As ever-smarter and smaller technology transforms the way we live, innovation naturally translates to an ever-improving field of the best skincare tools to transform our complexions – no trip to the dermatologist’s office required. From a collagen-producing microneedling tool to a powerful bacteria-fighting LED light, and many in between, here are 25 of the best skincare tools that prove the future of beauty is only getting brighter.
Best skincare tools at a glance:
- Best at-home laser tool: Lyma Laser, £1,999
- Best for smooth, hairless skin: Philips Lumea IPL 8000, £400
- Best for LED Light Therapy: Current Body LED Mask, £279
- Best for massage: Sarah Chapman Skinesis Facialift Roller, £34
- Best cryo-therapy skincare tool: Omorovicza Cooling Derma Globes, £100
- Best for lifting and sculpting: ZIIP Halo Microcurrent Facial Toning Device, £379
- Best for cleansing: Sisley-Paris Gentle Face And Throat Brush, £34
- Best for body: Geske Sonic Body Brush & Exfoliator, £49.95
Our beauty editors keep discerning eyes on all the latest skincare tool developments, and every pick you find in our edits comes thoroughly tested and Vogue-approved. Trying devices and observing both their immediate and long-term results, we also consult experts to separate fad claims from the technologies that are safe and scientifically proven to work. As a result, our beauty cupboard is stocked with the best skincare tools in the business, from celebrity facialist favourites to beginner-friendly finds. We’ve compared them all to bring you a range of tools for every skin type, concern and budget. Scroll on for our favourite innovations.
Best skincare tools for pore refining
Should your 2024 resolutions include a “no pore left behind” mantra, consider these helpful tools: Dermaflash’s two-in-one sonic extractor first pulls out pesky blackheads gently, then helps push serum into the skin. The GloPRO, a cultish microneedling tool, promotes wound healing to stimulate cellular turnover and collagen production.
Also of note is Foreo’s Kiwi Derma. “Combining a diamond microdermabrasion tip with vacuum extraction, Foreo’s latest device is a godsend for pimple and wide-pore-prone skin,” says beauty writer Tracy Achonwa. “It exfoliates dull skin and deep cleans every last bit of gunk out of your pores, minimising them in the process. I recommend starting on the lowest setting as it’s quite powerful and can bruise if not used with care, but I honestly can’t recommend it enough.”
Best laser skincare tools
If you’re not already wise to the benefits of including laser in your skincare regimen, allow us to bring you up to speed – it’s the most effective way to target deep-seated concerns such as scars, dark spots and wrinkles. Offering a beginner-friendly version of the kind of treatments you’d pay top dollar for in clinic, at home laser devices work by stimulating cells at the dermal layer of skin for deep skin rejuvenation. Nira’s precision laser heats cells to boost collagen and elastin production, tightening lax skin and kickstarting repair. Lyma’s laser does all the above, but with cool laser technology that can penetrate as deep as the underlying muscle, increases energy in cells and is completely pain-free. “My sunspots have faded, and my skin looks plumper and brighter,” says Vogue senior beauty & wellness editor Margaux Anbouba in her review of Lyma’s device.
Best skincare tools for inflammation
Fight redness, reduce inflammation, and take down puffiness with an ice therapy session. There are ESPA and Omorovicza’s cryotherapy globes or Angela Caglia’s Gold Cryo wands – all designed to be refrigerated before use for the ultimate jolt of blood-circulating cold. For classic face rollers, on the other hand, models by BeautyBio and Susanne Kaufmann help boost circulation, relax muscle tension, and promote a radiant complexion.
Best skincare tools for sculpting
Mimic the hands of Hollywood’s most in-demand facialists with these toning devices that contour cheekbones, lift jawlines, and drain fluid to help you debloat. Jillian Dempsey’s vibrating tool relaxes tense muscles for a smoother appearance, while Nurse Jamie’s lifting roller allows creams to penetrate deeper into the skin. Sensse’s Silhouette tool does all the above, but for your body: it features four toning and deep massage attachments that tighten lax skin, smooth cellulite and can ease muscle tension and menstrual pain. Meanwhile, the medical grade ZIIP Halo device is a favourite among stars such as Margot Robbie. Using tiny nano current waves to stimulate tissues at the cellular level, it doesn’t just sculpt enviable jawlines – it also kickstarts collagen production for a complexion that’s tighter and brighter overall.
