facial devicesfacial tools
Written By B
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Before you buy the ZIIP GX Nanocurrent™ and Microcurrent Facial Toning Device (was $495…the new version available is called the Halo, which is $399.00), check out this honest review.
I’ve been testing this device for the past few of months to see what it can really do. Some benefits are supposed to show up instantly while others, as you’d imagine, take some time and consistent use.
But the real question is, do micro and nano current facial toning devices actually work?
For the test: I do test a lot of skincare, but for the sake of this test I kept things simple so I didn’t have any outside variables skewing things. The only other tool I used is one I’ve used for years and that’s the gua sha.
In this Scorecard I cover five key questions you may have, along with my final verdict so by the end of this post, you’ll have a better idea of whether to buy or go with another option:
WHAT'S INSIDE/HOW DOES IT WORK?
IS IT EASY TO USE?
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?
DOES IT ACTUALLY TONE & BRIGHTEN SKIN?
HOW ABOUT FINE LINE REDUCTION?
Why trust me?
I’ve tested and honestly reviewed thousands of products over the past seven years. You can learn more about my method here and check out my skin/hair profile here for context.
This product was gifted to me (pr) by the brand and I was under no obligation to review it. The opinions below are my own. You will always receive my honest, in-depth review over here.
This post contains affiliate links that support TheStyleshaker.com, an independently-owned company.💜
PRECAUTION:
There are some caveats about using this device you absolutely should check out if you have rosacea, a pacemaker, thyroid issues, are pregnant, etc. Click here to see more.
1. HOW IT WORKS
This tool uses "Dual Waveform Technology" with micro and nano currents. What does that even mean? Great question…
Micro-currents:
work at a muscular level, stimulating the muscles to contract and relax. These currents claim to tone your face, like a workout for your skin
Nano-currents:
work at a cellular level, promoting skin tightening by generating kinetic heat from low-level currents when in contact with the skin. This supposedly encourages the production of new collagen and hyaluronic acid
One of the main competitors on the market is NuFace, which I haven't tried yet, but now I'm really curious
THE GEL: I received the Gold Gel, which is the most expensive of the bunch, but you have several options to choose from
I ended up going with the Silver Gel (no silicones) for my second round as it's better for sensitive skin; and I LOVED it
Both contain skincare actives that penetrate the skin when using the device
Both gels are pretty simple to apply and work with. I mention that because, with similar devices that come with conductive gel, I heard a lot about sticky, messy, drippy issues
Then there's the quick-drying nature of other gels that means you'd have to reapply mid-process, which can be tricky. I read reviews that the least expensive gel doesn't maintain moisture for longer treatments, but that's not something I can personally attest to, so take it with a grain of salt and go with whatever suits your budget because this tool isn't cheap! And yes, you can find other gels on the market
You have to use the gel for this to a. work and b. not hurt your skin. I can immediately feel when I don't have enough gel on, and the ZIIP device also won't work without enough gel applied
THE APP: Overall, it's intuitive to work with. I downloaded it on my iPhone, and when I start a treatment (there are several to choose from, I'll mention my favorites below), I turn on my ZIIP device and wait to hear three beeps that let me know the treatment is synced to the device
2. EASE OF USE: 3/5
The size of the ZIIP is on the smaller side and easy to rotate around, but I did find it to be a little tricky at times
The two nodes glide along the structure of your face, cheekbones, across the forehead, etc. The distance between them is a bit further apart than I would like
Example: when going over the eyebrow, the nodes extend too far above and too far onto my eyelid (where I do not want electric currents) because I may have smaller features or less surface area. I feel like this is where NuFace may win, but I haven't tried it yet. Was it a dealbreaker? Absolutely not, but I'm giving you all the details so...
The app setup and sync was super simple (mentioned above)
At first, I tried a bunch of new treatments to get the hang of things
Some treatments are very structured and on the longer side (14 minutes), while others are more go-with-the-flow so you can make them your own I ended up going back and forth with The Works (14 minutes that covers the entire face I wanted to make sure I targeted everything so I could tell if this was working) and Instant Gratification (6 minutes, more free-form)
After that, if I had the time, I would use a targeted treatment for the forehead, jowls, etc.
I used this device 3-4 times a week and switched up treatments depending on how much time I had in the morning. The brand recommends, "using up to 5 times a week for at least 6 weeks to start seeing the long-term effects."
Applying the gel liberally is a must. I use about 6-8 pumps each time which you think would have me running through the bottle quickly, but it lasted!
If you do not have enough gel on the skin, the device lights will shut off, so a re-layering of gel mid-treatment gets things back up and running, OR you'll feel a zap which isn't the best feeling
Founder Melanie Simon walks through every treatment- she's super calm, the direction is clear, and she usually gets right into things
That said, my device would sometimes work at a different speed than hers, which made things sort of frustrating, so I learned to pause the video, hold the device away from my face to pause it if she moved slower than I did, etc.
