"I'm hooked" – our beauty editor's Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro review

It makes sense for me to write a thorough Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro review. This intensive LED treatment has become one of my holy grail beauty products – and as a skincare minimalist, that's no mean feat.

The tool is known to be one of the best red light therapy devices on the market, something I can wholeheartedly attest to. It was a truly game-changing at-home light therapy for acne option when I was struggling with my skin. The difference it made was so noticeable after the first few uses that friends and near-strangers replied to my (shameless) Instagram Stories to ask about my new skincare routine.

Still, it's easy to take your favourites for granted. So I took a month-long break from using the mask before starting it up again to write a detailed Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro review packed with insights on the user experience and results. Here's what you need to know...

Our beauty editor's full Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro review

Our first impressions of Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

I've had this mask for around a year and, because I'm clutter-averse, I've thrown away the box. However, when you receive your shiny new mask, it'll come in a square box with a charging cable, a cotton bag and some instructions. The mask itself is quite chunky, but stylishly white and rose gold with a silicone strap (more on that later).

There’s no two ways about it: you’re going to look creepy in this mask. The vibe is Friday the 13th-style serial killer. The hockey mask look is a hard one to pull off and, in all honesty, it's not one I'd ever wear in front of house guests (or have pictured on the internet for all to see). It was bad enough when my horrified brother spotted it in the corner of a FaceTime call. Well, half horrified, half gleeful that he had another thing to rib me for.

In terms of the tech, I asked Dr. Gross what is red light therapy and how this mask harnesses that technology. "Red LED light calms inflammation and sends signals to the fibroblast to stimulate collagen production," he explains, "Whereas blue LED light connects to acne-causing bacteria, causing it to self-implode."

The DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro is fixed with 100 red lights and 62 blue lights. Dr. Gross says he did this so that the treatment was both powerful and effective, but still safe enough to use at home. "An FDA-cleared LED device is safe to use at home and offers immediate and long-term benefits. The goal is to build collagen every day, which is why you should incorporate it into your daily skincare regimen."

How does the Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare perform?

The good news is that you only need to wear this mask for three minutes for a full treatment; it then automatically turns itself off at the end of the session, which is handy. I use it in the mornings after cleansing, when I'm waiting for the kettle to boil or picking my outfit for the day. Admittedly, I always hope a passing neighbour doesn't see me, lest it terrifies the street.

When you switch the DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro on, it clicks on the red light setting. You click it again to swap to blue light (which actually appears violet), then a third time to get to the final setting, a combination of both red and blue that glows a bright fuchsia. All in all, it's pretty foolproof and easy to use.

As for the actual wear, it feels fine and absolutely comfortable. Contrary to popular belief there's no heat emitted from LED light, so it just feels like being in front of a regular table lamp. The gripe that's often mentioned in some Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro reviews is the silicone strap, which can slip. This isn't ideal for such an expensive item, but the brand reasons that this makes it easy to adjust the tool to fit any wearer comfortably. In my experience, it often causes frizzy hair to form at the back of my head, so I usually wear it with my hair in a bun.

How does it compare to other LED masks?

While there are many LED masks available (and many of them with smaller price tags than Spectralite FaceWare Pro), there is no doubt that this LED mask has one of the best reputations on the market. Dr Dennis Gross is a trusted name in skincare and, as a legendary dermatologist, has created some of the woman&home beauty team's "Desert Island" skincare products.

That it incoporates three different treatment types, using both red and blue LED, makes this a more versatile mask than many others on the market. For example, The Light Salon Boost LED Mask only offers one treatment, while the MZ Skin Lightmax Supercharged LED mask offers two, despite costing £100+ more than Dr Dennis Gross's option.

Another area in which the FaceWare Pro compares favourably is treatment time. Three minutes is comparably fast, with most LED masks ringing in at around 10 minutes – a considerably larger chunk of your morning routine time. It is worth also noting that the FaceWare Pro is larger and more rigid than some masks on the market; for example, the Sensse Professional LED Face Mask is a more budget-friendly option made of flexible silicone and mesh. But though the FaceWare Pro is less portable than others, it is sturdier and more luxurious-feeling, too.

Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro before and after results

Dr. Gross told me that I should see a difference in my acne after 3–5 treatments, while for the signs of ageing it usually takes 3–4 weeks, which I found was pretty accurate. After a week, my skin had almost totally cleared. As clichéd as it sounds, I glanced in the mirror and had to do a double take. My skin looked – no exaggeration – incredible. Clear, firm and healthy. Colleagues and friends also started remarking on my skin, asking what I’d changed. I did slightly cringe upon admitting it was a menacing-looking mask worth five times the price of my monthly electricity bill.

After a couple of weeks of use, the results just kept improving and my skin had truly never looked better. Whenever I have to take a break while testing other things, I miss this mask, and after a longer gap I notice the difference in the quality of my skin. Blemishes start to creep back in and I look, let's say, about 10% "worse" on the whole.

I rotate between the red and blue light settings, sometimes opting for a combo of both to mix things up. When I have a breakout, I stick to the blue setting until it clears and use the red when my skin’s looking content. It's something that really works for me and I now can't imagine my skincare routine for acne without this device. Whenever anyone asks me how to get rid of acne, it's one of the first things I mention that helped me.

Should you buy Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro?

If you have the means, my vote would be yes. The results I've had from using this mask have far outweighed those of any other facial treatment I've had. I would say that if you don't have any really major skin concerns, I'd say you don't need this tool, so it wouldn't be worth it in that case. But to noticeably treat sagging skin, blemishes and wrinkles, I think this is absolutely worth the spend.

As with any long-term love, I do have to be honest about the downsides. I’ve seen other foldable LED masks that are more travel-friendly, which is a factor to consider. The FaceWare Pro is bulky, thick and unlikely to fit into your hand luggage unless you’re an incredibly minimal packer (I am not).

The elephant in the room is also the price; it's not hugely accessible. But if you're looking for a serious change in your skin, whether that's treating wrinkles or acne, it's an investment that can make a huge difference. When you consider that most in-salon treatments cost upwards of £100, you'll balance out the cost of this in five uses – which is still only about 20 minutes of use, all in. With Black Friday beauty deals not too far away, you could wait for a discount code, or even split it with a friend to cut down the price, but I can imagine you'll end up wanting full custody.