Best skincare tool for multitasking
The Solawave Advanced Skincare Wand is this season's must-have beauty tool because it pairs four treatments into one ultra-portable device. Red light therapy penetrates deep to reduce the appearance of fine lines and scarring, microcurrent tones facial muscles, a low-vibration facial massage decreases puffiness, and therapeutic warmth aids the absorption of your skincare products – all in a five-minute treatment. Recently upgraded, its latest iteration boasts 7 LEDs – with stronger light output for faster results – plus a magnetic charging port that makes the device totally waterproof. In our review of the wand, we noticed a firmer, brighter complexion in a matter of days with consistent use. (Solawave recommends using this device three times per week.)
Best LED skincare tools for brightening and anti-ageing
Struggling with fine lines and dull skin? Long hailed for their powerful results, LED devices treat a range of skin-care issues at the cellular level. Blue light decreases acne flare-ups, red stimulates the skin’s collagen production and helps reduce hyperpigmentation, while yellow decreases inflammation and can even soothe sore muscles. Perfect for popping on during your Netflix binge-watching sessions, Current Body’s popular LED mask is hands-free and uses red light to rejuvenate and re-plump the skin. Trophy Skin’s LED lamp has four wavelengths of red, amber, yellow and near-infrared light, that target dullness and dark spots in the upper and lower layers of skin.
Best skincare tools for lifting
NuFace’s pronged microcurrent massager – beloved by Vogue editors and stars like Riverdale’s Madeline Petsch – stimulates facial muscles in 5- to 20-minute sessions, leaving complexions firmer and more toned. Slather on a conducting gel pre-use, so the rollers glide easily over skin. Otherwise, glide the ReFa Carat Ray Face across your face and décolletage to boost circulation and firm skin. According to the director of ReFa USA, Rie Iimura, the Vogue verified multiangular device converts light energy into microcurrent and delivers a “gripping motion that mimics an aesthetician's finger motion” through two double drainage roller prongs.
Best skincare tools for cleansing
Trying to keep breakouts at bay? Upgrade your cleansing routine with devices that take face washing to the next level. Combining Swedish design with sonic cleansing technology, Foreo’s pulsating disc is covered in bacteria-repelling silicone nubs that help lift impurities from pores without aggressive scrubbing. Sisley-Paris’ face and throat brush offers a deep yet gentle cleanse, and its fine bristles make the skin appear smoother and softer to touch.
Best tools for hair removal
If you’re the kind of woman for whom only the smoothest skin will do, high-powered hair removal tools are an investment you ought to consider. Painlessly removing peach fuzz and dead skin, Hollywood Smoother brings you all the benefits of professional dermaplaning from the comfort of your couch. It clears the path for skincare to penetrate more deeply, with the gentle assistance of sonic steel blades that gift an A-list glow. Philips’ Lumea IPL 8000 makes a strong case for relinquishing razors entirely: its four face and body attachments laser hair at the root and bring an end to pesky ingrowns.
Best tool to deliver skincare ingredients
Droplette’s Microinfusion Device is a beauty tool integral to Brooke Shields’ beauty routine. Though the actor opts for the topical collagen supplement, the device can also deliver a blend of hydrating and anti-aging ingredients deep below the skin barrier.
Best skincare tools for acne
Solawave’s Bye Acne device uses LED light therapy to treat acne. Red light targets hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and redness, while blue light eradicates acne-causing bacteria by helping reduce sebum production. In a three-minute treatment, it promises to combat stubborn blemishes and accelerate the healing process. FaceGym takes a hands-free approach with its LED patch, which adheres to breakouts on the back, chest or face to provide a dependable dose of blue light. Simply stick it on to your problem areas, then sit back and relax – this one clears pores and texture in just 20 minutes a day.
Best skincare tools for puffiness
Puffy under-eyes are no match for the gua sha – like Eve Lom and Angela Caglia’s rose quartz rendition, which relieves a swollen visage with the help of Lom’s rejuvenating oil. Translated directly as “scraping,” the traditional Chinese tool can increase blood flow, drain the lymphatic system, and tone complexions when moved over the skin in quick motions. Sarah Chapman’s tool deals a double blow to bloated morning face, with both a knuckle-like roller and serum-smoothing disc tapper designed to sculpt and soothe.