Beyond skincare - cosmetic gadgets and procedures

[rosemarina]

Title suggested by @Aude.

I know it’s not for everybody, but some of us on the Sali Hughes thread wanted a thread to talk about cosmetic gadgets (e.g. what’s that freaky Dr Dennis Gross mask like, or do I want a NuFace (probably). Also please put your questions about botox, fillers etc. here.

 

[mindlessness]

Would love to hear thoughts on whether one of the full face LED masks would be worth it for me! I’m 28, so only early signs of aging but definitely some scarring from picking at pimples and some general texture and discolouration issues. Hold off for now? Or keep an eye out for a good price on one?

I do have a nuface mini which I find v helpful for face tone and generally not looking completely exhausted.

 

[Skiddidlydaddle]

I want to buy a Current Body LED mask when they are on sale. That's about all I have to add. I'm 42 in a couple of months, my skin is good, my parents both have unlined skin . I was a spotty youngster and I don't think that horrible feeling ever leaves you so I don't take taking care of my skin for granted or slack on it.

I've never had any interventions but I would have undereye fillers and a weak dilute of botox in later years, if I start feeling awful when I look in the mirror. I just resent the money that I would potentially have to spaff on it.

 

[Mazerati]

Guys. There's an offer near me of HIFU for like £69. Considering it now my jowls are getting saggier. Should I do it? is it worth it?

 

[judgejohndeed]

Love this thread!
I’m interested to know if anyone has had profhilo? Does this count here?
I’ve had my lips done and microbladed brows in case that’s of use to anyone.

 

[rosemarina]

It definitely does count! I know Jane at British Beauty Blogger has written about it if you haven’t seen her posts already.

I keep meaning to post more to this thread- sorry, will be back when I can engage my brain.

 

[Aude]

Love this thread!
I’m interested to know if anyone has had profhilo? Does this count here?
I’ve had my lips done and microbladed brows in case that’s of use to anyone.

I've had Profhilo (on my face). About four years ago. I think it had just recently launched. I wasn't impressed - not sure I saw any difference at all (and I was treated at a practice that generally does good work and has a good reputation).

Maybe I just wasn't a good candidate for Profhilo. As I understand it, it sort of moisturises your skin from underneath, plumping it a little. My skin is quite well moisturised and quite plump anyway - so maybe there wasn't a lot of scope for improvement in that respect.

I also think it works out to be quite expensive. The protocol is that you have two, possibly, three initial treatments - about a month apart - and the result is supposed to last 6 to 9 months before you need a top-up to maintain any results. With each treatment costing around £450 (central London prices) that's at least £900 initially and another £450-£900 within 9 months.

The other thing to bear in mind is that it involves a series of injections. I don't find them painful but any injection - however skilled the practitioner - can leave a bruise. I did have some bruises after my Profhilo treatment which, in my experience, always take 10 days to go and are hard to cover with make-up.

Guys. There's an offer near me of HIFU for like £69. Considering it now my jowls are getting saggier. Should I do it? is it worth it?

What type of HIFU? What sort of practice is offering it? Sounds way too cheap.

I've had Thermage (10 years ago?) and Ultherapy (7 years ago?) which I think are types of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. I found both extremely painful. I saw no results from either but then some say their purpose is preventative - so maybe there was some longer term benefit.

Vain though I am, the pain factor makes me disinclined to try that sort of treatment again. Although I imagine these types of machine are improving all the time and may well be less painful and more effective than even a few years ago.

 

[Badabing101]

Thanks for setting this thread up. I’m sort of stuck with what I would like to do (if anything) . Main area of concern is under eyes and I’d like to get my teeth straightened too. Has anyone had tear trough filler? I think it would make a huge difference to my face but rather scared of the idea.
also my teeth have moved over the years and look crooked on the bottom now which I feel is ageing.

 

[Skiddidlydaddle]

Thanks for setting this thread up. I’m sort of stuck with what I would like to do (if anything) . Main area of concern is under eyes and I’d like to get my teeth straightened too. Has anyone had tear trough filler? I think it would make a huge difference to my face but rather scared of the idea.
also my teeth have moved over the years and look crooked on the bottom now which I feel is ageing.

I have Invisalign, @Badabing101 . I had many issues with my teeth and jaw (since childhood), I'm 3 years (!) into my treatment and it's the best (most expensive) thing I've ever done. It was something that made me feel unhappy about my appearance everyday
I had invisalign fitted and it just stopped being and issue for me, I never really thought about my teeth or jaw again really.

