The popularity of beauty tech – that’s gadgets you use at home to improve your appearance – has exploded in recent years.
From LED face masks that boost collagen to hand-held lasers to treat wrinkles and pigmentation, they promise big benefits, but often come with whopping price tags, too.
As a beauty editor, I sometimes find it hard to keep up with the latest must-have tools – and I’m often sceptical about their efficacy, too.
You don’t have to be a trained professional to use them, so most home gizmos simply aren’t powerful enough to deliver noticeable results.
But when I read both Jennifer Aniston and Margot Robbie’s rave reviews of a beauty tool that supposedly gives a ‘facelift’ effect in just four minutes, I was intrigued.
It’s called the Ziip Halo, a palm-sized, hand-held device that uses electrical currents to give your facial muscles a workout. With regular use, it claims to improve your facial contours – think lifting and sculpting your jowls, jawline, cheekbones and brows.
‘The Ziip Halo works by using two types of electrical current,’ says Dr Sonia Khorana, dermatology expert and cosmetic doctor (@dermgp).
‘Microcurrent pulses create gentle muscle contractions that tighten facial muscles and produce an immediate, sculpted lift that is temporary, with cumulative lasting results if the device is used several times a week over at least six weeks, while nanocurrent waves work at a cellular level to support collagen production and long-term firmness.’
She assures me it’s this combination of electrical currents that enables the device to give both instant and cumulative results. ‘Firmer, more contoured-looking skin is sometimes visible right after treatment as well as with long-term use,’ she says.
Jennifer Aniston claims she uses the £379 gadget every morning and it’s the one ‘where I really see a difference’ while Margot Robbie says it’s ‘really, really good’ and she gets ‘noticeable results’.
My research concluded neither celebrity has been paid for their praise either. And if two sculpted A-listers think it’s something special, I want to give it a go, especially as my cheeks and jawline have been heading south since I turned 40.
The device itself comes pre-programmed with the four-minute treatment Margot and Jen swear by, which is designed to lift and tone all areas of your face. There’s also a linked app, which has a further 17 electrical facials and seven treatment plans to target specific areas of the face.
Before getting started, I apply a conductive gel to my skin, which allows the electrical wavelengths to pass through the skin barrier.
Ziip Halo sells a gel from £29.99, which I apply all over my face. But Hydra-Collagen Gel by SBC (£9 for 100ml, sbc skincare.co.uk) will do the trick too, as it works with electrical beauty devices.
I go for the four-minute programme, just using the device on the left side of my face to compare the results with my untouched right side.
The instructions say to sweep it outwards and upwards over my face – starting under the jawline and working up towards my cheekbones, then up to the eyebrows and over the forehead, repeating the movement over each area at least three times.
The gadget helpfully beeps every 30 seconds to let you know when to repeat.
THE VERDICT: Using Ziip Halo did feel a little strange – my skin tingles slightly when the device glides over it.
I definitely felt a few muscles twitching too, but I took that as a hopeful sign it’s working.
The process isn’t mess-free – the conductive gel was sticky so this gadget is best used first thing or before bed so you can cleanse afterwards.
But the results I got on the first go left me speechless. The left side of my face looked noticeably higher than the right. I asked Dr Khorana how it was possible.
‘The visible asymmetry after treating just one side is expected because microcurrent stimulates muscles in the targeted area, so it can appear lifted immediately on the treated side,’ she explains. For me, the noticeable instant lift lasted about two or three hours.
Since then, I’ve used the Ziip Halo four times a week for a few weeks, and my jawline’s started to look more pronounced and my jowls a little less baggy. But would my results last?
‘Results usually peak after a month to six weeks of regular use but will likely plateau,’ explains Dr Khorana, ‘Especially if you have lower skin elasticity (where your skin appears looser or is saggy), advanced ageing, or significant volume loss. So this device works best with consistent use and as part of an effective skincare routine.’
For me, it’s non-negotiable now – I love the instant lift and find myself reaching for it before events for an immediate boost. It’s portable enough to put in my make-up bag and, given the results are addictive, I don’t resent carving out four minutes a day to use it.
Yes, it’s an investment. But it’s probably the same cost as a few facials – and significantly cheaper than a facelift. I’m not surprised Jen and Margot use it on repeat. On this occasion, I’ll have what they’re having.
