Light therapy masks are THE the essential tech treatment of the moment. If you're exposed to social media, you'll have seen influencers donning one of these extravagant-looking devices as part of their skincare routine.
And if you were tempted to buy one, you will find yourself in a world of equally exorbitant prices and unknown brands.
That's, so far, because Shark has launched its own light therapy mask as part of its beauty tech range, which includes the brilliant FlexStyle styler (Shark's answer to the Dyson Airwrap) and the SpeedStyle.
It's available in the UK from today. You can buy it from Shark, John Lewis, Boots, Argos, Amazon and other retailers for £269.99. If you buy from Shark, you'll have the option to choose between the original Blue Frost colorway (which you'll see in the photos in this article) or a new Lilac Chill option.
for £299.99 you can buy it as a bundle from Shark with a charging stand, but it's not a necessary add-on.
The CryoGlow offers skincare settings that use red light therapy to fade signs of aging and blue light therapy for treating blemishes.
It also has a nifty add-on: “Insta-Chill” under-eye cooling pads to de-puff and revive your eyes. If you buy disposable under eye patches regularly and can switch to CryoGlow instead, it will pay off to some extent.
I'm currently testing the CryoGlow and have been using it for over three weeks. Since you have to use the light therapy settings for 4-8 weeks to see results, I can't comment on its effectiveness – although I'm starting to feel like it's making a positive difference to the health of my skin . What I can talk about is what the CryoGlow does, its features and how comfortable it is to use.
The design and characteristics of the CryoGlow mask
The mask comes beautifully packaged, with fully recyclable card inserts to house its accessories, which include a white satin dust bag, charging plug and cable, and two clip-on cooling pads. Cooling pads can be placed over those attached inside the mask to help you get a better fit. There's even a pocket inside the dust bag to store cooling pads and charger.
This face will haunt my dreams
I found the mask more comfortable without the extra pads, but the CryoGlow fit my partner better, so you may need to experiment. The mask comes with a user guide that will help you adjust the fit correctly.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The CryoGlow is durable and well made. I wouldn't recommend dropping it, but it's not a fragile device. It has a rigid construction, rather than flexible like some masks do.
Generally, light therapy masks tend to look strange, but the CryoGlow has a cheerful expression that alleviates this somewhat. However, I had mixed reactions to the photos I sent to my friends (“this is SO scary”, “this face is going to haunt my dreams” on one hand, and “these masks are supposed to be awesome!” » on the other). .
The mask is attached by a cable to a remote control with a color screen that you navigate using two buttons and a dial. Its intuitive menu lets you choose between routines and track your progress.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
If you share the mask with another family member, the progress function will not be accurate for you, as there is no way to add separate profiles. Remember to use it every day.
The remote's best feature, however, is an easy-to-read countdown timer that lets you know exactly how much time you have left in a session. This feature is not available on most light therapy masks.
There's also a clip on the back of the remote so you can attach it to your belt and move around while using it.
The CryoGlow is durable and well made
You can also see the remaining battery life in the corner of the remote's screen. I estimate that you would need to recharge it every four days or so if you use it daily with under-eye cooling, although you could get up to a week of use, depending on which setting you use most often. Charging takes approximately three hours.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The mask itself weighs 530g (not including the cable and remote), which is a little more than a can and a half of Coke. Inside are 160 three-wick LEDs, designed to cover every part of your face. They are covered with a layer of transparent plastic, which makes the inside of the mask perfectly smooth.
There is soft, squishy padding around the eyes and on the forehead. Not only does this make the mask more comfortable, but it also keeps it at the right distance from your skin for the LEDs to be effective.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Under the eyes are hard metal pads for under-eye cooling. I'll explain this feature a little more later, but keep in mind that this means the light from the LEDs can't reach the under-eye area, so it won't benefit.
The mask is secured to your head with wide, adjustable straps that go over the top of your head and down the sides.
I found it comfortable to use while seated and not too heavy. I found it less comfortable to lie down as the under eye pads pressed too hard on the bone under my eyes. But the routines are not long and you can sit and read or relax while you use it.
CryoGlow Routines
There are four routines to choose from:
- Under-eye reviver (5-15 minutes)
- Blemish Repair (8 minutes) – for textured, uneven skin and blemishes
- Better Aging (6 minutes) – to plump skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Skin sustain (4 minutes) – a maintenance routine
Using the mask is not painful or uncomfortable, but you may want to close your eyes when using the “aging better” routine because the red LEDs are. bright. By the way, if you take your mask off while you're using it, the lights inside will dim so you won't be temporarily blinded, which is a really good idea.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
After wearing the mask, I had some slight pressure marks on my forehead, but these disappeared within a few minutes. When you're finished with the mask, simply wipe the inside with a damp cloth and store it safely in its dust bag.
The reviving routine under the eyes
I will continue to use CryoGlow daily and report any changes in my skin condition. But in the meantime, there is one parameter that I can review in its entirety, namely the resuscitation routine under the eyes. It works like cooling gel pads that you might put in the fridge.
This setting is not offered by most competing masks. You can use it alone or using one of the other routines. The under-eye pads always feel cool to the touch, but once the setting is turned on, they cool instantly. Shark achieved this rapid cooling by using a mixture of the Peltier effect (which uses an electric current to cool the metal pad) and fans. There are three cool settings and they are genuinely, surprisingly cool – but I didn't find even the strongest setting uncomfortable.
I will definitely use the CryoGlow instead of stocking up on under eye patches
Keep in mind that if you use this setting, the fans will start – with fan noise – meaning the CryoGlow will not be quiet when in use as it is when using the CryoGlow alone. one of the light therapy parameters.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
I tend to use under eye patches in the morning to wake up the face and I really enjoyed the under eye cooling.
When you remove the mask, the smoothing effect under the eyes is instantly noticeable. I will definitely use this instead of stocking up on under eye patches. The only problem is the temptation to overuse it. Shark says you should only use the CryoGlow one session per day.
Where can you buy Shark CryoGlow?
As of today, the CryoGlow is available to purchase in the UK, but it is not yet available in the US. It's priced at £269.99, making it an expensive purchase – but light therapy masks are expensive devices in general and the CryoGlow is a reasonable buy given its high-quality build and features.
You can get one from Shark, John Lewis, Boots, Argos, Amazon and other retailers.
Should we go there?
I can't tell you yet how well the CryoGlow works. But I can say that it's a very well-designed and durable beauty device, with easy-to-use settings and well-thought-out features. It's sure to be on many Christmas gift lists this year, and rightly so. If you want to try a light therapy mask, here's how to do it.
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