 

[Taetae95]

Would love to hear experiences with micro needling and jade rollers - has anyone used these and what are they like? I have a derma roller gathering dust at the moment and have been considering if a facial roller/similar tools are worth it!

 

[Skiddidlydaddle]

Would love to hear experiences with micro needling and jade rollers - has anyone used these and what are they like? I have a derma roller gathering dust at the moment and have been considering if a facial roller/similar tools are worth it!

I have a rose quartz roller (same thing as the jade but pale pink). I don't notice any visible benefits but I don't have a very puffy face, however I do like the cool feeling and enjoy it to "push" my products into my skin. I used to use derma roller (the one with tiny needles?), I did notice a difference in skin plumpness and good healthy colour but I found it so painful to use I just relegated it to the back of the cupboard. I don't know if this post will be very helpful.

 

[Aude]

Would love to hear experiences with micro needling and jade rollers - has anyone used these and what are they like? I have a derma roller gathering dust at the moment and have been considering if a facial roller/similar tools are worth it!

I do micro-needling at home. I try to do it once a week, but it's probably more like every 10 days. I follow the sort of routine that Theresa Tarmey outlines for use with the micro-needling kit she sells. I.e. put on lactic acid first, then a peptide type serum and micro-needle over that, adding more serum afterwards. I started with a 0.25mm roller but now use (gently) a 0.5mm.

As I'm sure you know, one of the really important things is to keep the micro-needling roller scrupulously clean. I have some surgical spirit in a lidded jar and put my roller in that for about 10 mins after use. I then put it back in its case and rinse it just before its next use. I've never had any breakouts but I'm not prone to them anyway.

Does it do any good? Honestly, hard to say. My skin is in good condition - I'm in my 60s btw - but I do a lot. As well as micro-needling, I have a nuface and LED mask which I use almost daily plus I have a good, consistent skincare routine (vit C and sunscreen in the morning, Tretinoin at night) plus I have Botox and a small amount of filler around twice a year.

Trinny is probably the reason I started micro-needling. She's one of the very few people on social media I trust on skin care, she's in her mid 50s and I think she looks great. She's been doing it regularly - every couple of days - for a long time. Her videos about micro-needling could be useful.

 

[Skiddidlydaddle]

I do micro-needling at home. I try to do it once a week, but it's probably more like every 10 days. I follow the sort of routine that Theresa Tarmey outlines for use with the micro-needling kit she sells. I.e. put on lactic acid first, then a peptide type serum and micro-needle over that, adding more serum afterwards. I started with a 0.25mm roller but now use (gently) a 0.5mm.

As I'm sure you know, one of the really important things is to keep the micro-needling roller scrupulously clean. I have some surgical spirit in a lidded jar and put my roller in that for about 10 mins after use. I then put it back in its case and rinse it just before its next use. I've never had any breakouts but I'm not prone to them anyway.

Does it do any good? Honestly, hard to say. My skin is in good condition - I'm in my 60s btw - but I do a lot. As well as micro-needling, I have a nuface and LED mask which I use almost daily plus I have a good, consistent skincare routine (vit C and sunscreen in the morning, Tretinoin at night) plus I have Botox and a small amount of filler around twice a year.

Trinny is probably the reason I started micro-needling. She's one of the very few people on social media I trust on skin care, she's in her mid 50s and I think she looks great. She's been doing it regularly - every couple of days - for a long time. Her videos about micro-needling could be useful.

Aude. I'm imagining you the glamour of Honor Blackman or Diana Rigg combined with the gravitas of Lady Hale.

 

[Upintheair83]

Title suggested by @Aude.

I know it’s not for everybody, but some of us on the Sali Hughes thread wanted a thread to talk about cosmetic gadgets (e.g. what’s that freaky Dr Dennis Gross mask like, or do I want a NuFace (probably). Also please put your questions about botox, fillers etc. here.

