LIVING ON the gulf coast of Florida has its pluses and minuses. On the happy side are the lush palm trees and the most psychotically fluffy clouds you’ve ever seen. On the bummer end, the power goes out a lot down here. And electricity is crucial when your cache of beauty power tools has grown so large you’re considering installing a surge protector in your master bathroom—and have taken to storing your many manuals and charger cords in gallon-size Ziplocks. If I can’t create sleek locks with my trusty InStyler rotating iron, coax a contoured cheek with my Temptu airbrush makeup mister or obliterate every bit of facial peach fuzz with my Dermaflash exfoliator, there’s a high likelihood I’m not leaving the house.
In short, I’ve become what NPD global beauty industry analyst Karen Grant calls a “highly engaged consumer,” someone who has “migrated beyond just products” like pricey anti-aging serums and $50 hair masks to pro-level devices. Clearly, it’s a hot market: Beauty behemoth Coty recently acquired GHD (the Australian maker of straighteners beloved by the red-carpet set) for around $510 million, and sites like Amazon now offer hundreds of tools typically found in a day spa or dermatologist’s office, from electronic blackhead removers to “diamond tip” microdermabrasion wands.
Beauty gadgets aren’t new, but experts like New York dermatologist Dendy Engelman consider the recent wave of products more effective than its predecessors. “There have been so many advances in at-home devices over the past decade,” said Dr. Engelman. “I’ve seen significant wrinkle reduction and skin tightening in patients who commit to some of the newer devices.”
Commit. The last part of Dr. Engelman’s quote is crucial. No matter how ingenious a gadget, it will fail if it’s collecting dust. And for some, zapping a tiny age spot with a laser beam night after night can quickly become a chore. You need discipline to achieve the best results from many high-tech beauty tools, said Ms. Grant, particularly when it comes to those designed for antiaging. That said, most of the toys—or rather, “tools”—below give you results right away.
[Source:-Wall street Jurnal]
