January always makes me crave a reset. But not the extreme, overhaul your life (and probably not stick with it) kind. More like small habits or changes that feel doable, that actually make a difference and that feel like a small up level.
This year, my favorite Christmas gift BY FAR was a red light therapy mask. We use them all the time at the salons after Hydrafacials and microneedling so I know how great they are, but I was hesitant to add ANOTHER step to my routine. But here I am, a few weeks in and I’m hooked!!
Here are the many benefits of red therapy for your face:
✨ Boosts collagen & firmness
- Helps skin feel firmer and more elastic
- Softens fine lines over time
- Great for prevention and maintenance
✨ Smooths fine lines & wrinkles
- Helps skin repair itself more efficiently
- Results build gradually with consistent use
✨ Improves tone & texture
- Boosts circulation
- Leaves skin brighter, smoother, and more even
✨ Calms redness & inflammation
- Great for sensitive, reactive, or rosacea-prone skin
- Also helpful after treatments
✨ Supports acne healing
- Reduces inflammation
- Speeds healing
- Helps fade post-acne marks
✨ Helps skin recover faster
- Supports healing from sun damage
- Can improve the look of minor scars
- Strengthens a compromised skin barrier
Best practices for results
- 3–5 sessions per week
- 10–20 minutes per session
- Clean skin, no SPF during treatment
- Results typically show after 4–8 weeks, with continued improvement.
There are different opinions about whether you should use it with products or without. I personally like using it with clean skin. It is fine to use with some products but to be safe I like to use the mask first and then use my products. It actually helps with absorption. I’ll get into that below!
Why I Love It (And Why I’ll Actually Keep Using It)
I think the reason this stuck for me is because it doesn’t feel like another “thing” I have to do.
I throw it on while I’m folding laundry.
I wear it while answering emails.
I’ve even had it on while working on my laptop. (Which I’m not sure is actually good for your eyeballs but we’ll see!)
No downtime, no mess, no big production. Just put it on, turn it on, and go about your life. Like I said I’m only a few weeks in but I’m using it religiously and I’ve noticed my skin looks brighter and more even. It just looks… healthier.
How I Pair Red Light Therapy With Vitamin C
One of my favorite ways to use red light therapy is pairing it with vitamin C — and this combo has been a total game changer for me.
Vitamin C helps brighten and support collagen, and red light therapy works deeper at the cellular level — so together they really complement each other.
What About Retinol or Tretinoin?
My clients ask me this all the time……so here’s the simple version.
Best approach:
- Use red light therapy on clean skin
- Apply retinol or tretinoin after your session
Red light therapy can actually help calm the skin, which is great if you’re someone who’s sensitive to retinols.
What I don’t recommend:
- Putting retinol on before red light
- Using retinol if your skin is already irritated.
Why Red Light Is Especially Great for Perimenopause (Showing my age here..)
As we move through perimenopause, skin changes are real. Lower estrogen can mean:
- Less collagen
- Thinner skin
- More dryness
- Slower healing
Red light therapy supports collagen and cellular repair, which makes it such a great tool during this stage of life. It’s not about trying to look younger (well maybe a little) it’s about supporting your skin as it changes.
That said, younger women love red light therapy too — just for slightly different reasons.
In your 20s and 30s, it’s more preventative:
- Supporting collagen early
- Calming inflammation
- Helping with breakouts and overall glow
It’s one of those things that works at pretty much any age.
Which One To Get??
This is purely personal preference! My only suggestion is don’t skimp out PLEASE. Get one from a reputable company, with good reviews, and expect to spend a couple hundred dollars or more. I bought the Higher Dose mask and as you can tell I’m obsessed. I’m actually also using their red light baseball cap to help promote hair growth and I’m equally as obsessed with that!
My Takeaway
What I love most about red light therapy is that it doesn’t ask much of you. It fits into real life, which makes it the kind of self-care you’ll actually keep up with.
Easy. Consistent. Science-backed. And perfect for January. We’ll be stuck inside for the next 3 months anyways. 🙃 By spring we might actually look like spring chickens!
Let me know if you decide to try it!
❤️,
Hillary