beauty feels beyond my reach. It’s not about self-hatred, I swear. I’m talking about accessing the tools that can help you feel beautiful. Facials, fillers, and relaxers seem expensive and the preserve of celebrities and influencers. Like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, I want to be a part of that world, but my jaw dropped the first time I paid over $100 for a haircut. There’s no way you can afford (or justify) frequent skin and hair care treatments, right? The home beauty market disagrees.
Companies like Therabody and Dyson have branched out into high-end beauty in recent years with modern tools like Airwrap and TheraFace Pro, and other companies have quickly popped up and followed suit. Now, you can get drybars, LED light treatments, and even dermaplane your skin from the comfort of your own home.
Shark FlexStyle, TheraFace Pro and Dermaflash Luxe+ are favorites among self-care-loving staff members at WIRED. Each beauty tool offers its own unique treatment without a hefty service fee for each use. Don’t get me wrong: the tools themselves are still an investment, but they eventually pay for themselves the more you use them, especially when you consider how much you’d spend on salons and spas in a year. This is what makes it worth it.
explosion at home
I want what Matilda Djerf has: influencer hair. It’s delicious, bouncy and beautiful. But I know I’ll never be good enough with a round brush or Velcro rollers to achieve this level of hair perfection. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says the Shark FlexStyle drying and styling system can give you all that glam without the hefty price tag of a Dyson.
The FlexStyle experience is extremely customizable. Right out of the gate, you can choose from three models, each of which has a host of tools, ranging from standalone curling and blow-drying attachments to more specific packs for curly and coiled hair or straight and wavy hair. Fortunately, you’re not limited to what you choose forever: you can purchase standalone attachments.
Once you’ve sorted out all your accessories, that’s when the real fun begins. Like the Dyson Airwrap, the FlexStyle features a vortex of air called the Coanda effect. There’s less direct heat on your hair, so it’s not as damaging as most curling irons. Giordano says the only difference between using Airwrap and FlexStyle was that she had to force her hair here and there. It’s also an amazing blow dryer and diffuser, all for under $300.
Switch it on
It’s no secret that I like TheraFace Pro. My mom always told me I had expensive taste, so I complained about it, only all my Instagram ads and favorite pajamas were, well, expensive. The $400 TheraFace Pro joins my most coveted royalty.
This is a multi-use beauty tool that comes with different accessories: a cleaning head, percussion heads, a microcurrent head, and an LED head. The cleansing attachment isn’t necessarily new technology, the percussion heads are a fancy way to massage the face and remove dead skin, and the microcurrent is of questionable efficacy. But the LED lights? That’s something me and science can get behind.
Board-certified dermatologist Jeffrey Hsu agreed that LED lights are effective at treating fine lines, promoting collagen production, and fighting acne-causing bacteria. He also points out that the wavelengths used in TheraFace Pro are in line with those used by professionals and that with targeted and consistent use, Theraface Pro can do the same for you. Over the course of a month of use, my skin was plumper, brighter, and cleaner than with my usual skincare routine.
(Derma) Plane Jane
You know how Paul Rudd looks the same from his Clueless days? I’ve also heard the phrase that men just seem to “age better.” Most of that is just plain sexism, but I can’t deny that I want to keep my skin looking as young as possible for as long as possible. One option is dermaplaning, which involves using a blade to scrape away the top layer of skin, including small hairs.
WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe reached for the Dermaflash Luxe+ when she felt her facial hair was getting too noticeable for her liking. Not only was it extremely satisfying to physically watch dead skin peel off after each use, but Strampe found that it improved the overall appearance of her skin, peach fuzz aside. She says her skin was “flawless, glowing and smooth,” and who doesn’t want that?
Does it lower? The Luxe+ is $200 and uses single-use blades, which is wasteful. The process isn’t terribly expensive if done by a professional, but it adds up quickly. You can save money in the long run with this tool, although it’s worth talking to your dermatologist to see if it’s right for your skin.
You don’t need any of these items, and some of them can be overwhelming to use alone. For us, they’ve been a great way to get into the world of beauty without going to a spa and spending hundreds of dollars over the course of a year, and it offers a little more control over our own appearance. That alone is worth it.
Source: news.google.com