Timing miss-syncs which is one more reason why I preferred the flexible treatments where I didn't have to stick to a structured flow. I'd turn on the app, sync the treatment, and close the app so I could just do it on my own (once I got the hang of it)
I found this calming and relaxing and really grew to love it in my morning routine
Charging was simple; recharging happened bi-weekly. I used it consistently and for longer treatments (a red light flashes to let me know it needs a charge)
I cleaned it with a damp washcloth that was lightly damp. Avoid putting this one in the water!
3. SENSITIVITY: 4/5
There is a buzzing sensation on the skin depending on the level of the treatment which feels odd at first, but you get used to it, or at least I did
There are also involuntary muscle movements that I knew were coming in certain areas, just a heads up there, it really is like a workout for your face
Overall, it was a different feeling, but I did get used (I kind of love it now) to it and it wasn't painful as long as I had enough gel on my face
I do make a point not to put this near my thyroid btw (this is not medical advice. please consult a medical professional if you have questions)
4. LIFT, CONTOUR & TONE: 3/5
CLAIM:
0-24 hours: lifted, contoured appearance
25-48: brighter skin
7 days: increased lift
6 weeks: reduced wrinkles, reduced lines, glowing and smooth skinTL:DR - you're supposed to see lifting, contouring, and brightening up front in the process and then the reduction in wrinkles after six weeks
CLAIM: see "immediate lifted, more defined facial contours that can last for up to 72 hours"
Did my skin look immediately lifted? Mmmmmaybe?
Did I see facial contours immediately? Maybe slight. There are split screens on the brand's site that show a dramatic shift within 72 hours, but I did not experience that
Short-term results: as far as brightening and lifting 48 hours after use, I feel like I was searching for lifting and saying, "I think I see it?" to myself in the mirror, but it wasn't a significant change. My skin absolutely glowed and looked plumped-up on days when I used this device - 50/50 results
SIX WEEKS IN:
Six weeks in: I did see that my skin looked a bit tighter and more toned. It was subtle to me, but texturally speaking, I did start to see a difference
Also, six weeks in, the age spots near the outer corners of my eyes started to lighten, so I'd say there was some brightening involved
THREE MONTHS IN:
About three months in, my mom actually brought my cheekbones to my attention lol - she could see contouring in the middle of my face sooner than I could
Long-term results: I saw a positive shift in the texture/tone of my skin and some contouring ✅
5. FINE LINE REDUCTION: 4/5
CLAIM: see "immediate smoothed fine lines that can last for up to 72 hours"
While I didn't see immediate lifting and contouring or definition, I can say I saw immediate smoothing of fine lines
My skin always looked plump and glowy right after treatments - long-term results are subtle on this front and really depend on nutrition/hydration too
I'd say this one wins on the immediate results and can only help with long-term use
TOTAL SCORE - 14/20
PROS:
short term results showed up in the form of glowing skin, some plumping, and toning
long-term results also showed up with improved skin tone and some contouring/lifting
you get two currents in one device which differentiates this from other devices on the market
they do offer a sensitive gel formula, and most don't have silicones which makes my skin happy
treatments can be as fast as 3 minutes or go up to 14 minutes
it's a pretty easy device to set up and work with
CONS:
the price is up there and you can't get the GX anymore, but you've got the Halo option for less now
buying the gel is an additional fee of course, and ingredients may not be a fit for your skin (if you choose to purchase a ZIIP gel)
it takes time and consistency, which isn’t surprising, but if you know you won’t stick with it, don’t buy it
the timing of the app can be somewhat confusing when you're doing a longer treatment with several steps
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FINAL VERDICT:
WILL I KEEP USING IT?
I didn't think this would follow through (even though I wanted it to). I also didn't think I'd ever get into the swing of things with a treatment plan I enjoyed doing.
About three weeks into the testing, I found myself not only seeing some results (short and long-term), but also looking forward to using this in the morning!
The free-form treatments are what made a huge difference for me. That and the silver gel that I love now.
I'm a fan, and yes, I’m will keep it up.
I can't compare it to NuFace yet, but I hope to one day. I also have the Solawave that I can't wait to test out. Until then, I'm officially keeping this in my routine. The combo of a little ZIIP treatment followed by gua sha (the gel is amazing for that btw) makes my skin so happy.
If you’re curious about what else I’m loving right now, you can check out:
💜 MY FAVORITES 💜
Out of the hundreds of products I’ve tried, these are the winners I would buy again and again.
BRITT'S PICKS
DISCLAIMER: *Why I don’t assign a score to ingredients: percentage matters and what works for one may not work for another. I’m in no way a cosmetic chemist (probably obvious at this point). This is not medical advice or meant to treat and diagnose. Please seek advice from a medical expert if you have additional questions.
ZIIP
