Giving a gadget as a gift? These ones are worth the cash …
Beauty gadgets come and go. And just a few are worth investing in. To justify the price, focus only on the ones that really work, and that are built to last. Just remember that beauty tech, from face brushes to foot spas, are among the most unused Christmas gifts, often discarded in a cupboard before spring.
The most fashionable items aren’t necessarily the best-performing. My teenage daughter tried out a new-fangled heated lash curler, but she was unimpressed with the results, preferring an old favourite, the tried-and-tested Shu Uemura eyelash curler, which has been around for aeons.
For hair, finances and time allowing, we’d always rather have a professional blowdry, but clearly, a great hairdryer and/or styling tool is worth its weight in gold.
Floraison facialist Kakie Taylor-Black’s shared her Bathroom Shelf with us here, and I liked her expert take on gadgets: “Using an LED device has helped me switch off and go to sleep a lot more easily, as well as improving the glow of my skin. The silicone mask by Current Body and hood panel by Celluma are great options for home.”
Here’s our pick of the best beauty gadgets for skin, hair and beyond – these are the ones that will get used, and go the distance:
1 Heated hair tools are top of many gift lists – when you find one that works for you (and that you can handle properly), it’s the next best thing to a salon visit. This year I’ve been using the ghd Duet Style 2-in1 Hot Air Styler (currently €325, was €370, at www.petermark.ie). It’s a hairdrier and straightener in one, with wide plates to make the whole process pretty damn quick, and takes you from wet hair to finished style with ease. I find it quick for drying my hair (which is long but fine), and then easy to switch to the straightening mode for adding a smoothness, shine and even wave to hair, all of which lasts pretty well.
2 There are deals available on Dyson currently, including the Corrale straightener (€350, usually €450). I find this cord-free tool good for creating soft waves, as well as poker-straight hair. At first it feels heavy compared to your usual straighteners, but persevere – you get used to it. See our original review here.
Also, the Supersonic drier (in nickel/copper) is currently at Arnotts for €330 (was €400). Before you buy, try out a friend’s first (or head to Dylan Bradshaw’s state-of-the-art new salon, complete with coffee bar, and get expert advice on how to use it). They’re rarely reduced, so this could be a good time to invest. Love the new onyx/gold colour.
3 For other driers, at a decent reduction, check out the Shark Style iQ, currently €120 (was €280) at Arnotts.
4 LED light therapy face masks are popular for home skin treatments. The best LED masks are renowned for boosting skin glow, reducing inflammation and even clearing up breakouts. Home versions will always be less powerful, and finding one that is both safe and effective is a tricky thing. Having tried LED in professional facials, I find that a session can make you feel like you spent a few hours in the sunshine – so welcome at this time of year. For best results you need to be using an LED mask regularly, so unless you’re really going to commit, treat yourself to a top-class facial instead, and experience it in the hands of a pro.
And what’s happened to the prices? They seem to have shot up exponentially this year. For example MZ Skin LightMAX LED Mask, said to be especially good for congested or acne-prone skin, is now €855 (last year was €568) at www.mzskin.com (they do a cheaper Gold version at €570). The Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro Mask is €479 at Planet Beauty, Brown Thomas (though it’s jumped to €525.40 at www.cultbeauty.com).
If you’re looking to really invest in your skin, using the very latest technology, look to new skin/tech/nutrition line myBlend’s LED mask, the brainwave of the experts at Clarins and made in France. €1200, at www.skinbyolga.ie. See more here.
5 For an Irish-owned LED Light Therapy device, try Anna Forde’s Haumea. Forde owns The Beauty Suite in Tuam, Co Galway, where she and her team offer a wide range of beauty treatments. Her LED device (€150, www.haumeaskincare.com) is designed to treat acne, inflammation, uneven skin tone and other skin concerns with red, yellow and blue lights, and it’s an affordable way to explore the benefits.
6 The skin smoother. The Dermaflash removes “peach fuzz” from your face. Clearly, a facial hair shaver does not make a glamorous present, so this is more one for your vouchers, perhaps. Younger beauty lovers are big into this – a way of lightly removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin using a very fine blade, to give you the smoothest surface for your skincare and make-up. The Dermaflash has gone up from €150.82 last year to €205 at ie.feelunique.com; replacement blades can be pricey, too. For a more affordable alternative, check out www.clubgigi.com for refillable facial razors designed for dermaplaning.
7 More H20. We all know drinking more water is good for your skin. And if fizziness makes you drink more water, that’s a win. Investing in a carbonator means that you avoid buying plastic bottles – it might be an investment, but it will pay for itself many times over. The fancy Aarke carbonators have been very popular for the last few years (though they’ve actually been around for a decade now). To be honest, I thought they were a gimmick at first – I grew up with Sodastreams, and the Swedish fizzy drink maker is good-looking but expensive (from €210 at www.faerly.ie and Brown Thomas). But I was given one as a gift, I found myself completely addicted to it. It’s easy to use, good quality and doesn’t take up much room on the kitchen side; I like the look of the new matte grey one. Replacement gas cartridges are €30, but they do last a good while; you can also get sugar-free flavours, from citrus to spruce, to make your water a bit more interesting. I love it. I’ve just spotted a cobalt blue one on offer at Arnotts for €179.95.
8 And yes, you can still get hold of a Sodastream – €179 at Harvey Norman – and do the same thing. There’s also a nice-looking Scandi version, Skare, available at Arnotts (from €130), which I haven’t tried out.
9 Happy not S.A.D. The other gadget I really hanker after is a LUMIE Bodyclock Shine 300 (€180 at Boots) which simulates natural daylight. It offers adjustable sunrise and sunset settings, so that you can fall asleep and wake up gradually to natural light (rather than the blue light of your phone …). It also has an FM radio, a nightlight and snooze button. I’ve never tried it, so don’t know if it really does relieve midwinter sadness, but it’s certainly an inviting prospect on these dark mornings.
For a more straightforward wake-up/sleep light option, go for the Lumie Sunrise Alarm – intrigued by the idea of choosing to wake to the sound of tree frogs. It comes with a two-year warranty. €60, at www.boots.ie.
10 Gua Sha has really gathered momentum this year, as a way to depuff and massage your face, and aid lymphatic drainage. Watch the experts to see how to use it properly. We like this rose quartz one from Irish company deDANÚ, a beauty-lover’s ideal stocking-filler; for a swankier version, look to Sisley’s gingko-shaped tool (€126, www.brownthomas.com).