Get ready for the before and after.
It’s no secret that I am skincare obsessed. My mom put me on a cleanse, tone, and moisturize routine at 14, and I’ve been committed to optimizing my skin health ever since. (These are the products I use!) From years of skincare deep-diving, I’ve become intrigued with finding the best microcurrent device. These are tools that work by delivering an electrical current to skin cells to lift and tighten in all the right places. I love nothing more than going down the research rabbit hole to decipher what ingredients, products, and tools actually work. So, landing on the best microcurrent device seemed like the best opportunity to do exactly that. Soprano Ice Platinum Machine
Featured image by Hannah Haston.
I’m a huge fan of microcurrent during my in-clinic facials. (If you live in LA, go see Matthew Miller for The Lift facial or Camille Fields for her remodeling face treatment.) But I wanted to find a way to extend the benefits of those treatments at home. With so much information (and misinformation) online, I decided to collaborate with my fellow skin aficionado, Camille, to test and review six of the top brands in a bid to find the best microcurrent device to use at home.
Microcurrent is a non-invasive facelift using a low-level current of electricity to stimulate the facial muscles like a “workout” for the face. It has been clinically tested as a safe and efficacious treatment both in-clinic and at home to encourage definition, collagen development, and growth of ATP. (Adenosine triphosphate, an energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things.)
The benefits of microcurrent are instant, but just like exercise, the best results are cumulative. About five minutes a day, 2-3 times a week will help encourage the muscles to stimulate collagen growth. Experts recommend using an at-home microcurrent device in between professional appointments for maintaining the best results.
So, if you’re looking to give yourself the best microcurrent facial at home, keep reading for our honest thoughts.
Every product is curated with care by our editors and we’ll always give an honest opinion, whether gifted or purchased ourselves. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
In the same way that exercise is good for your body’s health, it’s also beneficial for your skin’s health. Also known as “fitness for your face,” the NuFace Trinity sculpts, tightens, and contours the face to improve skin texture and tone and to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin.
The beauty of microcurrent is the instant results. After just five minutes, you can see a visible difference—skin is lifted, tighter, and brighter and glowier overall. I love to use my NuFace right before I have a special event or gathering because my skin just beams afterward. It’s also the perfect primer for your skin before applying makeup. And it’s completely painless. You will feel a stronger pulsation on your neck where the skin is thinner or sometimes around your teeth. If this happens, reduce the settings on the NuFace. I set it to the highest for the cheeks, temples, and forehead and down to one or two around my mouth, eyes, and nose area.
NuFACE Trinity Facial Toning Device
Tone, lift, and contour facial muscles while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with one device, three attachments, and two modalities.
The main difference between this device and other microcurrents on the market is the shape, frequency, and strength of the electrical currents. ZIIP uses different waveform shapes, from soft S-shaped waves to hard-edged building block squares, to produce the optimal outcome for your skin. But it’s also the frequency at which they use them. The device stimulates muscles by switching from lower frequencies to higher frequencies, increasing circulation, plumping, and everything in between.
ZIIP founder and CEO Melanie Simon was coined the “Nikola Tesla of facials” by Forbes. She spent 15 years as an aesthetician specializing in electrical facial treatments (with celebrity clients like Mandy Moore, Sarah Paulson, and Eva Mendes) before she created her multi-million dollar beauty empire.
ZIIP is the only device that offers both nano and microcurrent waves. Nano-current results are long-lasting, while microcurrent offers immediate lifting and sculpting results. This powerful combination creates change on a cellular level. The electrical currents are designed to be both direct and alternating, which flows back and forth to increase ATP, providing “usable energy to skin cells, giving long-lasting results.” Use is 1-3 times a week for maximum results.
I like to ZIIP on the weekends when I have more time and can invest in a longer treatment because the payoff is huge! The ZIIP gel is $50 a bottle but you get one when you buy the device and you don’t need a lot. As a result, it lasts forever—at least six months if you use it often or longer if you only use it periodically. I have been using my ZIIP for years now and I truly believe in this product.
ZIIP HALO is a powerful anti-aging beauty device that gives both immediate results and lasting benefits that improve over time. Powered by the iconic ZIIP Dual Waveform Technology, ZIIP HALO gives both immediate and long-lasting effects using varying frequencies of nanocurrent and microcurrent.
