No! No! Skin
$299, from Guardian
This hand-held pimple zapper makes use of heat and light to speed up the healing of acne and to stop pimples from worsening. To use, place the device over a pimple for 10 seconds every day.
A colleague's teenage son tried it every other day for about 10 days but did not see any improvement in his complexion.
Dr Calvin Chan, medical director of Calvin Chan Aesthetic & Laser Clinic, says this device works best on pimples that are just starting to develop and not on angry red, pus-filled ones - which were what our tester had.
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Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser (includes 14 single-use cleansing pads)
$24.90, from Watsons and Guardian
This gadget turns a daily chore into a fun activity.
Attach a single-use foaming pad to the gadget, wet the pad, turn the vibrating device on and gently massage over the face once a day.
The foam is a great perk-me-up and the soft vibrating pad cleanses skin without being too harsh.
My skin felt squeaky clean afterwards but this could be because I spent more time experimenting with this gizmo than I would when cleaning my face with facial cleanser and water.
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Watsons Eyebrow Trimmer
$8.95, from Watsons
As there were no instructions on how to use this gadget, I had to experiment with it to find out.
It is essentially a battery-operated, single-blade razor made in China with a nifty comb that fits over the razor head.
What the comb does is prevent the razor from shaving away all your brow hair.
It cannot be used to shape brows but rather, it trims the ends of long, unruly brow hairs to neaten them.
To use, simply hold the comb attachment flat against the brows and run it in the direction of the hair growth.
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Talika Light 590 Collagen Booster
$590, from Sephora
This light-emitting gizmo works on the premise that yellow light is able to stimulate the skin's cells into producing more collagen - the substance that keeps skin plump.
To use, shine the device for 45 seconds daily on the area that you would like treated.
My 50-year-old mother, who used this daily for a month, said she did notice a subtle firming of her skin on the eye and chin areas.
Dr Chan says: 'Depending on the individual, you may have to apply this for a longer period of time to see results.'
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Lancaster 365 Cellular Elixir Expert Institute At Home
$191, from Tangs Orchard
This gadget delivers micro-electric currents and magnetic impulses to stimulate the skin into absorbing more of Lancaster's anti-ageing product, the 365 Cellular Elixir serum.
The exfoliator works together with the Micro-Exfoliation cream to scrub away dead skin cells.
Although I found the exfoliator to be not much of an improvement over using my fingers, the Elixir applicator did help to speed up absorption of the serum.
After a month, my skin did appear more radiant and glowing.
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This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
