"My Face Looks Lifted After 5 Minutes": The 21 Skincare Tools With Big Results

If you've ever wondered which high-performing skincare tools Who What Wear beauty editors rave about in our group chat, you're in luck! The five of us have finally pulled together a list of our top contenders from our favorite beauty brands that have provided noticeable, long-lasting results worth of five-star reviews to help you land on the best tools. Whether you're a beauty novice just starting on your skincare journey without a tool in the toolbox or have a growing collection of products for all of your skincare concerns and goals, there'll be something here for you.

Below, we're spilling our favorite microcurrent, LED, cryotherapy, gua sha, and massage tools; helpful guidance from aestheticians Jillian Wright and Kristen May Lee; and glowing five-star reviews from the happy customers who've gotten their hands on them (plus some tips and tricks for smart shopping habits).

The Best Skincare Tools, Listed

• Best Microcurrent Tool: Ziip Beauty Halo
• Best LED Tool: CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 2
• Best Gua Sha Tool: Retrouvé x Ställe Gua Sha
• Best Massage Tool: Joanna Czech The Facial Massager
• Best Cryotherapy Tool: The Skinny Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller

Beauty editor Kaitlin McLintock showcases CurrentBody's Series 2 LED Light Therapy Mask and Wildling's Empress Wand.

Best LED Light Therapy Tools

Are you wondering if adding LED light therapy to your skincare routine will make a noticeable difference in its feel and appearance? We tapped NYC-based master aesthetician and educator Jillian Wright to learn about everything to consider before making the investment. "I find that at-home LED light therapy is very effective, especially in between professional treatments. But regardless, including red and or blue light into your home care helps minimize premature aging," Wright explains. "It's best done on clean skin. You can also use a water-based brightening serum or clarifying serum with the light. If you do get professional treatments, LED extends the life of your facial."

Onda Beauty lead aesthetician Kristen May Lee echoes Wright's adoration for LED light therapy, and her favorite tool is Monastery's Deep Red LED Mask ($700) for at-home use. "My favorite thing about red LED is that increases ATP wherever it hits. This is this cellular energy [that] helps collagen and elastin synthesis thrive," says Lee. "This mask is incredibly calming on the nervous system. After 20 minutes with it on my face, I'm a new person with a glowier complexion." Other forms of light therapy (such as blue light and green light therapy) aim to stimulate different skin concerns.

Best Microcurrent Tools

If you were wondering which microcurrent devices aestheticians and beauty editors love, we've got you covered. Lee's favorite microcurrent tool is the Ziip Beauty Halo. "Its gentle currents are relaxing, and the app makes it a user-friendly experience if you aren't well-versed in this technology," she says. These tools stimulate facial muscles and produce gentle contractions using low-voltage electric currents to firm muscle tone. While they tend to work the best for people who've already established their skincare routines, they're generally tolerable for all skin types. However, they should be avoided by those who are pregnant or have electrical implants such as pacemakers.

Associate beauty editor Maya Thomas showcasing NuFace's Fix MicroWand, Althaea's C·A·R·A Multi-Modal Tool Kit, and Cecily Braden's Lymphatic Brush Set.

Best Gua Sha Tools

When it comes to promoting your skin's lymphatic-drainage process, using the right tools can be a game-changer for thoroughly detoxifying the skin, reducing swelling, and enhancing circulation. In fact, Wright recently began incorporating facial cupping (an alternative therapy that uses suction cups to stimulate your skin and muscles) for lymphatic drainage in her custom facials. "I do this after the face massage as the face oil is still on the skin. It's very easy and quick to do and will give you de-puffing benefits at home," she says.

Best Massage Tools

If your goal is to define your features over time, get your hands on a facial massager that can get the job done. Wright prefers using a facial roller (an easy-to-use tool that promotes circulation while targeting puffiness and rough skin texture) as part of her well-rounded beauty routine. "Every morning with my coffee, I take the roller and roll it over my eyes and face, which also helps with inflammation and deep puffing," says Wright. Other variations of facial massagers are more modern takes of gua sha lymphatic-drainage brushes, and de-puffing wands.

Lee's favorite tool for lymphatic drainage is Cecily Braden's Lymphatic Brush ($78). "It's revolutionary in the dry-brush arena! It can be tricky to use, but when you get the technique down, it can really literally sweep away inflammation," says Lee. For individuals hoping to incorporate it into the rest of their skincare routine, she advises combining the Lymphatic Brush with a gua sha since "the brush takes or the lymph, and the stone tends to the fascia." The fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, and more.

Senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider with the Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask and NuFace Fix MicroWand.

Best Cryotherapy Tools

Perhaps one of the most recognizable and widely distributed tools we've tested are cryotherapy tools (also popularly known as cold therapy). While the designs and price points of these tools range from drugstore to luxury, they help reduce inflammation of the skin as well as offering many other internal and external health benefits. "Whether you had a salty meal the night before or after you've done some recent traveling, a cold or cryoroller or stick gives amazing benefits to the skin. If you wanna take it one step further, try face-dunking [in] ice water followed by a firming mask or LED light," Wright says.

While it's not designed to be solely a cryotherapy tool, Lee favors the Lyma Laser ($2695) for its effective cold laser infrared technology. "If one has the time commitment of 15 minutes a day to really utilize this, the results are unmatched," she says. The cold-grade laser smooths the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, scars, pigmentation, and more for revitalizing effects to the complexion in just three minutes for all skin tones.

Choosing a Skincare Tool

Now that you have beauty tool recommendations from three of our editors to give you a place to start while revamping your skincare journey, let's dive into some of the nitty-gritty details. As you may have noticed, every skincare tool is made differently and designed to target specific problem areas while working to enhance the best parts of your complexion. By using a skincare tool the right way, whether it's a facial roller created from natural stones or a high-tech LED mask, the end result will be healthy skin. It should also be noted, however, that each tool takes consistency and dedication.

It's really easy to be on the lookout for instant results (we've all been there), but sticking with a routine will make the biggest difference in how your skin looks and feels. While landing on the right tool for the job can seem daunting, rest in the knowledge that they're supposed to make your skincare routine easier. When shopping for a skincare tool, consider what you want to get out of using it and why. Is your goal to consistently tone your face for defined cheekbones? Are you looking to support the lymphatic drainage system?

In addition to having seemingly endless options for skincare tools available on the market, there are also varying price points. If you've been on the hunt for a tool that can further supplement your skincare routine with the help of products such as activator or cooling gel, consider snagging the quick-and-easy NuFace Trinity+ Starter Kit ($395). If you, like me, are looking for a skincare tool that can be added to any routine night or day, perhaps your best match is one that can help you cut down on time by reducing inflammation of the face, like Skin Gym's CryoGel Roller ($18).

#1 At-Home Beauty Device

Out of all the in-home beauty treatments and tools we've tested over the course of our careers, there are few that remain ingrained in our minds. For Who What Wear's beauty team, Joanna Czech's Facial Massager ($189) completely won us over. In addition to supporting lymphatic drainage, this tool promotes product absorption, combats dull and fatigued skin, and decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If that weren't already enough, it also soothes and invigorates the skin with its gentle rolling motion.

That's right—one of the simplest, most low-tech beauty tools on this list is our go-to at the moment. However, we've also been obsessed with NuFace's Fix MicroWand for targeting fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness around the eyes, lips, and mouth. It's also the perfect size to tuck into your bag for on-the-go touch-ups wherever you need (meaning, you can do your well-rounded skincare routine as you're heading out the door). It's that simple!

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