Is the Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask Worth the Hype?

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise. You can read full disclosure here.

So lately Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask has been making waves on social media and the girlies can’t stop talking about it.

People who’ve tried it said it helps to remove dark spots and clear uneven skin tone.

Some said it helps to take care of dull looking skin and give you a glowing one.

Some said it helps with acne.

Others said it helps with fine lines and wrinkles.

I was intrigued and then I went to search for it online and I saw a price tag of a whopping $350 dollars. That scared the hell out of me but guess what I bought it because your girl has acne prone skin.

The main reason why this mask in particular makes waves is because it combines LED light therapy with cooling technology designed to refresh the under-eye area.

This post is an unsponsored review, so I’m going to be giving my 100% brutally honest review on this product. It’s going to be a full breakdown so that you can make an informed decision because let’s be honest that price tag is heavy.

So is Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask really worth it or not? Let’s find out.

What Is the Shark CryoGlow?

The Shark CryoGlow is an at-home LED face mask designed to target several common skin concerns using red, blue and infrared light therapy. But unlike your regular LED mask, Shark decided to throw in a little razzle dazzle: under-eye cooling.

The red and infrared lights are mainly used for concerns like fine lines, firmness and overall skin appearance, while the blue light is used in the skin-clearing treatment for blemishes and acne. 

And then there is the CryoGlow part of the equation.

There are two cooling points built into this mask  that sit underneath the eyes. It is called the InstaChill technology, and you can choose between three cooling levels. The idea is to soothe and depuff the under-eye area making it look firmer and less tired looking.

So basically, you are getting LED light therapy for your skin + cooling for your under-eyes in one very futuristic-looking mask.

This is what makes the CryoGlow more interesting than your average LED mask.

What Does the Shark CryoGlow Do?

So here is what it actually does for your skin.

The Shark CryoGlow has four different treatment modes. Each mode uses a different combination of red, blue and infrared light to target specific skin concerns.

Better Aging Mode

If fine lines and wrinkles are your main concern, this is probably the mode you will be reaching for the most.

The Better Aging treatment uses red and infrared light and is designed to minimize the appearance of fine lines while improving skin firmness and smoothness. 

Red-light therapy is commonly used for signs of skin aging, and dermatologists say at-home red-light devices can produce improvements in things like fine lines and wrinkles when used consistently.

Want more tips on dealing with under-eye fine lines? Check out my detailed article on how to get rid of fine lines under eyes.

Skin Clearing Mode

Now, this is the one that caught my attention because, hello, acne-prone skin over here!

The Skin Clearing treatment combines blue, red and infrared light in an eight-minute session. It is designed to target acne and redness and help give the skin a clearer, more even appearance. Shark says its 12-week study found improvements in acne and redness with daily use.

Blue light is generally used in acne-focused LED treatments because it targets acne-causing bacteria, while red and infrared light are used alongside it for their anti-inflammatory and skin-supporting effects.

Skin Sustain Mode

This one is basically your maintenance treatment.

It uses red, blue and infrared light in a quick four-minute session that’s designed to help maintain your skin’s radiance after you have been using the more targeted treatments.

So if you have already done the work and just want to keep your glow going, this is the quickie treatment.

Under-Eye Revive

And then we have my favorite little bonus: Under-Eye Revive.

Unlike the other modes, this one doesn’t use LED light. Instead, it uses Shark’s InstaChill cooling technology to cool the area underneath your eyes for five to 15 minutes.

The cooling is made to soothe the under-eye area and make it look temporarily tighter and less puffy. You can also use the cooling feature alongside the LED treatments, which is honestly one of the things that makes the CryoGlow feel different from a regular LED mask

What It’s Like to Use the CryoGlow

Honestly, the CryoGlow is surprisingly comfortable to wear. I expected it to feel heavy and awkward on my face, but it sits pretty well, and the adjustable straps make it easy to get a comfortable fit.

The LED lights are bright, but I got used to them pretty quickly. My favorite part is definitely the cooling feature under the eyes. It gives this really nice, refreshing sensation, especially when my eyes look puffy or tired.

It’s also pretty easy to fit into my routine because most of the treatments don’t take very long. I can put it on, do whatever I need to do, and before I know it, the treatment is done.

Is the Shark CryoGlow Worth the Hype?

I know this is the part you have been waiting for. I’m going to give you my personal review. I have been using this mask for over four months now, and the results have been tremendously amazing.

For the red light therapy, it helped to get rid of fine lines and stimulate collagen growth. According to science, a woman’s collagen starts to deplete from the age of 25, and its rate of production decreases even more in your 30s.

So, using red light therapy helps to prompt more collagen production, which helps to give you that soft and youthful skin glow. This is one of the main reasons why your favorite celebrities at 45 look 23.

Another thing I like about this mask is that it has different modes. So, if you want blue light therapy to target just acne, it can do just that. There is a mode that uses red light, blue light, and infrared light, and there is a mode that uses just infrared and red light therapy.

For me, I would say the more lights, the better. At least, that’s how it worked better for me.

It also has this unique feature, which I absolutely adore: the under-eye cooling area. It helps to depuff and protects the skin under the eyes from the amount of light. So, if you are looking for how to get rid of eye bags, puffy or tired looking eyes, this mask is definitely something you want to add to your collection. 

But there is one thing I wasn’t a fan of.

As someone with melanated skin, I noticed that the blue-light treatment didn’t agree with my hyperpigmentation. In fact it made it worse.

While blue light is commonly used in acne treatments, I found that using it seemed to make my post-acne dark marks more noticeable. And it was frustrating because what is the point of getting rid of the pimples if I’m left dealing with even more pigmentation afterward?

That was actually how I discovered that blue light therapy isn’t necessarily the best option for every skin tone. After noticing the change, I spoke to my dermatologist, who explained that people with melanin-rich skin need to be more careful with blue-light treatments because they can cause hyperpigmentation.

I wish I had known this before spending $350.

Pros and Cons

So let’s get into the pros and cons, because this is where you get to know if this mask is actually for you.

Pros

• It targets multiple skin concerns:

Fine lines, blemishes, dull-looking skin and under-eye puffiness,  there’s a treatment mode for several different concerns.

• The cooling feature is a one in a million:

The under-eye cooling is easily one of my favorite things about this mask. It feels refreshing and is especially nice when my under-eyes are looking puffy.

• It’s comfortable to wear:

Considering how futuristic this thing looks, I expected it to feel like a mini spaceship strapped to my face. However, it is actually pretty comfortable.

• It has multiple light therapy modes:

You can switch between red, blue and infrared light depending on what you’re trying to target.

Cons

• The price:

Let’s not pretend $350 is a lot of money for a skincare device. It is definitely an investment.

• Blue light may not work for everyone:

As I mentioned earlier, I noticed that the blue-light treatment seemed to make my hyperpigmentation more noticeable. If you have darker skin and are prone to pigmentation, this is something I’d discuss with a dermatologist before using it.

• You need to be consistent:

Personally, I don’t see this as a con because every type of skincare treatment needs time.

So yes, the Shark CryoGlow LED face therapy is not a one-and-done treatment. If you are expecting to use it twice and wake up with glass skin, babe, I hate to break it to you, but you need consistent use to see results.