Created on 13th July 2009
In this issue, beauty editor Sarah Hedley gets to grips with the new beauty gadget everyone's talking about
What is it?
The iLift is a rechargeable hand-held device that looks like an electric shaver, but instead of blades there's a flat metal plate, which you rub across your face to deliver a series of treatments.
The science bit: negative and positive ions from the plate penetrate the skin to attack bacteria and aid absorption of the serum used in conjunction with the device, infrared rays improve the circulation and ‘micro-massage' uses vibration to stimulate muscle tissue. The aim is to boost elasticity and collagen production to help combat the signs of ageing.
What really happens?
Switch on the iLift, select your closest age setting (25, 35, 45 or 60) and then choose the intensity level (low, medium or high). There are four phases in total, before the first you moisten your face with tepid water and then stroke the iLift plate over your face. The plate tends to stick to moist skin, making this stage the most awkward.
Before each of the final three stages, the unfortunately named Laserlift botAction serum is applied. This helps the plate glide across your skin, but the serum is quickly absorbed so you need to re-apply a lot. It's not cheap and one tube didn't last us four weeks.
There's no pain from using iLift, in fact the only sensation is a slight pulse or tingle, but you don't feel pampered either, and the procedure takes 15 minutes a day, with initial results expected after four weeks.
If you religiously watch a daily TV show, the iLift routine could fit into your schedule quite easily while you're glued to the box, but if you're more of a social butterfly, squeezing in a 15-minute beauty regime every day may prove tricky.
Did it work?
"After using the iLift for around eight weeks, I noticed that the lines around my eye area were a lot smoother," said my co-tester Jen, but I wasn't convinced. While I thought I could see subtle improvements to the fine lines on my face after four weeks, my husband said he couldn't see any difference.
CS&AM
Available from: The iLift costs £249 and the Laserlift Intensive Lifting Serum costs £40, both available from 0845 1305305.
