This Device Finally Gave My Round Face Cheekbones

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My biggest issue with at-home skincare devices is consistency. I’m all about instant gratification, and while most facial tools and gadgets promise speedy results, they ultimately don’t deliver. Cut to me falling off the bandwagon and whatever tool I tested collecting dust in the bottom of a drawer. There is one exception though, and that's microcurrent devices. Microcurrent is a painless, low-grade electrical current that helps encourage your skin cells to help build muscle and produce collagen and elastin, says dermatologist Heather D. Rogers, MD.

With regular use they can provide a long-term firming and plumping benefit, but after just one session you'll notice your face looks immediately more lifted and sculpted too. Truly the best of both worlds—and the reason I'm religious about using a microcurrent device in my skincare routine. I've now tested basically every single option on the market and compiled my top nine favorites below—plus all the key info to know before adding one to your own routine.

Keep scrolling for the entire list of best microcurrent facial devices for 2024 and the most important things to keep in mind when shopping for a microcurrent device.

Trinity+ Starter Kit with Eye and Lip Attachment

Drumroll, pls: The O.G. NuFace is still the best microcurrent device I've tested, especially since the Trinity+ device launched in 2023. The microcurrent stimulates blood flow and muscle contractions, which is basically like a workout for my skin, making me look way more snatched and toned than ever before. In 2020, I tested the device five days a week for two months—and by the end of my ~experiment~, I legit had cheekbones and a jawline that never existed before. (See the before and after below; it's wild, lol!)

P.S.: The Trinity+ Starter Kit is the ideal all-one-setup for anyone who is committed to microcurrent and ready to make it a regular part of their routine. It's pricey, yes, but you'll get a full-size NuFace device that's proven to lift and tone, a special attachment for eyes and lips, a conductive gel and applicator brush, and a face moisturizer.

• Features: Connects to an app for guided treatments; comes with a charging stand, a mini aqua gel and silk creme to use with your treatments, a brush, and eye and lip attachment

• Settings: Three, plus a "boost" mode with 25 percent more microcurrent

• Suggested use: Five minutes for five times a week for 60 days, then two to three times a week indefinitely

• FDA cleared? Yes

Glowing customer review: "I am seeing noticeable upward movement in my skin, cheeks, jaw, neck, eyes, and forehead from using my NuFace. My forehead 11s still look like I've recently gotten Botox—it's honestly just jaw-dropping."

This was 2020, so excuse the fact that I look like a bb, but the difference after two months is TOO WILD not to share.

Age-R Booster Pro 6-in-1 Total Care LED Therapy Device

If you're an avid Hailey Bieber follower, you've seen the O.G. Age-R Booster H device in her TikToks. It helps your products absorb into your skin better using "electroporation" technology, all while giving your skin a lovely massage. But what if you combined that with microcurrent and LED? Then you'd have this next-gen device from Medicube that team Cosmo is legit obsessed with. It's got four different modes—from product absorption to microcurrent to "air shot," which mimics microneedling?!—all the while offering five different LED light therapy options.

"Okay, this device TRULY changed the way my skin barrier absorbed my skincare every night--specifically my serums and moisturizer," says assistant shopping editor Jasmine Hyman. "After my regimen, I used it on my face for five minutes in an upwards sculpting motion, and my complexion was immediately more glowy and bouncy every. single. time. The timer and different levels of vibration were also v helpful to make sure I was using it properly and getting the most out of each session. I wholeheartedly recommend for anyone looking for some extra hydration and sculpting!"

• Features: Four different modes (including microcurrent, product absorption, EMS, and air shot), plus five types of LED

• Settings: 5 levels

• Suggested use: Five minutes daily (only two to three times a week for air-shot mode)

• FDA cleared? Not yet

Glowing customer review: "I absolutely love this device, I really get that instant glow right after using the booster mode for better absorption, and I feel like derma shot mode has actually made my face a little slimmer. I’m so glad they came out with this all in one device because they had so many others on the site. Super easy to use and worth every penny in my option."

Pro

"I'm absolutely hooked on my TheraFace," says deputy beauty director Lauren Balsamo. It comes with multiple attachments—including an LED light, a cleansing brush, various facial massagers, a hot and cold ring, and of course, a microcurrent head. When used with the conductive gel, the microcurrent setting (of which there are three), can help tone, lift, and depuff skin. "The lifting and depuffing results are nearly instant, but the device needs to be used daily to maintain results and really see a boost in collagen," Balsamo says.

