There's a certain mystique associated with facial tools. They make you feel more skillful, as if you're a skin care professional of sorts, they seriously amp up the level of self-care, and of course, you feel like your routine is overall more efficacious. The best new skin care tools check every single one of those boxes, dishing out spa-level skin without having to step foot out of your home.
"I think that many of us miss our facialists or skin professionals as social distancing has forced us to forgo our favorite beauty appointments even after salons re-opened," Dr. Monika Konczalska, MD Board-certified dermatologist says. "Women are creating salon experiences for themselves at home. Now more than ever we are looking to create moments of relaxation and self-care rituals." She says that technology has gotten better at simulating the professional techniques and efficacy once only available in professional cosmetological procedures. "Even when the pandemic subsides, I believe women will be interested in at home devices to prolong the results of professional services and rely on in between them," she says. "There is also a burgeoning group of consumers drawn to natural alternatives to more invasive treatments such as injectables or surgery."
The most common facial tools, as offered by a growing number of skin care brands are facial rollers. But why? "In a nutshell, a facial massage stimulates your blood circulation, removes excess fluids and toxins causing puffiness, and stimulates cell turn around," Dr. Konczalska says. "Using a facial roller for a few minutes a day offers your skin an immediate increase in oxygen flow which results in a noticeably radiant flush in color." And while many assume that facial massagers are useless, they're actually backed by science. "There are studies that have shown that the mechanical stimulation of the facial massage showed an increase in the content of basic components of dermis including hyaluronic acid, elastin, and type I collagen, and an improvement in the migratory capacity of fibroblasts (cells of the dermis which are of key importance for the proper structure of the skin)." She says that as a result, a significant improvement of different clinical signs associated with skin aging and the satisfaction of the subjects were observed, correlated with an improvement on the treated area.
"One roller can effectively target different areas of the face, like under the eyes, the temples, between the eyebrows, the jawline and any place you hold tension," Rie Iimura, director at ReFa USA tells TZR. "Some people like to use one roller on the entire face, while other people prefer to mix it up, and use one roller for the forehead and another for under the eyes. As long as the tool is designed for facial use, there are no rules. It’s really up to each person to find a rolling routine that works for them. That’s the beauty of a bespoke at-home skincare routine."
When it comes to creating tools, however, the process can be just as in-depth, if not more, than traditional products. "The science behind the effectiveness of facial tools is actually very simple and fascinating," Dr. Konczalska says. "Signs of premature aging, poor skin tone, puffiness or breakouts are related to poor circulation and weak lymphatic system. The purpose of circulatory system is to move blood through the body via heart, blood vessels. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells and also transports waste and carbon dioxide away as part of the detoxification process. These are just a few of the things to consider when creating tools."
Up next, shop the best new facial tools, that are bringing the spa (and the great skin) home.
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