I also rated that the mask came fully charged, meaning you can kickstart your treatment from the moment the mask is delivered. Not all masks offer the same privilege.
My first step was to attach the eye shields – easily done – and then figure how the head strap attached to the mask. Initial concerns? The head strap looked very short, and while stretchy, I wasn’t convinced it’d fit comfortably around my larger-than-average head. A problem for later, I decided.
I put my thought aside and began to consider the technology the brand – who have seen a 1,000% increase in sales year-over-year, FYI – have used.
When deciding which LED face mask to buy, it can be easy to become impressed by promises of countless coloured lights and high bulb-count. But actually, what we should be looking for is whether the mask emits clinically-proven wavelengths of light. In the same way you’d note concentration of vitamin C in a vitamin C serum, judging a mask on the wavelengths of light it emits is a good starting point in judging how effective it’ll be.
The most clinically-proven wavelengths of light are 633 nanometers and 830 nanometers. These are proven to make a difference to the skin’s hydration, wrinkles and firmness over time. Impressively, despite this mask’s sub-£200 price point, it harnesses the power of Red light at 630nm (nanometers), and Near Infrared Light at 830nm. While my other go-to mask harnesses the power of Deep Near-Infrared, too, this offering makes the UKSkin mask comparable to most other market-leading products.
Once I had ensured the wavelengths of light were competitive, I wanted to ensure that coverage was good, too. Good coverage across the entirety of your face can be achieved by a high number of bulbs, as well as good placement of the bulbs. Some masks even harness the power of patented pillow technology, which enhances the efficacy and distribution of high quality LED wavelengths to ensure complete and evenly-distributed skin coverage.
UKLash can’t use patented pillow technology, so I decided to look at the number of LED bulbs they had landed on. The UKSkin mask features 112 medical-grade LEDs, which is slightly slower than I’d have liked to see for the most effective treatment. If you spend more money, you’ll likely see a higher bulb count (my favourite boast upwards of 230).
That said, there was nothing else that I could spot that the mask didn’t do. It has the same 10-minute treatment time which lots of competitors recommend, and again, the price point is really good.
Time to put the mask on.
As expected, I found the head strap a little too tight for me. I would’ve liked a little more give, alongside a cross-strap design. Generally, I find a duo of straps which cross at the back of the head to be better for keeping your mask in place – it ensures the single strap doesn’t slip beneath the crown of your head.