• Features: Comes with multiple attachments (LED light, cleansing brush, facial massagers, hot and cold ring, and microcurrent), plus conductive gel

• Settings: Three for microcurrent (plus multiple other heads with various settings)

• Suggested use: Five to eight minutes daily

• FDA cleared? Yes

Glowing customer review: "This easily replaces a couple of facial tools that would otherwise clutter my bathroom vanity. I love that one gadget can easily do several things just by changing the attachment. I have been using this for two weeks and I am really loving it. It makes me feel I am have my own spa/skin clinic at home."

4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand

So, my Solawave legit lives in my travel bag—I refuse to hop on a plane without it. It's incredibly easy to use (just apply a conductive gel or hydrating serum to clean skin and glide the wand up and out—see how I used it on a long flight from Greece last fall) and the entire treatment takes only five minutes. The Solawave wand also combines microcurrent with red light, therapeutic warmth, and gentle facial massage for even more glow-boosting benefits.

• Features: Combines microcurrent with red light; can be used horizontal or vertical

• Settings: One

• Suggested use: Five minutes daily

• FDA cleared? Not yet

Glowing customer review: "I LOVE this thing. It's versatile, compact, and lightweight. I was unsure about it being so small, but it really is the perfect size for around your eyes and for the rest of your face."

Bear 2 Fuchsia

Fr, the Foreo Bear 2 is the strongest microcurrent device I've ever used. This small device uses a combo of microcurrent and T-sonic pulsations to majorly sculpt my facial features and encourage lymphatic drainage. I usually follow one of the tutorials on the app, which allows me to pair my device so I don't have to fiddle with the settings myself, and I can seriously feel it pulsing my muscles. If the other microcurrent devices on this list are a pilates class, this one is CrossFit, especially on the higher levels. My entire face looks lifted and toned afterward, especially my eyebrows and cheeks.

• Features: Combines microcurrent with T-sonic pulsations; connects to the Foreo app for guided tutorials; aut0-shuts off after three minutes

• Settings: 10 levels (1-5 are beginner, 6-10 are "pro mode")

• Suggested use: Three minutes daily

• FDA cleared? Not yet

Glowing customer review: "I love the instant plumping and tightening effect that the Bear 2 does in my morning routine!"

Before and after using the Foreo Bear for three minutes ✨

MyoLift Mini Home Care Kit

Pro aestheticians and DIY skincare fans alike are obsessed with this microcurrent device from MyoLift. It's more of a mini machine than a hand-held device or tool, but it's got a ton of power and is relatively simple to use once you get the hang of maneuvering both handpieces at once. The device can be used at different intensities depending on the results you're trying to achieve, and it comes with a rechargeable battery park and conductive gel.

Heads up: You can also grab a bundle that includes conductive facial masks. These essentially do the work for you—just stick 'em on and feel your skin pulse a bit. It makes this device hands-free, so feel free to pop it on while you watch your fave show, read a book, or swipe on Bumble while you're getting snatched.

• Features: Has two hand pieces to work on both sides of your face at once; has an extremely long battery life (up to three months)

• Settings: One (but can up intensity by using for up to five minutes)

• Suggested use: Up to 15 minutes daily

• FDA cleared? Not yet

Glowing customer review: "I have been using very expensive anti-aging cosmetics but I did not get any result, however, I got a visible firming and lifting result when I used Myolift from the first time," reads one tester's review. "This is amazing machine—I definitely recommend it."

Halo Toning Device

What sets the Ziip device apart? It uses both microcurrent and nanocurrent, which is a lower electrical current but works over time to help encourage collagen and elastin production. In the Ziip app, there are dozens of pre-programmed treatments that combine both types of current to give you immediate and compounded results. And of course, following them during your DIY treatment basically makes the entire experience foolproof.

• Features: Uses microcurrent and nanocurrent, comes with conductive gel

• Settings: 26 combinations created within the app

• Suggested use: Three to five times per week for four minutes

• FDA cleared? Yes

Glowing customer review: "It's early days (had it about two weeks), but I'm really loving it. I enjoy the different modalities in the app and the easy pre-set four-minute lift when I haven't got much time. I feel I see an improvement in my skin from using it, whether that's in my imagination or not! I'm definitely keen to see how things improve with further use."

Microcurrent Wand

If you're curious about microcurrent but aren't quite ready to spend a ton of money on a device, this affordable option from Skin Gym is a great choice. It's cute, compact, and at $119 it's by far the least expensive on the list. It also has five different intensity settings so you can start out low and slow and work your way up to level five once you're more comfortable using the device.

