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Oct 16, 2024

13 Best Face Massagers of 2024 for Right-Away Rejuvenation | Allure

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. The best face massagers are proof that skin care is more than skin-deep. Yes, you'd

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The best face massagers are proof that skin care is more than skin-deep. Yes, you'd go to bat for your favorite serums, cleansers, and creams, but face massaging tools serve a different (and complementary) purpose that improves blood circulation, promotes collagen production, and helps with lymphatic drainage. Believe it or not, these tools can make those treatments you love work even better.

Whether you're upgrading your skin-care routine with a high-tech microcurrent device, or a gua sha (brought to you by thousands of years of traditional Chinese medicine), the best face massagers offer a slew of benefits you won't find in a bottle. And what's not to like about an at-home-facial situation? Get to know the best face massagers ahead, plus insight from board-certified dermatologists and Allure editors.

Theraface

Nordstrom

Amazon

Therabody

Why It's Worth It: Ever since you got a Theragun for Christmas, the two of you have been inseparable. Now, it's time to spread the love to your face with the (drumroll, please) TheraFace Pro, which some TikTok users have referred to as a "Dyson Airwrap for your face." It comes with several attachments—microcurrent, percussion, cleansing, hot and cold, and LED light therapy—each with its own benefits and treatment goals. Aesthetician and Rescue Spa founder Danuta Mieloch previously vouched for using TheraFace Pro for "amazing upkeep in between facials," so it certainly pulls its weight. (After all, facials are expensive!)

Editor Tip: If you're using the cleansing attachment, please wash it between uses. When the device is not properly cleaned, "It can introduce bacteria and oil back into the skin," according to Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City.

Material: Plastic, rubber | Set Includes: Device, charger, 3 percussive attachments, cleansing ring, LED light therapy ring, microcurrent ring, conductive gel | Who It's For: People who want versatility

Skin Gym

Nordstrom

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Why It's Worth It: Skin Gym's Face Sculptor is the beauty tool you didn't even know you kneaded (ha). Featuring two stainless steel balls that hug the contours of your face and jaw, the roller massages your skin to temporarily lift, promote lymphatic drainage, and release tension. Just add a bit of your favorite face oil, gel, or moisturizer to help the globes glide along the skin, and enjoy the depuffing results.

Editor Tip: The tool's design makes it easy to target points of tension in the jaw, so if you're a tooth clencher or grinder, you'll be into this.

Material: Stainless steel | Set Includes: Sculptor tool | Who It's For: Everyone but especially people with muscle tension

PMD

Nordstrom

Dermstore

Sephora

Why It's Worth It: Turns out jade and silicone are the new power couple—at least when it comes to the PMD Clean Pro Jade. Not only does the silicone side of this tool vibrate for a more thorough face cleanse, but when you're ready to switch over to the stone portion of your massage, it gently warms for an extra relaxing experience. Powerful capabilities like seven thousand vibrations per minute dismantle dirt and debris, while the warmed stone reduces inflammation and helps your skin-care products absorb more deeply.

Editor Tip: When using the cleansing side of the brush, opt for modes 1 or 2, and when using the jade side, move up to 3 or 4.

Material: Jade, silicone | Set Includes: Device, charger | Who It's For: People who want a deeper cleanse or spa-like tool

Shani Darden

Sephora

Net-a-Porter

Why It's Worth It: The vibration therapy behind the Shani Darden Facial Sculpting Wand uses acoustic sound waves to get under the skin's surface and work from the outside in. You can use it all over, targeting any areas you feel could use some tightening or line-softening. At a minimum, sculpt for two to five minutes, and max out at 10 minutes. Use this wand in conjunction with the included Shani Darden Hydra Prep Gel to help the tool glide more easily across the contours of the face.

Editor Tip: Two attachments are included: one to target smaller areas, like crow's feet and nasolabial lines, and one flat disc attachment for larger areas like the forehead, cheeks, and neck.

Material: Plastic | Set Includes: Device, flat attachment, precision attachment, Hydra Prep Gel, charger | Who It's For: People targeting larger areas

Mount Lai

Sephora

Mount Lai

Why It's Worth It: If you've been online at any point in the past five years, you've probably seen (and been tempted by) a gua sha, a traditional Chinese medicine tool that's been used for thousands of years. Typically made from materials like jade, rose quartz, and stainless steel, they promote lymphatic drainage and aid circulation, among other benefits. Mount Lai's Best of Beauty-winning gua shas are offered in jade (pictured above), rose quartz, amethyst, black obsidian, and stainless steel. Whatever your material of choice, stay consistent (aim for at least 3 to 4 days a week) and guide the tension away.

"Facial gua sha is a relatively new 'cosmetic' treatment derived from traditional gua sha," Sandra Chiu, a certified acupuncturist, herbalist, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner based in Brooklyn previously told Allure. "It is a gentler, softer variation that improves blood circulation, releases excess muscle tension, and smooths fascia (a.k.a. the connective tissue that holds together muscle fibers, blood vessels, bones, and the like)," she adds.

