As I age I’ve become more aware of the effects of aging on the skin especially when it comes to wrinkles. This year I turned 34 and although I still have pretty good skin, I’ve started to notice wrinkles and creases form on my forehead develop, mainly from me making weird facial expressions that have caused creases over time. The good news is that the wrinkles aren’t too bad yet. As I transitioned from my late 20’s to 30’s I noticed many of my friends the same age explore and try various treatments and procedures such as Botox, fillers, lip injections etc. I’ve seen some great results in my fellow girl friends but for me I get super scared with anything invasive so I’ve been more of an observer from afar.
I’ve been introduced to a few facial devices this year, one I’ve been trying over the past month is the NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device ($199). This is a microcurrent device that is FDA-approved designed to give the face lift and contour and takes 5 minutes to use. I did a lot of research online before I testing it on my own face. I read dozens of reviews and watched several videos to learn more about the NuFACE brand and micro-current technology.
The NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device is a smaller petite version of the NuFACE Trinity Device. I really like the size of the mini. It fits easily into the hand and works well for my face size. There device comes with a charger and a 2 oz tube of the Gel Primer which helps conduct microcurrents from the device to your face. The initial charging for the mini is 16 hours so you can’t use it right away straight out of the box.
So first up are the basics: what is NuFACE and what do microcurrents do? I will say up front that I have no scientific expertise or background on microcurrents. Everything in this review is based on what I’ve read and watched. If you have any information to add, please do so in the comments. The NuFACE devices are described as follows:
“The NuFACE mini is a natural, noninvasive, anti-aging solution perfect for travel and for those looking for that first step into microcurrent treatments. This petite, portable microcurrent facial toning device is FDA-cleared for facial stimulation and gently works to stimulate the larger surface areas of the face to provide a five-minute facial lift. As we age, our body’s natural current begins to slow down (just like our metabolism), leading to sagging skin, loss of contour and wrinkles. Microcurrent mimics this natural current and goes beyond skin deep to tone facial muscles while improving contour and skin tone, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”
In watching a number of videos and reading a few articles about this, microcurrents in the NuFACE device are low level currents that help stimulate muscles under the skin and help lift, tone and contour the facial tissues. It’s described as a mini workout for your facial muscles, many of which aren’t used a lot over time like other muscles which causes sagging. It works from the bottom of the skin layers up to lift up tissue in a gentle non-invasive way.
In addition clinical studies and research from NuFACE have shown microcurrent help stimulate ATP production, which is supposed to help stimulate structural proteins, such as collagen and elastin. More on microcurrent technology here.
The NuFACE mini is super easy to use. Simply press the power button in the middle and the device will light up. You can control the intensity of microcurrents to light, medium or intense. I have super sensitive skin and found the lightest setting sufficient. The medium setting felt a little zappy.
Close ups of the device below:
To use the device, it’s recommended you use it on your face in sections. I’ve done mine in three sections, right half, left half, then forehead area, although my main focus has been on my forehead. It’s recommended you use once a day although to start I’ve been using it 2-3x per week. You first clean the face with an oil-free cleanser to allow microcurrents to penetrate the skin. Oils can block the microcurrents. Then apply the Gel Primer over the section of the face you want to lift. I found that a thick and generous layer is needed. It helps the device glide over the skin, if you don’t have enough on, it will stick to your skin.
A closeup of the Priming Gel applied on my hand so you can see what the consistency looks like:
In testing it over the past 30+ days I found it really does work. My first use took around 10 minutes because of my personal learning curve, but you can complete the treatment over the entire face in 5 minutes. After the first couple uses with the lowest setting the face feels noticeably firmer along the cheeks and especially on the forehead. I have been using this mostly on my forehead because I thought I would see the most results there. The forehead area is lifted and I can feel it especially along the brow areas. Skin is firmer and smoother. Wrinkles and fine lines are less visible. The effects are temporary but skin is supposed to improve over time with regular use.
