NuFACE was founded in 2005 by aesthetician Carol Cole and her daughters, Tera Peterson, also an aesthetician, and Kim Morales, according to the company's own press release. The brand now calls itself the global leader in at-home microcurrent beauty devices. The original Mini got its FDA 510(k) decision on April 17, 2014, and the filing says its electrical output is identical to the earlier Trinity. The current nuface mini is the Mini+, which launched in August 2022 and is described as the petite device for on-the-go lifting or a carry-on companion.

That filing is the part I find reassuring. It says the Mini delivers soft wave microcurrent in the millionths of an ampere, and that is the company's claim, not independent proof, so I read it as a gentle, cosmetic-level tool. Many shoppers type it as nu face when they search, but the brand writes it NuFACE, with the capitals.

What matters in practice is the gel. NuFACE's materials say the current needs a water-based conductive gel to travel, and oil-based products block it. That is why almost every item in the first grid is something you put under the device, not the device itself.

The first grid is NuFACE, from the Mini+ and Trinity+ kits to the gels, mist and patches. The second grid is other lifting, light and massage tools to compare. My tip: cleanse first, coat the skin so it looks wet, and glide upward from the jaw.

The NUFACE MINI+ Starter Kit is the one I would hand to a first-timer. It comes as a kit, so the device and the gel are in the box, and it is made for normal, dry, combination and oily skin. It is built to sculpt and firm the look of the face and neck, and it is small enough for a pouch. The NUFACE TRINITY+ Starter Kit is the larger sibling, with the Lift & Tighten claim and an Allure 2022 Best of Beauty win listed in its description.

The NUFACE FIX MicroWand is a different idea. It is a slim wand for the places a ball head misses: under the eyes, the lips and the lines around them. It works with a lightweight serum, so it reads more like a precision tool than a daily full-face session.

Then the part that makes the current work. The Hydrating Microcurrent Aqua Gel Activator is the plain, hydrating gel in the larger 3.3 oz size, and the FIX Line Smoothing Serum Microcurrent Activator is the smaller gel with peptides and hyaluronic acid for fine lines. The Supercharged IonPlex Facial Mist is a spray with glacial water and minerals meant to amplify the treatment, and I like it for refreshing skin between passes. The IonPlex Hydra-Gel Power Patches are eye masks with electrolytes and magnesium, a nice thing to leave on while you do the rest of the face.

The Trinity+ Lip & Eye Attachment is the add-on for the delicate skin around the eyes and mouth, and it only works with the Trinity+.

What I would skip: the attachment if you own a Mini+. It is made for the Trinity+, so check the device before you buy.

This is the section for people who like the idea of a face tool but not necessarily microcurrent. The Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro is an FDA-cleared LED mask that takes three minutes, aimed at wrinkles and blemishes. Its LipWare Pro sibling does the same for lines around the lips with 56 red LED lights. Both are about light, not current, so you do not need a gel.

For the hands-on route there are three stone and spiked tools from a house brand: a dual-ended rose quartz roller with a large and a small end, a rose quartz gua sha for sculpting the face and neck, and the Lifting Effect Ridoki Roller, which pairs gentle spikes with an acupressure tip. These are the ones I would use in the evening on top of an oil, because they like some slip. The roller is described as soothing and cooling, which suits puffy mornings.

The Shani Darden Skin Care Facial Sculpting Wand uses sound wave technology for crow's feet and nasolabial lines. THOME The Glow Signature is a professional-grade ultrasound device with three modes, called Focus, Inner and Tension. Shark Beauty FacialPro Glow is the odd one out, a hydro-powered facial system that exfoliates and hydrates, then finishes with contrast therapy. It is a whole routine, not a quick lift.

What I would skip: the spiked roller if your skin is reactive or breakout-prone. Start with the smooth stone or the LED, and see how your face feels first.

I think the nicest thing about the Mini is that it makes a ritual short enough to actually repeat. The gel, the mist and the patches are the habit, and the device is just the handle. If you do not like the idea of current at all, the LED and the stones in the second grid are quieter ways to use five minutes. Whatever you choose, read the manual for how long to use it and how often, because brands differ.

 

For a hydro-powered alternative to microcurrent, I also went through the Shark FacialPro Glow, a weekly at-home facial.