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What the red, white and blue lights actually do.
We've all seen the Hannibal Lecter-esque light-up masks on Instagram but do we actually know what they are and how they work? Not so much.
We'll level with you, they're not just creepy looking masks, but actually the secret to giving acne-prone and dull skin a good old glow boost. Still not with us? We caught up with Kate Moss and Sienna Miller's go-to facialist, Teresa Tarmey, plus skincare expert Natali Kelly and facial aesthetics doctor, Dr Nina Bal, to give us the pro lowdown on all things light therapy and LED skin treatments.
Whether you're going in-salon or trying it at home, here's everything you need to know about light therapy for your skin...
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'Dermalux™ LED Phototherapy is a non-invasive hand and facial treatment that uses narrow band, non-thermal LED light energy to trigger your body’s natural cell processes to accelerate rejuvenation and repair of the skin,' explains Tarmey. 'It’s recommended for skin rejuvenation, sun damage, acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, sensitive and inflammatory conditions, wound healing and scarring as well as anyone looking to restore skin’s radiance.'
LED Light Therapy is great in every single facial to calm any areas of irritation and it’s also brilliant at brightening the skin.
When used consistently, over time, LED lights are thought to penetrate your skin at different depths and cause various reactions in your skin, such as fighting acne-causing bacteria, plumping skin and reducing wrinkles.
'A course of treatments offers corrective and long-lasting results, although you’ll be able to see a difference after the first session. Light therapy is also particularly calming, so you’ll leave feeling refreshed,' says Tarmey.
'Light therapy for the skin can speed up wound healing and improve skin conditions such as rosacea or dermatitis,' explains Dr Nina Bal. 'It’s also used to improve acne and as anti-ageing device.'
LED Light Therapy uses colour wavelengths of visible light which have specific skin benefits. As a result of ageing, skin disorders or trauma, healthy skin cells are compromised and unable to renew themselves normally.
'The skin uses the light as a source of energy to fuel the repair and rejuvenation of damaged cells, or, in the case of treating acne, kill bacteria,' reveals Tarmey. 'The energy stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, boosts circulation and accelerates tissue repair. During the treatment, you’ll simply lie underneath a light screen while the device does all the work.
'We use LED in every single facial. We start with the cleaning of the skin which includes a Lactic brightening peel and extractions if needed. We then go onto the advanced side of the facial and finish with a full session (20 minutes) of LED.
If someone is coming only for LED we clean the skin, then apply LED and SPF to finish.'
This is a powerful antibacterial properties for the treatment of acne without irritation, reduces oil production, prevents future breakout and offers a UV-free alternative for the treatment of eczema and psoriasis.
This increases natural hydration levels, reduced redness and inflammation, shrinks the appearance of pores, regulates oil production, improves circulation, accelerates skin repair as is a medically-approved treatment for rosacea.
This is the most deeply absorbed wavelength, it increases cell permeability and absorption, smooths lines and wrinkles, improves elasticity, reduces pain and inflammation, accelerates wound healing and heals cystic acne.
'Stay away from the sun for 48 hours and apply SPF,' advises Dr Nina Bal.'You can take an anti-inflammatory in case of swelling and redness (rarely needed), or apply cold packs.'
'You can see results from the first treatment, however we would recommend a minimum course of six,' explains Kelly. 'If you would like to super charge your skin for specific skin concerns, an intensive course of twelve treatments is advised close together.'
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Light therapy is good for all skin types, literally everyone, and incredible for rosacea.
No, LED light therapy is completely non-invasive and does not hurt. All you'll feel is a tiny bit of warmth.
Nope! Light Therapy doesn't use UV light so there's no risk of tanning whatsoever.
'In clinic we offer Dermalux at £70, including skin consultation and assessment in a private treatment room with a heated bed and cosy duvet,' says Kelly. 'We also advise light therapy after most of our facials, which is a £50 add on.'
We're not being dramatic when we say these unassuming looking facial pads have levelled up our cleansing game forever. The super soft pads are genius in that they're able to remove everyday dirt, grime and even stubborn make-up -yep, waterproof mascara too- with just a bit of water. There goes your last excuse for using make-up wipes at festivals.
