If you follow me on social media then you’ll know that I recently had one of the worst breakouts of my entire life (which is saying something for someone who has struggled with adult acne one and off for the last 20 years) that arrived as the result of a perfect storm of aggravators; I started on a new supplement that contained B Vitamins that caused internal inflammation, I was experiencing some bad anxiety which always makes me breakout, and finally, I used some skincare containing Niacinamide which breaks me out so badly that I really need to stop hoping it doesn’t and trying out new products because my skin absolutely hates it!
With that in mind, I have two series that I’ll be working on over the next few months, a series focusing on the things that genuinely made a significant difference to my breakouts and a series sharing my love of all things beauty tech, with lots of device reviews and particular focus on LED, since it’s something I have embraced from the start and I feel I can offer some decent feedback to help you decide what sort of product to try and if it’s the type of treatment that you might benefit from. I’m fortunate to have a great selection of LED products that I will be sharing detailed reviews for, hopefully helping you make better choices on where to spend your money. I’m kicking it all off with a look at the Omnilux Clear LED face mask, which suits both the Blemish-Busters and the Beauty Tech categories, so let’s dive in!
The Omnilux Clear has been my go-to mask since I received it because it’s quick and easy to use, and it feels powerful; this is a weird statement to make as I can’t really quantify it, but it just feels like something is penetrating the skin when you use it – there’s an presence of energy which I don’t really feel with other masks – which is backed up by the fact that I saw quick results within a few uses. It is designed to be used four times a week for six weeks, then only when you start feeling the early signs of a breakout. It utilises both red and blue light therapy and works with an easy on/off button, with each treatment lasting ten minutes.
The mask itself is a bit of a faff to put on as you have two straps that have you to be wrapped around the head and then done up with Velcro. This is a fancy device that could definitely have better fitting straps that clasp together at the back; I have much cheaper masks that are a lot more comfortable. The mask arrives with attached goggles – important to protect your eyes from the powerful light – but if you’re blessed with an impressive Roman nose like mine, these will be extremely uncomfortable. I have a big nose and a long face, so I’m used to these types of masks leaving pressure masks on my nose, but as you’ll see from the pictures, I ended up forcibly removing the goggles as I would not have been able to use it with them still attached.
The other thing I think is worth keeping in mind is that you are not able to separate the blue and red light, so if you get your breakouts under control then you will not be able to continue using the mask; blue light is only recommended for short-term use as it can cause other problems, such as dehydrate the skin and encourage the development of pigmentation. This is a shame as, if you want to carry on making use of the benefits of the red light from the treatments, you’ll need to buy another mask. It would be better if you could shut off the blue light completely for red light only treatments.
Those are the things that I don’t like about the Omnilux Clear and I really want to make sure that the Beauty Tech posts are as informed as possible. Having said all of that, if someone asks me which LED mask to buy for acne treatment, it would absolutely be this one as it really does work – it’s designed with a very specific purpose and it delivers brilliantly. This is the sort of product that I would always keep in my acne-fighting kit as it’s a comfort to know that I have something so reliable. My skin is miles better than it was, but I’m still breaking out, so I’m still consistently using this a few times a week to help reduce the inflammation and shorten the lifespan of my spots, which is does fantastically well and I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with mild-to-moderate acne and the associated inflammation.
The Omnilux Clear is £348 and you can find it here – link. Omnilux have also just launched a range of mini devices for targeted treatment which includes a Blemish Eraser for zoning in on breakouts without having to do a full-face treatment. I think this is a particularly great idea for blue light as it ensures the light only goes on the areas you want it to; it’s also much more affordable at £80 if you’re not ready to invest in the mask. Find the minis here – link.
Disclosure: unpaid ad – PR
