dpl… $455.00
2. HigherDOSE Red Light Therapy Face Mask
HigherDOSE’s red light therapy mask delivers a low-level wavelength to our skin, similar to those found in the sunlight we are exposed to on a daily basis. Through a combination of red, and near-infrared LED technologies, the red light rejuvenates your skin’s cells, ensuring they can function at their highest level to promote optimal circulation that leaves your skin glowing.
Beyond the benefits for your skin, these wavelengths can also be helpful in regulating one’s mood, something that can be critical during the colder months when the days are shorter and the sunlight is sparser. It is recommended you leave the mask on for a full 10 minutes several times a week to get the intended effects.
Buy HigherDOSE Red Light Therapy Face Mask… $299.00
3. NEWKEY LED Light Therapy Face Mask
While the benefits of red light therapy masks more than justify the investment, these products can get expensive. If you’re interested in experimenting, but just can’t get around some of the prices, NEWKEY’s mask is a fantastic compromise. With seven different light settings, as well as the ability to change the light strength while you use it (thanks to the handy dandy remote), this is a great option for someone that’s new to using red light, though has plenty of benefits for any skincare aficionado. In addition to smoothing fine lines and combating acne, the additional light settings help improve your lymph and tissue metabolism, pigmentation and reducing inflammation.
Buy Led Face Mask Light Therapy, NEWKEY 7… $150.89
4. CurrentBody’s Skin Complete LED Kit
For just 10 minutes, three to five times a week, this red light therapy mask by CurrentBody promises to help keep your skin cells producing the collagen your skin needs to stay bright and smooth. But why limit these benefits to just your face? CurrentBody’s skin bundle includes a neck and décolletage perfector to target the skin on your neck and chest. As we get older, the skin on our neck begins to wrinkle and become thinner. By delivering red light to these skin cells, you can ensure they remain energized and productive, which will in turn help keep the skin in these areas supple.
Buy CurrentBody Skin Complete LED Kit… $615.00
5. GYH LED Beauty Mask
This red light therapy mask by GYH Beauty might look like a prop from the set of a Star Wars movie, but its futuristic design is intentional. Not only does it target both your face and neck with seven different light settings, but it’s made of a lighter material that feels more comfortable when you’re wearing it, resulting in a more relaxing session.
Buy LED Face Mask, GYH 7 Colors LED Skin… $279.99
6. Omnilux Contour FACE
Every night feels like a spa night with Omnilux’s red light therapy mask, thanks to its clinically-proven results in rejuvenating your skin. Fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation are no match for the mask’s medical grade red and near-red infrared lights. Best of all, wearing it feels as snug as a bug in a rug thanks to its unique design and flexible silicone composition. Simply fix the strap across the back of your head and let the mask work its magic in 15 minute sessions.
How Do Red Light Therapy Masks Work?
Red light therapy is a clinically studied, FDA-approved treatment that can help improve your skin’s overall appearance and texture, such as smoothing out wrinkles, scars and acne. To understand how these red light masks really work, we must first understand why things like wrinkles appear in the first place. Shane Miller, a licensed esthetician and the owner of the popular Instagram account @howtohydrate, attributes these changes in our skin to our skin cells, which are aging along with the rest of our bodies.
“As we get older, our cells become larger. This makes it harder for them to divide and multiply, which slows our bodies’ ability to regenerate,” he says.
This is where red light therapy masks can be a huge help to our tired skin cells: by delivering low-wavelength red light, these devices provide that previously missing energy to these cells. This energy is crucial in the continued the upkeep of our skin’s appearance and texture. Regularly using red light therapy masks in moderation can result in a healthy sheen, as well as a reduction in inflammation that may appear due to psoriasis, eczema and contact dermatitis.
Red light masks can come in different forms, either as masks you can wear to cover your face and neck (as seen above), or under your eyes. For the purposes of this article, we focused on red light therapy face masks.
Red light devices also come as panels you can hang and stand in front of, or wands you can hold to target a specific area on your body.
Miller recommends using your red light therapy daily, right after you’ve cleansed and dried your face. That means you shouldn’t apply any serums, moisturizers, or sunscreen before your session.
It’s important to note that red light does not pose a threat to your skin, but you should always proceed with caution whenever you’re introducing a new step into your skin routine. Remember, not everyone has the same type of skin, so what works for a friend or someone on social media may not work the same way for you. Just to be safe, you should always consult the instructions for your particular device.
Red Light Therapy Mask Buying Guide
As you’re searching for your potential red light therapy mask, here’s what you should keep in mind.
Power: A mask with more power means it’s more effective at energizing your cells. This is not to be confused with wattage, which refers to how much energy is being consumed by the device.
Fit: Since you’re going to be wearing this on your face for minutes at a time, you want to be comfortable. The best red light therapy masks fit comfortably on your face, and will usually have an adjustable strap to find what works best for you; you don’t want your mask to feel too heavy or burdensome. Make sure to look into what materials your potential mask is made out of.
How We Chose the Best Red Light Therapy Masks
Our list of the best red light therapy masks was chosen based on ease of use, comfort and fit, and overall results. For the masks that we tested, we saw a noticeable difference in our skin texture and tone, though results may vary based on your skin type, diet and environment.
All of the masks on our list also boast solid reviews, with a rating of at least four stars (out of five) from online shoppers.