Just in case you missed my skincare review on Tuesday, L(A)B Life + Beauty is a brand that focuses on helping you get the most out of your products. They produce a number of devices that take scientifically proven principles (the girls graduated from Oxford University), to give you the results you really want. Although they have also developed various dental devices, what I'm really focusing on today are their skincare efforts.
The Galvanic* is L(A)B's unique take on the cleansing brush. One look and you can see the only thing that's similar is the fact it has a handle and an on switch! This ain't no ordinary cleansing brush my friends! Cleansing is only one of the Galvanic's talents. It has been created to step in and boost each and every part of your skincare routine, and works in parallel with the products that I featured in the previous post.
The device utilises galvanic current, which is scientifically proven to improve skin texture and decrease lines and wrinkles (as claimed by the website. The aim is to supercharge your skincare routine, and to cleanse, tone, rejuvenate, anti-age and nourish the skin.
I was attracted to this product initially because it promised to be a gentle alternative to a bristled cleansing brush. At the time of chatting to Lauren from L(A)B, I'd only tried the manual Soap & Glory brush, and found the bristles to be way to harsh to even use. Since then however I've also tried the Magnitone Lucid which I have enjoyed more than I expected to. With regards to certain aspects I will be comparing the two gadgets, although I understand that the Galvanic is a whole lot more than just a cleansing brush.
To save you the confusion, I'm going to run through the device and what each part does. As you can see, there is a single set of buttons. You just flick the switch up or down to change modes and put it on the charging hub to charge. This makes it very easy to use. The side you're going to be most interested in is the round flat side on the front. This is a hypoallergenic titanium conductor head that transmits galvanic waves through to the skin.There is a handy rubber clip to attach a cleansing pad to use with the cleanser, and this head also gets used with the Activator Serum*.The bobble on the top of the Galvanic is for use around the eye area, and finally the curved side is designed to tone the skin, and is great for jawlines going south!
There are two modes on the Galvanic. The first is CLEANSE MODE. The galvanic current is said to attract dirt to the treatment probe, in a kind of magnet action. It also aims to declog pores. The vibrations felt really gentle, but that meant it also didn't feel like it was doing much. Maybe I'm used to using more manual cleansing techniques, but I much prefer using the L(A)B cleanser with a muslin cloth and then heading in with the Galvanic for the toning and hydrating steps of the routine. I did however enjoy using this around my nose where I have blackheads. I like to think I'm doing that little bit extra to clear them without using a drying mask.
The second mode is BIOWAVE. This is the reverse direction of the galvanic current, actively pushing any serums/creams into the skin. This increases hydration, and you get less waste using the probe rather than your fingers.
The instruction booklet advises users with oily skin (aka me) to use the Galvanic device every 5 days for the first month and then to maintain results you can use it every 2-3 days. I tend to work it in to my routine on my "facial" days. Usually on Sundays and Wednesdays, I take the time to do a face mask to give my skin a boost, and I've found using the Galvanic Device has been perfect to amp up my routine.
Onto the downside, and I'm not a big fan of the cream plastic fascia. I think white would look more sleek, or a similar pastel contrast to my Aqua Magnitone Lucid. Price wise, it comes in at a similar bracket to the premium cleansing brushes, at £125. For me, that isn't really within my budget, and it hasn't wowed me enough to justify the price. However it may have more of an impact for those with drier skins that really need that extra bit of hydration.
For me, the main goal of the Galvanic is more for the moisturising side of things as I already have my Magnitone for cleansing in the morning. Used in conjunction with the L(A)B cleanser, serum and moisturiser, my skin felt refreshed and hydrated, and looked balanced and radiant. I'll be really intrigued for my next skincare routine, to see whether it has earnt its coveted spot.
