If you thought your beauty routine was limited to mundane makeup palettes and heavy hair dryers, oh honey, have we got news for you!
Beauty tech gadgets have been the buzziest way to level up the way you practice self-care, and we here at Mashable have compiled our very favorites into this handy little guide. Whether you want a techy way to deepen your skincare's reach or hair care that will use jet engine innovation to preserve your strands' health, behold: the best beauty tech products of 2022, so far.
Dyson Airwrap
We know, we know — you're probably a little sick of hearing about the Dyson Airwrap by now. But all the hype about this hairstyling wizard is well worth it because it really can do it all and do it well.
The Airwrap styler came out in 2018 but found new life this year as one of TikTok's most beloved gadgets when both beauty influencers and regular enthusiasts kept raving about it. What makes it so special, you ask? This gadget comes with eight attachments that can dry, curl, straighten, and volumize your hair, so it's got versatility down. Plus, it relies on something called the Coanda effect, which leverages jet engine technology to style your hair with air rather than extreme heat, which in turn helps preserve your hair health. There's even an updated version with more attachments that just arrived this summer!
YSL Rouge Sur Mesure
If you feel like you just can't find the perfect shade of lipstick, good news: You can make your own!
Yves Saint Laurent introduced the Rouge Sur Mesure earlier this year to tons of fascination from the beauty vlogging community. The device comes from the same idea as L'Oreal's Perso, which was ideated to create custom skincare using AI to analyze each user's skin concerns. In its current iteration, the Rouge Sur Mesure uses the same tech to analyze your outfit and recommend the perfect shade of lipstick before printing it out for your use.
LED face masks
If you follow celebrities like Shay Mitchell or Chrissy Teigen on Instagram, you may have seen these cyborg-like masks creeping up everywhere. Turns out, your fave celebs aren't slowly turning into robots — they're just taking care of their skin.
LED masks promise to address several skin concerns, from fighting acne to anti-aging. It all depends on what type and color of light the mask you choose uses. A-listers are loving the pricey Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, which uses both red and blue light, but you can also experiment with more budget-friendly options like the Skin Gym WrinklLit LED Mask.
Personalized retinol systems
It seems that once you hit your mid-twenties, every single skincare ad seems to mention retinol. It's a very effective anti-aging ingredient, but there are also tons of warnings that go along with it: Don't use too much retinol, don't mix it with the wrong combination of ingredients, etc. It can all be very confusing, so having a personalized system that eliminates the uncertainty makes it a lot easier.
The Opulus Skin Labs Retinol+ Starter System lets you choose the amount of retinol that's right for your skin history. Then, it uses a patent-pending thermal blending process in its unique device to activate the formula, making it all a one-of-a-kind skincare regimen.
Contour and Eyeliner filters on TikTok
For a beauty tech option that won't require you to reach for your wallet at all, look to the popular Contour and Eyeliner TikTok filters created by user and developer Grace Choi.
The filters overlay a map onto your face to show you the optimal spot to place makeup like contour and winged eyeliner, taking the guesswork out of some makeup looks that many people find difficult to do. The filters allow you to trace right over the lines, guiding you along the way. The Contour and Eyeliner filters are her most popular, but Choi has also made more filters to teach users how to place blush, see skin pigmentation, and find ideal color palettes, too.
Heated lash curler
If you have stubborn eyelashes that simply refuse to hold a curl, a heated lash curler could change the game. Another new favorite amongst the online beauty community, these gadgets essentially use the same tech as hair curlers. Heat is used to curl your hair — just the hair that grows on your eyelids rather than your scalp. Just make sure not to hold it too close to the base of your eyelashes, since a burn on that sensitive area seems like it would hurt.
Microcurrent facial devices
If you still think gua sha is the latest way to massage your face, you're behind the times. These days, it's all about the microcurrent facial devices.
According to Medical News Today, microcurrent therapies use low voltage to stimulate your facial muscles and skin, which over time might counteract aging signs like drooping or dullness. The therapy can be received at a dermatologist's office, but today's at-home devices aim to do the same thing, albeit likely over a longer period. The most viral microcurrent device is the NuFACE Trinity, but other options include the Ziip GX Series or Foreo BEAR.