If you’ve ever had a workout at FaceGym then it’s very likely you’ve experienced the PureLift in action. Now you can bring their famous Clean + Lift signature treatment home. PureLift’s patented three-wave stimulation uses knuckling motions via the diamond-faceted probes to go deep into your facial muscles. These probes perform EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) all over your face which are mild but powerful currents that strengthen your muscle fibers. That means toning, circulation-boosting, and skin firmness in just 10 minutes.
This tool gets the job done! It’s an incredibly powerful microcurrent device that uses high-and-low frequency impulses to activate, lift, and strengthen the facial muscles. I have used a lot of microcurrent devices on the market and this is definitely one of the strongest.
Pure Lift Face from FaceGym
Known as the instant, non-invasive face lift, the Pure Lift Face by The PureLift Lab is the most advanced electrical muscle stimulation tool on the market. Powered by patented triple-wave technology, the device delivers powerful randomized electrical impulses to activate and elevate the facial muscles, giving the appearance of a firmer, more youthful-looking face in as little as 10 minutes.
Since fine lines around my eyes are my main focus when it comes to anti-aging, I was immediately intrigued when I heard about the FIX Line Smoothing Device from NuFACE. Here’s how it works: You apply the included FIX Serum around areas of focus, then move the device using the signature ‘feathering’ technique: a quick erasing motion. The result is a smoother, tighter appearance around the eyes, mouth, forehead, and nasolabial folds that’s immediate, with increased improvement over time. — Camille
The FIX is the 1st FDA-cleared pen-size microcurrent device for cosmetic use. It’s rechargeable, so you can truly take it on the go. It works by delivering bursts of gentle microcurrent energy that help plump, smooth, and tighten the skin in small targeted areas.
NuFACE FIX Line Smoothing Device and Serum
NuFACE FIX Line Smoothing Device is a line-smoothing microcurrent device that instantly blurs the look of fine lines and wrinkles around eyes, lips, and forehead, and helps create fuller lips when used around the lip line.
What It Does: This device is like gua sha on steroids. The metal head is shaped to lift and contour to your facial structure as you power up and go over it with microcurrent. The crazy thing about the Essia Wand is that it does so many different things. There are three separate modes: Exfoliate, Moisturize and Lift. Usually, I focus on the Lift mode, which uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to stimulate facial muscles, tighten skin, lift facial contours and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. — Camille
This device uses high-frequency, ultrasonic technology and EMS to penetrate the skin by 3-5 mm. The ultrasonic vibrations from the Exfoliate setting work to dislodge blackheads and other impurities from pores, helping fight off rogue breakouts and inflammation. And the Moisturize mode combines ultrasonic oscillation with an anion (a negatively charged ion) flow to help skin attract and absorb your hardworking skincare products more deeply.
Vanity Planet Essia Ultrasonic Lifting & Exfoliating Wand
Essia features three modes—each specialized for any need: Exfoliate, Moisturize and Lift. The ultrasonic vibrations from the Exfoliate setting work to dislodge blackheads and other impurities from pores, helping fight off rogue breakouts and inflammation. Moisturize mode is designed to make the most of skincare products, helping skin absorb moisturizers and serums more deeply. Lift mode gently stimulates facial muscles, tightening skin, lifting facial contours and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Much like the Trinity for your face, the NuBODY at-home microcurrent tool is a toning device that visibly helps to firm the skin and appearance of dimples on your body. The microcurrent technology is specially designed with four treatment spheres for a stronger, more targeted delivery of the microcurrent to larger, denser areas like the thigh and butt. — Camille
I wanted to specifically target some stubborn cellulite on my thighs and to tone the skin at the top of my knees where the skin is starting to sag. I definitely notice a difference after using it—skin is smoother, tighter, and firmer. I use it at night to help treat fluid retention and it seems to help with that, but my cellulite also feels more visible at night after sitting down all day for work.
NuFACE NuBODY Skin Toning Device
This handheld body toning device balances and smooths the complexion to reduce the appearance of dimpling and uneven texture. The device comes with a hydrating gel primer to keep moisture levels boosted for skin that glows all over.
This post was originally published on May 9th, 2022, and has since been updated.
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