When I was presented with the CurrentBody LED face mask to review, I'll be honest, I wasn't overly keen. As someone who has always had sensitive skin, marked most recently by adult acne after turning 40, I was apprehensive to do anything that might make it flare back up again.
RRP: £299
Treatment: Light therapy (two light wavelengths: red (633nm) and near-infrared (830nm)
Treatment time: 10 minutes
Material: Silicone
Charging: USB
Charge time: Up to 4.5 hours
Warranty: 2 years
But after woman&home digital beauty editor Aleesha Badkar assuring me it's one of the best red light therapy devices, and a read of our what are the side effects of LED face masks and are they safe, I felt confident to try it. I started with the sensitivity test to help ensure my skin wouldn't react badly to it. Full details are available on the CurrentBody website, but it is essentially patch testing the device first, stopping use if your skin feels hot, and then waiting for at least 6 hours afterwards to ensure no delayed reactions. I gave it 24 hours just to be sure, and being reaction-free, I was ready – and excited – to get started.
And I'm really glad I did. While I can't use it any time the kids are around for fear of terrifying them, it's become a small self care routine I do a few times a week and really look forward to. And while the result is cumulative, so you don't see results immediately, I can say with confidence that it has helped my skin look the clearest and brightest it has been a very long time.
Our editor's full CurrentBody LED Mask review
How I tested the CurrentBody LED Face Mask
CurrentBody recommends using the device 3-5 times a week for best results, and so I consistently used it at least three times for a period of six weeks while testing. I tried to use it in the evening before bed, however life often got in the way and so I would just use it as and when was convenient.
CurrentBody also says you can use the device with serums or creams, and so I used this alongside Trinny London's Take Back Time eye cream every day. However, I only used the eye cream on one side, to really be able to see if it made a visible difference. The photo below clearly shows the eye cream and red light therapy working hand-in-hand - the contrast between the dark circles on my eyes is stark.
My first impressions of the CurrentBody LED Face Mask
The CurrentBody LED face mask comes packaged in a luxury-looking box, which includes the mask, adjustable head strap, eye inserts, USB-charging cable, controller, user manual and storage bag.
Following the easy-to-read instructions, I was easily able to put the mask on charge by connecting the USB cable to the controller, and then the USB-C charger to the mains. It's worth noting a suitable USB charger is not supplied, so you will need to make sure you have a plug with USB connection in order to fill and maintain the battery on the device.
Upon first opening, I plugged the mask into charge, and left it for the full 4.5 hours the instructions specified. The green light on the charger flashes when charging, and turns solid green when it is ready to use. I noticed the light stay on after just under four hours of charge, but left it on for the full amount regardless to help ensure longevity of the battery.
When it was ready to go, I made sure, as the instructions said, my face was freshly washed and dried before applying the mask. Then it is as simple as attaching the head strap and putting it on – and you don't do anything other than wear it for the specified time of 10 minutes.
It is made of flexible silicone that wraps around your entire face, and is secured at the back with the velcro strap. I wear glasses, which I had to remove, so the mask was flush against my skin. And while it is very comfortable to wear, I found the head strap really fiddly and not very secure. While not wearing my glasses meant I can't see to do anything at the same time anyway, the lack of security from the velcro would make it very hard for me to move without it slipping off my face. So not the best from a design point-of-view, but maybe a good thing in that it forced me to enjoy 10 minutes of relaxation.
The controller attached to the mask has a button, which when pressed activates the mask. The lights are initially very bright, so much so I felt incredibly disorientated the first time I turned it on, which wasn't at all enjoyable. But I stuck with it, and my eyes adjusted after a few minutes. However they also needed a couple of minutes to adjust to the lighting in the room once removed too, so the first time felt quite hard going on my eyes.
So the next time I added the eye inserts, which are included for comfort (the device is safe to use with or without them) to see if that helped with the initial burst of light. And it did, to a degree, although overall they made how the velcro strap issue and how the mask sat on my face even more tricky and uncomfortable, and so I haven't used them since.
An in-built timer switches the mask off after 10 minutes of use, then you simply take it off, wipe the mask down and pop back in the storage bag.
How does it perform?
We live in such an immediate society, and I am guilty as anyone at expecting results overnight. But if there is one thing testing multiple beauty products over the last year has taught me, it's patience is key. Skincare takes time, and using red light therapy is no exception. So while I didn't put this on expecting instant results, I was really surprised to find how much brighter my skin looked the morning after use in the first few weeks. It really does add radiance, and I always use it now on an evening before any important or special events.
After a few weeks of use I noticed the natural redness in my face was more even, and my chin area, where I usually get hormonal acne was the clearest it has been in years. Another real noticeable difference is the improvement in my skin texture - it feels so much softer and more healthy in general. It has made enough of a difference for me to really pare back on makeup, and when I do use it now, product application feels so much smoother too.
But the biggest highlight of using this mask for me is the difference it has made to the fine lines and wrinkles around and dark circles under my eyes. The CurrentBody instructions say you can use any serums or creams before use, and it just happened I was using Trinny London's Turn Back Time cream at the same time as testing. And I cannot believe the difference the two combined have made to how much more youthful and fresh my eyes look – the usually extremely prominent, bruise-like marks under my eyes have been dramatically reduced.
So not only has this mask helped make a significant difference to the health of my skin, it has helped boost my confidence and has become a small window of self care I am able to easily fit in and enjoy a few times a week.
Should you buy it?
There's no two ways about it, the CurrentBody face mask doesn't come cheap. But when you add up how much a facial would cost, which is essentially what the mask gives you in terms of results, it quickly earns its price tag.
I was really sceptical about using this device, but now I am completely converted by red light therapy and the benefits it has - not just to my skin, but how it has paved a small way for me to enjoy some self care a few times a week that I otherwise wouldn't do. It's really easy to use, and I love the difference it has made to the dull mid-life skin I was experiencing.
If you have fine lines and/or dark circles around your eyes, I can say with confidence that this device helped significantly reduce both for me. And if you are a fan of facials, this is a really convenient way to give your skin an immediate boost in between treatments or to give your skin a gorgeous glow – and you a confidence boost – before any event.
