I'm a Beauty Editor and These are the Best Skin Care Tech Devices of All Damn Time (2024)

Facial cleansing brushes, such as the Foreo Luna 4, are like electric toothbrushes for skin. Sure, our hands can get the job done, but sonic pulses help get into our pores to eliminate dirt, oil, and grime that leads to acne.

I honestly can't recall why I stopped using it, but I notice a real difference in my skin clarity and tone whenever I stick to using a Foreo Luna. And now that Covid numbers are returning (ugh, the absolute worst!), masking up is once again highly encouraged. But with prudent mask-wearing comes maskne, aka those annoying breakouts on areas our masks cover up.

The Luna helps keep skin clean and prevents new gunk, like dirt and oil, from ruining your beautiful complexion. I certainly saw a significant difference and eliminated my breakouts when I paired this cleanser with a face wash for oily skin and swapped out my pillowcases more frequently.

Made from antibacterial silicone, this smart beauty tool is Bluetooth-capable and can be controlled with the Foreo app. There are several speed and intensity timers and a gentle ribbed side for a quick face massage.

More: These Beauty Editor-Approved Microcurrent Machines are Like a HIIT Workout for Your Face

Why settle for a regular steamer when you can utilize an elite one created by NYC's favorite dermatologist, Dr. Dennis Gross, M.D.?

If you're like me, you first heard about his Best Tested peel pads by watching Oprah and reading women's magazines in the 2000s. This newer innovation from the brand is the best-looking and most functional face steamer out there that I've tried.

The portable device features a handle so I can do my skincare in the bathroom or from the comfort of my bed when the mood strikes. It's lightweight and equipped with a 5-foot-long extension cord, so I don't need to contort my face or body to be near the spout.

The white-and-orange skincare tech tool emits micro-steam to hydrate and purify skin during each 9-minute session. When my nose is stuffy, I'll also power up this handy tool and take deep breaths to help loosen up mucus, like a makeshift nebulizer. It's not the brand's original intent, but it's an incredible hack if you have seasonal allergies like me.

Back to my skin — it looks dewier and feels softer whenever I use this tool. It also helps open up my pores before I use pore strips or a clay face mask, so the ingredients can do their thing and eliminate my blackheads more effectively.

I'm obsessed with LED devices like red light therapy tools and LED face masks, and I have paid an obscene amount of money to get professional LED facials. I've tried dozens of LED light therapy tools and devices, but if I could use only one, it would be the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask.

The anti-aging red light emitting diodes (LED) are pain-free and don't cause any weird skin irritations, meaning you can confidently use this tool before a milestone event like a wedding. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Erum Ilyas, M.D., previously told me that red light therapy helps plump up fine lines and wrinkles, treats acne, promotes wound healing, and even aids hair regrowth.

This award-winning tool includes an easy-to-use control center, a long-lasting battery, four plugs to use the device abroad, and a convenient protective travel bag.

I'm not the only fan of this particular skin care tech tool. Celebrities like Halle Berry, Amal Clooney, Carrie Mulligan, Gal Gadot, Renee Zellweger, and Kaley Cuoco have all prepped for red-carpet events like the Oscars with this nifty device.

Acne is the worst. No matter how diligent I am about using high-grade skincare products and treatments, zits happen and will likely happen to you or someone you care about. This skincare wonder is an excellent product for targeting pesky breakouts that just won't give up.

Celebrity esthetician Taylor Worden previously told me high-frequency wands also help minimize the look of pores and bring circulation and oxygen to the face to help with fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. She added that the ones equipped with a comb-like head, such as this one from Stacked Skincare, can even help stimulate hair growth.

Worden and I are both fans of this device and agree that the easy-to-use skincare tech tool is great for beginners and novices alike. After removing all metal jewelry on my head and neck and cleansing my face, I apply a piece of gauze and glide this high-frequency wand across my skin, focusing on areas that need it the most. I start with the larger tool for my forehead and cheeks, then swap out to the smaller attachment for around my nose.