Editor Tip: Mount Lai offers a user guide on their website for how to get the most out of your gua sha, which is super helpful for beginners. Pair the tool with your skin-care product of choice to help it slide across your face, and enjoy the rejuvenating goodness.

Material: Jade | Set Includes: Gua sha tool | Who It's For: Everyone

Ranavat

Sephora

Ranavat

Why It's Worth It: Made with a 100% teak wood handle and kansa, a blend of pH-balancing copper and tin, the Ranavat Kansa Wand aligns with the Aryuvedic tradition of Indian medicine, a holistic approach to wellness. The brand recommends massaging this tool into the skin a couple of times a week to calm inflammation and soften fine lines. The coolest part? This wand is made in Rajasthan, India, and handcrafted by sixth-generation kansa artisans.

Editor Tip: The tool may leave a grey residue on your face as the serum oxidizes, but don't worry. This is normal, especially if your skin's pH balance is off. It can be swiped off easily and is a natural part of the eons-old process.

Material: Teak wood, kansa | Set Includes: Wand tool | Who It's For: People with redness, people interested in traditional Aruyvedic beauty

NuFACE

Nordstrom

Dermstore

Why It's Worth It: Another Best of Beauty winner, the NuFace Trinity+ serves up the whole shebang. Complete with a facial toning device, Aqua Gel Activator, Silk Crème Activator (both with skin benefits, but different textural appeals), and a charging dock, this iconic microcurrent tool can sculpt every inch of your face. The Trinity+ features a built-in skin sensor that adjusts to your skin to deliver the right amount of microcurrent intensity, and the device is app-compatible so you can track your progress with a selfie schedule. Cute.

Editor Tip: In her review of the Nuface Trinity (the predecessor to the Trinity+), former commerce editor Nykia Spradley wrote, "My biggest takeaways are to start low then work your way up, and keep an ample layer of product between your skin and the device."

Material: Stainless steel, plastic | Set Includes: Device, facial trainer attachment, Aqua Gel Activator, Silk Crème Activator, brush, charging cradle, and adaptor | Who It's For: People looking for an at-home facial experience

BeautyBio

Nordstrom

Amazon

Sephora

Why It's Worth It: We're always tickled by a two-in-one product, and the Beautybio Cryo Dual Roller is no exception. The two-sided, stainless-steel face roller is meant to be chilled in the freezer or fridge for a DIY dose of cryotherapy to boost facial firmness and depuff. Use the larger end to target wider areas of the face, and the smaller end to cool down undereyes and the sinus area. Pop the roller into the fridge overnight, or if you opt for the freezer, let the tool sit for five minutes before you start using it.

Editor Tip: And what's the science here? Glad you asked. The cold shock "causes blood vessels to constrict, firming and tightening the skin," which, in turn, allows "your blood vessels [to] swell back up with fresh, nutrient-rich blood," Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, explains. "This temporary increase in localized blood flow enhances the performance of your skin-care products by helping actives to penetrate deeper," she adds.

Material: Stainless steel | Set Includes: Roller tool | Who It's For: People targeting dark circles and puffy undereyes, cryotherapy fans

Buttah Skin

Nordstrom

Amazon

Thirteen Lune

Why It's Worth It: Pair your favorite cleanser with Buttah's Vibe Brush for an upgraded cleansing routine—all it takes is one to two minutes per session. Equipped with high and low sonic speeds, this tool doles out up to 10,000 vibrations per minute to gently exfoliate the skin and help your skin-care products absorb better. Best of all: The Vibe Brush works on all skin types, is antimicrobial, and is suitable for all skin types.

Editor Tip: This tool is water-resistant and designed to be used in the shower, which we love.

Material: Silicone | Set Includes: Device, stand | Who It's For: People who love everything showers, or simply wash their face in the shower

Nurse Jamie

Nordstrom

Amazon

Revolve

Why It's Worth It: Nurse Jamie worked overtime to make this Facial Massaging Roller, and we're grateful. The tool's unique wand-shaped, hexagonal design creates a distinct rolling pattern with extra precise application and is easy to use with only one on/off button to kickstart the vibrations. You can use the flat side of the facial roller along wider areas of the face, and the rounded tip for more contoured areas like the brow bones and jawline. Embedded into the body are 24 stones that stimulate blood flow and, simply put, feel really freaking good. There's even a sister body tool called the Uplift Body Sonic Massaging Beauty Roller (complete with a Y-shaped design and 48 embedded stones) for an all-over treatment.

Editor Tip: Stick it in the fridge for several hours before massaging for an extra soothing, chilled-out experience.

