Few of us are especially radiant when we roll out of bed in the morning.
The beauty industry, however, has come up with plenty of tools to help us out—from hair gel to concealer to beard oil. Never one to be left out, tech companies are also looking for a bite of the market, which hit $56 billion in sales in 2015.
Some recent products are new takes on old standards. Others are potentially new solutions to problems we’ve been dealing with for years. But whatever the technology, its purpose is the same: To make you look better and feel better about yourself.
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (Buy Here)
Dyson has a history of reinventing household appliances, and last year it turned its attentions to the beauty industry. This $400 hair dryer carries a high price tag, but it uses technology from the aviation industry to gently dry your hair while causing less damage than traditional models. It’s also quieter than most hair dryers and gives your hair additional volume. The company says it spent four years and roughly $60 million to develop it the dryer. It might look different (most of Dyson’s products do), but it’s used and held like a traditional hair dryer.
Hair Max LaserBand 41 (Buy Here)
Thinning hair is a problem for millions of people. There’s no shortage of companies offering solutions, but Hair Max’s laser devices—like the $549 LaserBand 41—have been cleared by the FDA. (That’s not an endorsement by the FDA, but rather a term meaning a product is “substantially equivalent” to a device that is already legally marketed for the same use.) And the company claims seven clinical trials have shown an average increase of 129 new hairs per square inch for users (albeit, results from trails were not published in independent peer reviewed journals). Your results, of course, may vary. The company, it’s worth noting, has been selling these sorts of hair replacement devices since 2001.
Pulsaderm Sonic Washcloth (Buy Here)
Facial cleansing tools have been one of the hottest tech products in beauty industry for a couple of years now, with some costing hundreds of dollars. This $40 alternative is a good choice for people who aren’t sure if the hype is real. It cleans and exfoliates your skin gently, getting rid of dirt and oil in the face’s crevices. Used with soap and water, the sonic washcloth sends 10,000 micropulses per minute into the skin, removing dirt, makeup and other debris. And, as a bonus, it’s a gentler process than scrubbing with a brush or typical washcloth.
Silk’n Flash & Go Express (Buy Here)
Shaving can irritate your skin. Waxing is painful. And plucking? Let’s not even think about that level of discomfort. Silk’n’s $289 laser hair removal device is said to be painless and claims to remove unwanted hair for an extended period. There are some restrictions, though. It works better on dark hair (so if you’re a blonde or have gone gray, it likely won’t be especially effective), and Silk’n warns the product is not to be used by people with a dark skin complexion or who recently got a tan.
Amika Movos Wireless Styler (Buy Here)
Women have been using stylers to straighten, curl, and otherwise alter their hair for decades, but it has always been a corded affair that forced them to stand in one spot. This $150 styler lets users go mobile and carry a flat iron with them wherever they go. The styler heats to 400 degrees and the battery typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes. That may not be long enough if you have very curly hair, but if you’re not fighting your follicles in the race to get ready each day, it’s an option worth considering.
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