We Tried NuFace
What happened when we tried NuFace? Microcurrent devices are increasingly becoming popular to rejuvenate skin and boost the effectiveness of topical skin care products.
As I turned 50 last year I started to notice my skin lost a bit of its elasticity. My under-eye area was growing crepe-ey. I was getting those “muppet” lines. The “eleven” between my brows was growing more pronounced, while my already minimal upper lip was rapidly disappearing entirely. I tried so many skincare lines over the next few months that my bathroom vanity looked like Sephora exploded there. Then the NuFace ads started popping up in my Facebook feed. You know, the ones that follow you everywhere because they somehow know you glanced at it longer than 5 seconds?
When I clicked through to the NuFace website and saw the sticker price I nearly fainted—$499 with all three attachment heads. Could this thing possibly be worth the price? I called my esthetician, who is amazing. She’s also a good friend. She assured me it does a darned good job. She went on to say she isn’t a fan of the original NuFace gel, and recommended that I use the top-rate Retouch hyaluronic acid and peptides system by Intraceuticals that I purchased from her instead. The NuFace, she assured me, would amplify the effect of the system and drive the products further into my skin. She gave it two thumbs up. More on the products I use later.
I found the NuFace Trinity Pro with all three attachment heads for the best price, which turned out to be skinstore.com with the Mother’s Day 25% off sale. I closed my eyes as I hit “complete order,” because I have never in my life paid so much for a beauty aid. I must confess, I felt vaguely ill. That feeling is long since passed. The verdict? If the NuFace Trinity Pro were a person, I’d marry it.
I am receiving compliments on my skin all the time.
I started out using the lip and eye attachment first, pairing with the Retouch system. I saw immediate results. Using it daily, the results were cumulative. Muppet lines are pretty well gone. My lips are more pronounced, though not in the least cartoonish. Crows' feet are gone. My under-eye areas, eyelid, and brows all appear firmer, and smoother. I look awake even when I am not. It has also helped create more of an arch to my brows.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I started adding the Wrinkle Reducer (infrared and amber light treatment) along with the original Pro attachment. Holy moly. The Wrinkle Reducer is a smooth surfaced head with soothing amber and infrared light that addresses fine lines and wrinkles. It can be used directly on the lips to smooth age lines, too. This is the only attachment that is used on clean, bare skin. The Pro attachment requires the use of either the NuFace gel or a combination of hyaluronic acid and peptides. I have used Retouch by Intraceuticals, but that can get pricey. I also love The Ordinary: try their Hyaluronic Acid and The Original “Buffet” peptides, as they seriously affordable. The Pro attachment does a magnificent job of toning the skin. With regular use, I find my jawline and cheekbones more defined and my eyes lifted.
Overall results? I am receiving compliments on my skin all the time. For the first time ever I posted a selfie without wearing any cosmetics. My friends swear that I am getting younger looking. People are genuinely surprised when I say I am 51. With NuFace’s help, I look better than I have in ages. So, was this $499 ($375 on sale) well spent? Oh, yes. Yes indeed.
I've tried the tube of the gel that came with the NuFace device and it wasn't my favorite. I've broken down below which products work well with the device.
Which NUFace should I buy?
There are multiple bundles for sale with the different components and types of attachments. We tried the Trinity that had Facial Trainer Attachment, Lip & Eye Attachment, and the Wrinkle Reducer Attachment (the red/amber/infrared light), plus a tube of the Leave-On Gel Primer. We also tried the Mini, because Amazon sold the holiday silver glittery version last year and I'm a junkie for shiny things.
First of all, where are your main areas of concern that you want to address with this device? Here’s what the components do and where you use them.
- The “main” Facial Trainer Attachment (bigger rounded knobs) is intended to help improve facial contour and tone. It is intended for use on the neck, jowls, jawline, cheeks and forehead.
- The Lip and Eye Attachment (small narrow probes with the rounded tips) is intended to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around lips and eyes. You use this on smaller areas of your face, such as around your eye area to target hard-to-reach crow’s feet and smile lines and diminish the look of eyebrow furrows.
- The Wrinkle Reducer Attachment helps minimize full-face wrinkles by targeting your facial contours: around the eye, mouth and forehead. This utilizes amber, infrared and red light therapy.
If you go for a regular facial and utilize phototherapy light treatment on your face or have a separate light treatment mask or another device, you will still see very good results with the Trinity and Lip/Eye attachment. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one multitasking tool, you will benefit from the entire kit. Personally, I am glad I bought the Trinity Complete bundle with all three attachments as it is not only cheaper this way to get everything but I find myself using the light attachment and eye/lip attachment the most. My biggest problem areas are around my eyes and lips.
The Mini lifts and contours just as the Trinity does, but it does not have the ability to be used with other attachments like the light therapy attachment. It is also not intended for use around eyes and lips. We found it very difficult to use the Mini to get it into those problem areas. Both immediate and cumulative results are impressive on the areas you can reach. If you are not yet experiencing the types of lines, furrows and issues in your eyes and around your mouth, we recommend the Mini. Did I mention Amazon sells a silver glitter version of it?
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- The instruction booklets that accompany the Trinity Pro and attachments are lousy. The typeface is about a 5 point font and once I got out the magnifying glass to read them, I didn’t understand what they were directing me to do. Don’t waste your time on those. Go to YouTube and find the official NuFace tutorials. Trust me.
- When applying the NuFace gel or the hyaluronic acid and peptide combination, do not smear it all over your face. It will be absorbed before you get to the next section. Apply to each section as you go. I use a small dish on which I dispense the products so that I can dab and reapply more easily.
- The effects are cumulative and you need to use your machine daily for a period of time (30 or 60 days, depending on the attachment) to achieve results that you can maintain with treatment 2 -3 times a week. If you lapse, you will notice the difference.
- Figure out a time of day that works best for you taking into account other skin care products that you use. Unless I am rushed, I prefer to use the Eye/Lip and Pro attachments in the morning because my skin looks fresh and hydrated all day. I use the Wrinkle Reducer at night on clean skin before applying my retinol products. The treatment cycles vary by attachment head and depend on if you are applying for one or two beeps.
What products should I use with NuFACE?
I started out with the gel that comes with the unit. NuFace has released 2 brand new products designed to enhance the microcurrent but they aren’t currently bundled with most of the units for sale right now. So for the last year or so, I opted to use a straight hyaluronic acid serum. Not only do I have a skincare regimen I really like already, I agreed with my esthetician’s comments about the gel that came bundled with the device. I didn’t like it. What I have used instead for the past year is The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid serum.
As you use the NuFace, you will be reapplying your serum multiple times to ensure your skin is receiving the microcurrent properly. Otherwise, on bare or dry skin you’re just shocking yourself. It doesn't feel good. You will go through a lot of product, especially in the beginning. It can get expensive!
I know. We like to talk about this one a lot here at Evaluated, but The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum is just one of those multitasking products that is worth every penny. It does a great job with the NuFace microcurrent and I don’t feel guilty as I slather this on to get the best out of my device.
We also tried both of the new NuFACE skincare serums as well. These are pricey but quite nice. So far, not all sellers are including the updated formulas with the NuFace device but you can buy them separately.
The Aqua Gel is a lightweight water-based formula that is good for daytime use, with hyaluronic acid and lighter ingredients.
The Crème is a rich, skin-loving blend loaded with great ingredients like shea butter, hyaluronic acid, sea silt extract, and other great extracts. I would recommend the crème for nighttime use.
I am presently testing the newest skincare line (peptides? YES!) NuFace has released and will publish my results in an upcoming post.
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