There's a lot of social media noise regarding gua sha tools and techniques. Skip the BS and go for the best in the game, created by Sandra Lanshin Chiu, a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and founder of Lanshin.

I knew of the brand and ardently follow Lanshin's TikTok and Instagram pages, where she posts insightful, bite-sized tutorials and commentary. After stumbling upon an old video of Lizzo doing a duet with her, I needed to secure my own Lanshin gua sha tool ASAP.

Facial gua sha has roots in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), where practitioners use light-to-medium application on larger areas and feather-light pressure around the eyes. This is done to boost blood circulation and move fluids and qi in the skin and underlying tissue.

Gua sha offers many cosmetic benefits, including reducing puffiness, softening lines, minimizing sagging, sculpting and lifting, and helping acne heal faster. In our guide to gua sha tools, Chiu said this technique can help release tension and knots and relieve TMJ, headaches, seasonal allergies, and sinus congestion.

Lanshin advises massaging in a facial mist followed by a facial oil suited for your skin type before using any gua sha tool to help the latter glide seamlessly across your face.

I'll be honest that I don't gua sha as often as I should, but my skin is noticeably prettier in the short and long term whenever I use this skincare tool. So, if you need to disguise a hangover (or general lack of sleep and puffiness), this is a fantastic product to add to your beauty arsenal.

If I were an LA-based celebrity, I’d take a page from Shay Mitchell and Jessica Alba's books and secure an appointment at Shandi Darden’s spa. Since I’m based in NYC and don’t have a celeb’s bank account (boo!), I’ll stick to making a one-time investment in her Facial Sculpting Wand for a regular star treatment at home.

So why is this one of my favorite skincare tech devices? OK: Let me put you onto this ergonomically designed device that utilizes sound wave therapy (aka vibrations) to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It also promises to boost circulation in the face for an added youthful effect.

I’m a younger millennial, so I don’t have wrinkles (yet), but I do have smile lines, and my 11 lines are starting to become more prominent as well — big yikes. After prepping my skin with the conductive gel (or thick face cream for slip if I do run out of gel), I use the flat disc attachment to treat larger areas like my forehead, cheeks, and neck, then swap out for the precision ball attachment to target hard-to-reach spots like my eye area.

After sporadically using the tool a handful of times, I noticed my smile and 11 lines were less visible in the following days. As you can imagine, I was surprised my skin looked better, and I knew it was a sign to continue incorporating the treatment into my routine.

You’ll also experience a more youthful lift and tone with continued use. And let’s be real: Who doesn’t want their facial lines to plump up? It’s no wonder Darden always includes this 10-minute vibration treatment during her signature facials.

Since I needed to give my skin a little breather from testing dozens of other beauty skincare tech tools, our senior digital art director, Bridget Clegg, tried this bougie laser that has taken over our social media feeds. She possesses a wonderful passion for clean skincare and testing beauty devices, including the SolaWave.

“After hearing the raves on [the] Poog podcast, I’ve been excited to try this powerful at-home laser device. I’ve been applying the brand’s facial mist and Glide product, then moving it slowly around my face and neckline for about 15 minutes in the mornings, stopping in spots with more fine lines for a longer hold. The laser feels like a sturdy flashlight in your hand, and you don’t feel any heat or hear any buzzing as you use it,” explains Clegg.

Notably, she has sensitive skin and uses topical retinol, so potential redness and irritation are understandable concerns of hers. “After one week of testing, the only immediate reaction I’ve noticed is that my skin releases a little heat, like [how] a minor sunburn feels, when I’m washing off the Glide product after use,” she says.

Lyma recommends using it consistently for 12 weeks for the most visible results. The FDA-cleared at-home laser minimizes hyperpigmentation, scars, acne, and signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines, with zero downtime. During our next refresh, we’ll update this story with more of Clegg’s feedback after she wraps up her 3 months of use.