I’m not a facial-device person. I’ve tried many in my years as a beauty journalist, but they’ve always seemed cumbersome or hyper-focused on one treatment. Plus, most require free hands and free time — two things an overscheduled multitasker like me doesn’t have. But when I heard Shark Beauty™ was getting in on the gadget game with a med-spa-inspired treatment mask, I was intrigued. The Shark® FlexFusion™ Multi-Styler is already my favorite hair tool, so I figured if any company would be able to engineer its way into my cold, skeptical, device-doubting heart, it would be them.
I was right. The Shark™ CryoGlow™ Under-Eye Cooling + LED Anti-Aging & Skin Clearing Face Mask is hands-free, treats skin in just minutes, and has been clinically tested to reduce fine lines and acne — all while visibly tightening under-eyes with cooling treatment pads. Talk about multitasking!
“My husband says I look like a superhero," says Allure contributor Jennifer Sullivan.
My trial began the morning after a decadent Valentine’s Day dinner, when I woke up in dire need of facial rejuvenation and with zero interest in product assembly. Luckily, when I opened the CryoGlow Face Mask box, there was no learning curve whatsoever. I charged the mask with the included cable, slid its stretchy straps over my head, checked that the under-eye pads were in contact with my skin, and pressed the power button on the attached controller. (The box also includes optional, clip-on chill pads to snap over the existing under-eye pads if you need a snugger fit, which I didn’t.)
The only decision to make was which treatment I wanted. The options: Better Aging, a six-minute regimen that would bathe my skin in red and infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) aimed at minimizing fine lines and firming skin; Skin Clearing, an eight-minute treatment that targets acne on and below skin’s surface with blue, red, and infrared LEDs; or Skin Sustain, a four-minute session designed to maintain results. All the LED-based regimens include an under-eye cooling treatment, or you can skip the LED altogether and just chill with Under-Eye Revive (an adjustable five- to 15-minute treatment that helps visibly tighten under-eyes with three temperature-controlled levels).
Under-Eye Revive Treatment Mode on the Shark™ CryoGlow™ Mask.
I selected the Better Aging regimen, and my mask whirred to life; the fans that power the InstaChill technology sound like a soothing white-noise machine. The LEDs glowed red, and the pads under my eyes immediately felt cool, which was exactly what I needed. I turned the chill level up to its highest setting and got back in bed to contemplate the thrill of a dermatologists-tested LED treatment at home.
The thing is, I know LED therapy works because I’ve been writing about it for years. Dermatologists use different wavelengths of light to stimulate different cellular processes in skin, targeting concerns like acne (typically with blue light, which has wavelengths around 415 nanometers) and signs of aging (usually with red light, around 630 nanometers). Add in infrared light, as the CryoGlow mask does, and the energy penetrates deeper into skin.
Was I thinking about all that as the mask worked its magic? Um, no. I just enjoyed the glow and cooling sensation under my eyes. When the treatment was done, I glanced in the mirror and was surprised to see a fresher version of myself staring back. Logically I knew the anti-aging benefits would take time (in a clinical study, participants reported firmer skin and improvements to fine lines at 8 weeks*), but I wanted to keep going for the under-eye benefits alone.
Jennifer with her Shark™ CryoGlow™ Mask.
I had a pimple when I first used the mask, so I did the Skin Clearing treatment every evening. Within a week, the pimple had faded. And two weeks after that (three weeks into treatment), I noticed another change: My skin was less red. This was an exciting development because the redness had always bothered me, regardless of whether or not I happened to have a pimple.
Now, I’m at the eight-week mark, and I’m doing the Skin Clearing regimen every night before bed. The mask’s eye openings are wide enough that I can easily walk around and do chores or watch TV while I’m wearing it, but I usually just lay in bed and read. (FWIW, my husband thinks these evening spa sessions are very cool; he says I look like a sexy superhero.) My skin is less red than before I started using the mask, and I haven’t gotten any new pimples or bumps. On mornings I wake up looking a little congested or droopy, I’ll also pop on the mask for a quick Under-Eye Revive treatment (and usually, five minutes is enough).
Altogether, I’m thrilled with the results and plan to switch over to the Better Aging treatment next, because I want all those collagen-boosting, skin smoothing benefits, too. I guess I am a facial device person after all — it just took the right device to convince me.
*Results from 12-week clinical study with 60 subjects and 1x/day use in Better Aging treatment mode. Individual results may vary.
