Is it worth $209? I feel prepared to answer that for you.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I purchased the product on my own accord with my own money. All reviews and thoughts are my own.
I bought the NuFace Mini last November during the Sephora VIB sale. I started using it consistently in early February while I was in Europe. It’s been a little over three months of very religious daily use. I’ve maybe missed one or two days a month.
At $209, the NuFace Mini is an expensive skin care device. Did I do extensive research before I took the plunge? No. I was influenced. But my influencers are top tier!
“It really works,” Renee Chow, better known as Gothamista, said in a YouTube video. Renee uses NuFace to prevent sagging around her neck and jaw — two areas I’m conscious of since all of the women in my family have jowls. She also notes its firming and depuffing power.
So I was drawn to NuFace as a gravity-fighter, not a wrinkle reducer. I want to keep my face as snatched as possible for as long as possible—without any scalpels or needles in the mix.
Full skin-care-blogger transparency: I’m 41. I’ve never done Botox or fillers or anything beyond prescription retinol and a good glycolic facial. I’m totally open to Botox, fillers, etc. in the future. Right now I’d rather spend my money on vintage jewelry, travel, and $7 cold brew.
“The science behind NuFace is good,” a trusted beauty editor friend said over text. She’d written about NuFace early in the microcurrent skin care game and said the devices have only gotten better and more advanced since then.
“No, there’s no way it can penetrate deep enough to make a difference,” said my esthetician when I asked her about NuFace. She was referencing the microcurrent technology that purports to stimulate and strengthen facial muscles, as well as promote collagen production, to lift and tone skin.
With my 20% off VIB discount, the NuFace Mini was about $170. I drop that amount easily on skin care that I have to constantly restock. And this is a device that I only have to buy once. Relative to my skin care spending, NuFace was worth the gamble. I bought it.
What do I think of NuFace? How do I use it? Do I wish I bought the $339 NuFace Trinity? Is the NuFace gel primer absolutely necessary? All that plus my dos and don’ts below.
Is the NuFace Trinity better than the Mini?
Both deliver low-level microcurrent up to 335 microamps. In comparison, microcurrent facials in spas and use higher powered devices that deliver 500 microamps (sometimes more). The benefit of a NuFace is consistent daily use to prolong and maintain results.
The difference between the Trinity and the Mini is that the Mini is 1.3 inches smaller and ONLY the Trinity has a detachable head that can accommodate the NuFace eye and lip enhancer attachment and the red-light wrinkle reducer head.
NuFace offers sets that bundle the Trinity with all the different attachment heads, gels, and add-ons they sell. Bundles go up to $649!
Do I regret not getting the Trinity?
I got the Mini without knowing about the detachable head difference. But I don’t regret it. My target areas are my chin, forehead, and neck, so I only need the standard head. The mini is also more compact for travel, which I’m doing a lot of.
I also think the standard head is useful for the eye and lip area—to the degree that I need lifting and toning in those areas right now. However, if those were my problem areas, yes, I would have sprung for the Trinity so I could get the eye and lip attachment.
That said, I recently saw the Trinity on sale at Sephora for $260! At that price, I would definitely get the Trinity over the Mini. Who knows what other attachment heads they’ll come out with next. NuFace is a rapidly expanding brand.
(Hot tip: Nordstrom Rack also has some killer NuFace deals.)
Is the NuFace gel primer necessary?
I used the NuFace gel primer ($40, 3.3 ounces) with my device for the first month or so, then switched to using my $8 hyaluronic serum from The Ordinary as a conductor. I saw no difference in efficacy.
The NuFace gel primer is a hyaluronic-based product, so, to me, The Ordinary serum is a good dupe. The only downside to using The Ordinary serum is that it dries into flakes if I get it in my hairline. The fix: I run a damp washcloth along my hairline after NuFace-ing to prevent flakes from forming.
There is definitely a right and wrong way to apply the gel primer—or whatever conductor you’re using. I’ll go over that in dos and don’ts at the bottom of this post.
How I’ve been using my NuFace.
I NuFace in the morning after cleansing and moisturizing with an oil-free moisturizer. You don't have to moisturize. (I just can't not moisturize after cleansing. It's a me-thing.) After NuFace-ing, I apply my normal morning skin care products. NuFace doesn't say you can or can't use the device prior to applying retinol or other stronger skin care products—but if it were me, I'd patch test.
I follow the five-minute facial technique from the brand, but with a few targeted spot treatments that I’ll go over in the dos and don’ts. Most of my spot treatments are taken from the brand’s 15-minute facial technique video.
The five-minute facial is just three sweeps of the device across eight areas of the face, repeated on both sides for a total of 16 areas. You’re hitting two spots on the neck/jaw, three on the cheek, and three on the forehead.