So Iv bought all the Nuface gadgets over lock down- even the Nuface body! (bit impulsive!) and to be honest the results were amazing! You can tell straight away the difference. Just made my face look so much better- It seems to give a real boost to your skin, making it a lot more plumped and fresh.
The Nuface plumping device I really like because it’s so easy to use, and I do see a slight plump in my lips when Iv used it, it’s also great for puffy under eyes.
This only lasts a few hours though, and you have to do it every day.
The Nuface trinity is also very good and I think it can really help to contour your jawline, all in all Iv been happy with Nuface and I would advise to buy your own gel off amazon because the Nuface one is quite pricey. Current body is a really good site to buy them from and I think I found it was cheAper on there than any other website like look fantastic etc. I bought it when they had 20% off all Nuface products.
I treated myself to them because I was worried when I could next have Botox, but nothing is as good as Botox I feel.
Iv had fillers in my lips, cheeks and tear trough in the past and I must admit I regret that. I feel it’s left my face a bit bumpy and uneven. So if you want a bit of plumping I would actually recommend Nuface because I really like them and do honestly see abit of a difference xx

 

[Aude]

Aude. I'm imagining you the glamour of Honor Blackman or Diana Rigg combined with the gravitas of Lady Hale.

Honor Blackman! Just stunning - a beauty into her 90s.

So Iv bought all the Nuface gadgets over lock down- even the Nuface body! (bit impulsive!) and to be honest the results were amazing! You can tell straight away the difference. Just made my face look so much better- It seems to give a real boost to your skin, making it a lot more plumped and fresh.
The Nuface plumping device I really like because it’s so easy to use, and I do see a slight plump in my lips when Iv used it, it’s also great for puffy under eyes.
This only lasts a few hours though, and you have to do it every day.
The Nuface trinity is also very good and I think it can really help to contour your jawline, all in all Iv been happy with Nuface and I would advise to buy your own gel off amazon because the Nuface one is quite pricey. Current body is a really good site to buy them from and I think I found it was cheAper on there than any other website like look fantastic etc. I bought it when they had 20% off all Nuface products.
I treated myself to them because I was worried when I could next have Botox, but nothing is as good as Botox I feel.
Iv had fillers in my lips, cheeks and tear trough in the past and I must admit I regret that. I feel it’s left my face a bit bumpy and uneven. So if you want a bit of plumping I would actually recommend Nuface because I really like them and do honestly see abit of a difference xx

Is the nuface plumping device the one called 'Fix'? I haven't tried that one.

I agree with you about Current Body. They have good offers on price, I've found their customer service good and (I think) everything comes with a 2-year guarantee. My nuface mini stopped working after about a year and they replaced it with new without any fuss.

 

[SqualorVictoria]

Morning all!

I love beauty gadgets so much. I own the entire NuFace range- the Trinity, the LED and the ELE attachment, the NuFace line eraser and the NuFace body.

If my NuFace broke I'd dip into my savings to buy another one without hesitation. I love it and it's made a huge difference. Have been using it almost 2 years now. Am a bit lazier about using the body as I don't find it as enjoyable to use as the NuFace but I'll try to get back into it. I don't use the line eraser every day but I find it makes my eyes look really awake when I do.

I have the Dennis Gross LED eye mask and I enjoy that too. Only takes a few minutes and it has made a difference

 

[Skiddidlydaddle]

Morning all!

I love beauty gadgets so much. I own the entire NuFace range- the Trinity, the LED and the ELE attachment, the NuFace line eraser and the NuFace body.

If my NuFace broke I'd dip into my savings to buy another one without hesitation. I love it and it's made a huge difference. Have been using it almost 2 years now. Am a bit lazier about using the body as I don't find it as enjoyable to use as the NuFace but I'll try to get back into it. I don't use the line eraser every day but I find it makes my eyes look really awake when I do.

I have the Dennis Gross LED eye mask and I enjoy that too. Only takes a few minutes and it has made a difference

When you say it makes a huge difference can you tell us more... what have you noticed particularly?

 

[SqualorVictoria]

It keeps my face lifted! My friend recently told me I had "hot cheekbones" so I'm crediting the Nuface with that! I also enjoy using it, doesn't feel like a chore at all

 

[Badabing101]

I agree @SqualorVictoria its definitely worth the money - I just have the NuFace mini and I really notice the difference - it’s also pretty pleasant to use. I reckon that’s doing a lot more for my face than any skin cream tbh

 

[Mamacita]

I agree @SqualorVictoria its definitely worth the money - I just have the NuFace mini and I really notice the difference - it’s also pretty pleasant to use. I reckon that’s doing a lot more for my face than any skin cream tbh

That's good to hear, I don't think I want to spend on the more expensive device but considering getting a mini. How long have you been using it?