• Features: Small globes are easy to get into crevices, like your eyes or lips

• Settings: Five levels

• Suggested use: Three to five times per week for up to five minutes

• FDA cleared? No

Glowing customer review: "This is the most effective, yet affordable, microcurrent wand I've tried. I love using it to give my skin a quick lift—it's really great for depuffing around my eye area too."

RenuSpa iO

This brand-spankin'-new body microcurrent device is already getting lots of buzz on TikTok, and now that I've tested it, I see why. Once I paired my RenuSpa to the NuSkin Vera app, I immediately got started following the guided treatments on my upper arms, thighs, and stomach (I specifically love that they offer full-body treatments, as well as targeted, shorter options for specific areas).

The metallic nodes on the device feel cooling and comfortable against my skin, honestly leading to the best at-home massage I've ever done on myself. I glided the device over my stomach and upper arms last night before a night out, and I felt so much more confident because my skin looked firmer, tighter, and less puffy.

• Features: Connects to an app that offers tutorials to show you exactly how to use the device on every area of your body; comes with a full-size Conductive Gel

• Settings: One (but can up intensity by using for up to five minutes)

• Suggested use: Three to five times per week for up to five minutes per area

• FDA cleared? Not yet

What does a microcurrent device do?

Microcurrent devices emit a low-grade electrical current that promotes the production adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is basically food or energy for skin cells, explains Dr. Rogers. That ATP is used by your cells to build muscle, collagen, and elastin—all necessary things for plump, firm, and more lifted-looking skin. Microcurrent can also improve lymphatic drainage and circulation to help depuff your skin and give it a nice glow, says Dr. Rogers.

Do microcurrent devices really work?

Yes, at-home microcurrent devices really do work and can visibly lift, firm, depuff, and smooth the skin. That said, they're not as powerful as professional microcurrent devices used in medspas and skincare clinics, says licensed medical aesthetician Innessa Mandelbaum, so you shouldn't expect the same results. I recommend my clients come in for professional microcurrent every few weeks (she uses the Tama device during treatments) and then maintain the results at home with own device, says Mandelbaum.

How long do microcurrent results last?

The contouring and depuffing results of a microcurrent can be seen immediately after a treatment, but the benefits are also cumulative so to really lift and tone your facial muscles you'll need to be consistent with your treatments, says Mandelbaum. "Think of it like going to the gym," says Mandelbaum. "To keep your facial muscles in shape, you'll need to exercise them with microcurrent frequently."

Is microcurrent safe?

The current that's released from at-home microcurrent is very weak and only travels between the two electrodes on the device so it's generally very safe and can be used everyday, says Dr. Rogers. "However, most manufacturers say microcurrent should be avoided in people with pacemakers, electronic implanted devices, metal plates, or pins in the area being treated—and if you are pregnant or have epilepsy, they advise you to be cautious and talk to a medical professional before starting any treatment."

How to choose the best microcurrent device:

Look for a device that comes with conductive gel.

Most microcurrent devices require you to apply a conductive gel or serum to your skin before use—so it's to your advantage to buy a device that comes with one so you don't have to make a separate purchase. The conductive gel is often necessary help the current pass through your skin—plus the slip it provides will allow your device to better glide across your skin.

Choose a device with some extra bells and whistles.

Skincare tool technology is super advanced these days, so it's totally possible to invest in a device that offers multiple features. If you're someone who is looking for an all-in-one tool or likes to test out different treatments, I highly recommend investing in a device like the TheraFace or Solawave, which combines microcurrent with other features like LED, facial massage, and heat therapy.

Meet the experts:

• Heather Rogers, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Seattle, WA. Dr. Rogers is also the founder and CEO of Doctor Rogers Skincare, a clean and clinical line focused on skin health. Her favorite at-home microcurrent devices are the ZIIP and TheraFace Pro.

• Innessa Mandelbaum is a licensed medical aesthetician at Deep Blue Medical Spa, which is overseen by New York Plastic Surgical Group. Mandelbaum has decades of experience treating various skin conditions and working with various pro treatments, including microcurrent.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan and has been writing and editing skincare stories for six years, like microdermabrasion devices and reviewing the Nira laser. She's an expert across all beauty categories, including microcurrent devices, which she's been using on her own face for four years consistently.

Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with nearly a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing skin stories that range from the best retinol eye creams to the best lasers for acne scars. She’s an authority in all skincare categories but an expert when it comes to microcurrent devices. She regularly tests and analyzes new microcurrent devices, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists and aestheticians to assess new brands and technologies.

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