The brand suggests using the device five times per week for five minutes per treatment in your first 60 days. After that, you can go down to two to three days a week. I use it seven days a week because I’m extra! I started on the lowest frequency and worked my way to the highest setting within the first couple of uses. I barely feel the currents.
Results?
Have you seen the TikTok videos where women instantly snatch their jawlines and cheekbones with the NuFace? I have seen the videos and I have used the device and I did not see immediate snatching results that were any better than those I’ve achieved through gua sha.
Here's my skin immediately before and after using NuFace. Enjoy my PMS breakout spots!
Now, in the long-term, after more than 60 days of use, I have seen an improvement in overall skin tone, as well as a faint decrease in the appearance of a developing eleven line above my left brow. Unfortunately, I did not take before photos when I first started using NuFace. TBH, I don't think the results would look that dramatic. But I'm pleased with the subtle changes I've seen.
In re: results, this is what NuFace promises:
“Most users see results after the first treatment; however results may vary. We recommend taking before/after photos and lifting half of your face to compare. Results are cumulative and optimal results are achieved with regular use. Typical results are improved appearance of contour along the jawline and cheeks, improved appearance of skin tone, softer, firmer and smoother skin and reduction in appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.* Results from one treatment will last 1-3 days.”
The most visible results on their website are after 60 days of use—which is how long they recommend using the device at the five-times per week schedule.
Is NuFace worth it?
Worth it? Yes. I have seen results and I found a cheap replacement for the gel so, for me, it’s a cost-effective skin care tool in the long run. Like I said, $60-a-pop serums cost you as much or more than the NuFace after a few restocks and deliver less results, imo.
But, in the skin care routine of a 30 or 40+ individual, is NuFace as necessary as, say, prescription retinol? No.
SPF, retinol, vitamin C, and a healthy lifestyle (good sleep, less stress, more water, more whole foods, supplements, etc.) are doing the important work for your skin. NuFace is a supporting character—the cousin Greg of your vanity table (if you watch “Succession,” which, you better be!)
I saw a whopping improvement in my skin when I changed my diet (healthier balance of macros, more whole foods), started drinking more water, getting better sleep, and working on my wellness. I would give retinol credit for my eleven line changes, but I only noticed that improving about a month ago, and I’ve been using prescription retinol for almost a year now. It’s definitely NuFace, because that’s the only new thing my skin has seen in over a year. I pared my skin care routine way down during the acne situation last summer.
TL;DR: Do not feel bad if a NuFace isn’t in your budget right now. It’s a nice to have.
NuFace Dos
Spot treat. You can hold the device over one spot for the length of one beep to spot treat. I spot treat my laugh lines, two spots on my jaw, and one spot on the center of my neck.
Lay down. The ultimate lazy girl hack + the device glides like a dream when you’re laying down. Think about it: You lay down to get a microcurrent treatment in a spa, right?
Load on the gel to reduce tingles. If you feel discomfort, you either need more gel or a lower setting on your device.
Wait for the beep. 85% of the time I have the patience to go slow and give each motion the length of one full beep. The other 15% of the time I’m human.
Clean the device after every use! Personally, I rinse the head of the device (just the tip lol) under running water and dry with a tissue or towel. No problems so far.
My secret brow lifting move. I haven’t seen this move in the brand videos. It’s the April special! It’s a brow to temple sweeping movement. See below.
NuFace Don’ts
Start at the highest setting. Start low and work your way up—even if you’re like me and you work your way up to the highest setting on the second or third use. Better to be safe than sorry. I know someone who burned their face!
Apply gel all over your face. Do NOT do this. The gel dries too quick. Work in sections—neck, cheek, forehead—because the primer (and The Ordinary hyaluronic) absorbs in about 30-60 seconds. Once it dries, you’ll feel those currents, baby, and the device will not glide and you’ll be tugging at your skin. Cringe.
Worry about blemishes, moles, etc. The NuFace is safe to use over moles and the like. I actually think it helps my blemishes diminish and fade faster. No proof of that claim, just vibes.
Use oil-based products pre-treatment. These products can interfere with the treatment, according to the brand.
Use NuFace if you’re pregnant. The brand does not recommend using the device if you’re under 18, pregnant, have active cancer, have a pacemaker or implanted electronic device, or have epilepsy or seizures.
Use NuFace right after a hydrafacial, microneedling, etc. Check the FAQ page for more info on NuFace-ing after treatments and procedures.
Keep NuFace if it hurts or you don’t like it! NuFace has a 60-day money back guarantee and Sephora will literally take anything back. I once returned a used deodorant because it gave me a rash.
That's it! Unless I've missed something? Feel free to ask any Qs in the comments, DM me on IG, email me, whatever!