A couple things to note, the device is not recommended for use on the neck (use it on the face only). It’s also recommended you don’t over-use it, limit to 1x per day. For quick reference, two other resources I found really helpful. YouTuber uppiesbeads59 has a good NuFace Demonstration. There is also a great in depth review with lots of helpful reader comments and insights on Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog. Do note they tested different versions (mine is the mini) but both offer really good information about NuFACE and the effects of the device.
Overall I give this a thumbs up. It’s one of my first steps towards anti-aging devices and treatments aside from regular skincare, serums and masks. I don’t know that I will ever be brave enough to try Botox or other treatments – I suspect it might be a matter of time. If you would like to share any stories about your experiences I’m all ears. For now I’m thrilled I found something to help give my face some help with lift and contour without having something invasive or pokey. I am going to continue using it on my forehead on a regular basis. I use it 2-3 times per week in the mornings. Let me know if you want a 2-3 month update!
The NuFACE team has been kind enough to offer one mini to giveaway. It’s open to all US readers 18 years or older. Simply enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.
Have you tried anything from NuFACE before? If so, what have you tried and what were your thoughts? If not, do you own any other facial tech devices that you use on a regular basis?
You can find the NuFACE mini Facial Toning Device for $199 in stores and online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Space NK, Neiman Marcus, Amazon.com and Mynuface.com. Standard color is the white and silver/gray. There is a Chic Black version (limited edition) available for the holidays in celebration of the brand’s 10th anniversary.
The NuFACE mini was sent as a press sample for review consideration. Device for giveaway also provided by the PR team. This post was not sponsored. As always, all opinions my own.
I have never tried NuFACE but I have read a lot about their products and would love to try NuFACE out!
I haven't used the new face but I've used the opal and love it. It makes my tired eyes feel less stress though it's only for the eye area and to be used with eye cream. I was hoping that the NuFace was similar only more for the muscle tone. I watched your video and love the demonstration.
I wonder why you can't use it on the neck! I could use this around my brow area as it's starting to look a little saggy in my mid 30's.
I'm not entirely sure about the neck! But I definitely feel a lift in the brow area!
can you use nuface on the brow area
the thyroid is in the neck area. I've read posts from userers who've said it stimulated their thyroid causing some issues. But im not sure if those were unfounded. Either way, I would heed the FDA approval
This sounds really interesting! I'm always keen to try new things.
Kirstie | Kirstie Pickering
It is indeed interesting! I was nervous to try it but was pleasantly surprised in a good way!
I have been thinking about this for awhile, especially as a gift for my mother who would like to get rid of some wrinkles or at least lessen the look. Maybe I'll invest for both of us!
Definitely keep it on the list, there will for sure be deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday!
I would not think devices like these are FDA approved. They are at most FDA cleared which means these devices will not kill you! But the FDA does not approve them beyond basic safety (they won't electrocute you) and there is no approval of any claims or efficiency.
I've used NuFace for years. It is not a wrinkle removing device per se. It softens the look of wrinkles caused by sagging. It tones the muscles underlying the skin which is what gives a modest lift. It does work, but you have to be dedicated to using it otherwise you'll lose tone just the same as with any muscles. I originally used it every day for six weeks and then was able to reduce use to every other day which is my sweet spot for maintaining results. Doing the entire face only takes a few minutes so it fits into my routine quite easily. The gel NuFace sells is ridiculously over-priced. I purchase a package of three large tubes of connectivity gel off Amazon for a fraction of the price. It's the same stuff used in spas and by dermatologists and actually works a bit better than the gel by NuFace. Also, because it is much cheaper, you'll be more likely to use the correct amount. That's important because if the device comes into contact with skin that isn't covered by gel, you'll feel a zap. Some people use pur aloe gel and say that works, too. Apply the gel to clean damp skin, use the device, remove the gel with a warm washcloth. Simplicity itself!
Thank you Eileen! Do you mind providing the name of the gel or adding a link? Always great to read about your testing experience and thoughts 🙂