Simple and effective, a muslin cloth should be a staple of every cleansing routine, the reason being it makes sure no stray bit of dirt or make-up gets left behind from your cleanse. Plus, muslin cloths are a solid option for sensitive skin types who might find electrical tools a bit too full on.
Okay, yes, the tri-pad on this cleansing brush does kind of remind us of the demogorgon from Stranger Things (just us?), but we promise the results will turn your world upside down. The vibrating silicon bristles help to dislodge stubborn debris and the built-in LED lights offer three settings to target different skin complaints.
The key to getting your lipstick to look its best starts with a smooth canvas. Enter BeautyBay's Lip Exfoliators, mini-sized silicon brushes that gently slough away dead skin cells and leave you with a polished pout.
Ok this might be called a cleansing 'pad' but... it has bristles, so we're claiming it. The soft silicone is gentle on the skin and easy to clean, hugging the contours of your skin to give a thorough cleanse and exfoliation. Great for travel too.
The high-street is smashing the beauty game at the moment, and although H&M isn't famous for it yet, this brush - a steal at less that £10 - has caught our attention. Soft and dual sided, we actually quite like that it's manual as you have full control over the pressure.
Foreo has a wide choice of cleansing brushes, but this might be our favourite. It's basically a robot for your skin: it cleanses with 8 thermal touch points, massages, and delivers micro-pulsations to work deep into the skin. Paired with the app, you get a personalised regime too.
It may look uninteresting, but a Konjac Sponge could revolutionise your cleansing routine. Soaked in water, the hard sponge softens to create a bouncy, softly exfoliating tool that you can wipe over every nook and cranny of the face. Naturally moisturising, it won't leave skin parched after either.
The Body Shop has a whole host of tools to make your skincare products go further and your glow grow stronger. This buffer - gentle enough to not damage skin but textured enough to slough away dead skin and grime - is a favourite.
It might look like a stray piece of wrapping ribbon, but this specially sourced silk is actually designed to gently polish your face, post cleanse. Using a flossing motion, glide it over the face, neck and decolletage for silky smooth skin (we had to, sorry).
This face brush might look low-tech but its results are more than impressive. Use to gently buff away dull and dead skin cells with the 100% natural goat hair bristles. Consider your skin tone, circulation and biceps improved.
The name might sound scary, but trust us facialist to the stars Nurse Jamie knows what she's doing. With three different settings you can choose to simply clean your skin in 'Cleanse' mode, unclog pores and remove blackheads with the 'Extract' mode, or gently exfoliate to allow your skincare to work harder in the 'Enhance' mode.
The ideal travel buddy, this portable cleansing brush has a variety of intensity settings, perfect for those with sensitive skin who end up blotchy and red if too aggravated. If you're cautious about overusing your cleansing brush, this nifty device has an alert setting that sounds our after 20 seconds which tells you when you need to move to a new area of skin. If only our alarm clocks worked as well...
Probably the sleekest-looking cleansing brush you ever did see, this lightweight tool gently vibrates to break down even the cakey-ist of foundations. You can even use it on clean skin to massage in any thick night creams or serums. Pure luxury.
The silicone brush head makes it super easy to clean to help key breakouts at bay.
The fancy skincare products currently lining your bathroom shelf? They're less likely to penetrate your skin if it isn't cleansed properly, making those amazing promised results elusive. Enter Nurse Jamie's savvy silicone Loofah.
It may look a little bit like perler bead art (Google it for a dose of 90s nostalgia) but the clever ridges work a treat to slough away make-up and dead skin cells for brighter skin that absorbs ingredients better. Simply apply cleanser to damp skin like usual and gently massage it over the face.
Believe us when we say that this is a fast-track to immaculate skin. In twenty seconds to a minute, sonic oscillations and pulsed vibrations ensure no pore is left unturned so you can say a big fat see ya to the grime, oil and dead skin cells that often lead to spots. Oh, and another thing: It's 100% waterproof, which means you can take it into the shower with you - YAS.
This manual brush might not look like much but the finely tapered, plush bristles are absolutely brilliant for gently cleansing and exfoliating the skin, especially around the nose and chin where pores tend to get most clogged - and you have ultimate control when using it. Wet the brush head, pour a little cleanser on top and massage it over the your face using circular motions.
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