Material: Stainless steel | Set Includes: Roller tool | Who It's For: People looking for precision

Foreo

Amazon

Nordstrom

Why It's Worth It: The Foreo Luna 4 is a pulsating facial cleanser outfitted with soft silicone bristles that stimulate your skin, tackling dirt and debris all the while. This tool comes in three versions of varying bristle thickness to accommodate different skin types. Pick up the Luna 4 in purple if you have sensitive skin, orange for balanced skin, and green for combination skin (yes, all of the colors are super cute). Once you've found your perfect match, you can customize the pulsation modes and strengths depending on your target area. If you need a little help mastering this tool, Foreo offers video-guided massage tutorials on its accompanying Foreo For You app. No wonder this innovative device won a Best of Beauty Award. Foreo also makes a body brush version of the Luna for all-over cleansing vibrations.

Editor Tip: It's USB-rechargeable and holds an impressive charge—up to 600 uses per plug-in.

Material: Silicone | Set Includes: Device, charger, travel pouch | Who It's For: Everyone

Jillian Dempsey

Amazon

Bluemercury

Sephora

Why It's Worth It: Silence is silver, and the Jillian Dempsey Gold Sculpting Bar is, well, gold. Made in Japan, this vibrating bar massager is cloaked in 24k gold and fits in your cosmetics bag for ready-to-go soothing, smoothing sculpting. It gently vibrates to stimulate blood circulation, cycling through 6,000 rotations per minute. To make sure the tool glides over your skin, take off all of your makeup and apply a pea-sized amount of your favorite facial moisturizer.

Editor Tip: Jillian Dempsey recommends applying an undereye mask and gliding the tool atop for extra refreshed results.

Material: 24K gold, aluminum, copper | Set Includes: Sculpting tool | Who It's For: Everyone

Sisley Paris

Nordstrom

Bluemercury

Net-a-Porter

Why It's Worth It: Though the brand is French-founded, the stunning Sisley-Paris Ginkgo Gua Sha Massage Tool is a very glam take on a gua sha. Shaped like a ginkgo biloba leaf (a key ingredient in many Sisley-Paris products), the curved edge follows the contours of the face for a sculpting massage that visibly shapes your cheekbones and jawline, and a naturally cooling metal called Zamac feels super soothing. Inspired by a traditional Chinese technique, the spherical tip stimulates specific points on the face and doubles as an easy-to-guide handle. Use it on your face and neck in the AM and PM and watch the puffiness dissolve.

Editor Tip: This gua sha is bigger than pictures might have you believe, which we think is a plus.

Material: Zamac | Set Includes: Gua sha tool | Who It's For: People looking for manual/controlled massaging

While face massagers come in all shapes, sizes, and skill sets, they all share the goal of rejuvenating your skin. "Face massagers have many modalities wrapped in one handheld device—microcurrent, and light therapies in addition to the percussion," says Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut. "Together, these can build collagen, transiently improve contour, plump up the skin, and of course feel good," Dr. Gohara adds.

Some of the most popular electric facial massagers use microcurrent technology. "For those unfamiliar with microcurrent technology, it's a noninvasive therapy that sends out a low-voltage current that is similar to the natural electrical currents in the body," Zain Husain, MD a board-certified dermatologist and founder of New Jersey Dermatology & Aesthetics Center, previously told Allure. "The microcurrent stimulates energy production to drive the creation of collagen and elastin in the skin," he added.

Manual tools like gua shas and face rollers offer benefits like promoting blood circulation. "Gua sha loosely translates as 'to scrape' in Chinese and is the practice of using a flat tool against the skin to target stagnation and help restore the flow of qi. Qi is vitality energy in the body and has a close relationship with blood flow," says Zheng.

When choosing a facial massager, Dr. Gohara advises looking for an option that offers multiple technologies in one device. "Popular combos are microcurrent and light therapies. Massage alone feels good and may impart the short-term benefit of toning some facial muscles, yet the combination is more effective," she tells Allure. Of course, consider your skin-care goals and budget. Some of the best face massagers cost a pretty penny, so do your research before hitting the checkout line.

While each face massager has specialized instructions, there are some standard rules. Dr. Gohara, for one, suggests using a face massager before bed. "At night, when the proverbial skin factory is open is when our skin cells are naturally regenerating themselves, so to get maximum benefit, a night massage is best," Dr. Gohara explains. "[Use a massager] before application of retinoids, peptides, and barrier repair creams," she adds.

David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City adds that while there is no one-size-fits-all method for using a face massager, you'll get the best results from something that fits your needs. "The best [face massagers] are the ones that you can easily hold in your hand and one that matches the facial shape and size," he advises.

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We are particularly discerning when writing about skin-care devices. This is because of the increased risks and, in many cases, the high price points, that accompany at-home dermatological tools and devices.

Each device undergoes extensive testing and must be approved by a senior member of our beauty team prior to appearing in Allure. Additionally, our editorial team consults board-certified dermatologists and cosmetic chemists about the science behind product claims and independently reviews any studies cited by brands. Testers consider performance across four primary categories: efficacy, safety (including ease of use), research and the science behind specific claims, as well as product value. To learn more information on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

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