Natalie Loves Beauty

TheraFace Mask Glo by TheraBody | Review

2026-11-05T13:47:32.353-05:00

I am lucky to have many products cross my desk, and I’m always looking for tools that make my skincare routine feel easier and more effective, not just more complicated. The Therabody TheraFace Mask Glo* caught my attention for a few reasons: it’s cordless, it covers the entire face, and it even adds a scalp massage to the light therapy, which I haven’t seen on other masks, including this LED face mask I previously reviewed. So I put it to the test, and in this post I’ll cover how it works, how to use it, what each mode does, and what I honestly think after using it.

What is the TheraFace Mask Glo?

The TheraFace Mask Glo is an at-home LED mask from Therabody, the brand best known for its massage devices. It’s FDA-cleared and uses 504 LEDs to deliver red, red & infrared and blue light across your whole face in a single 12-minute session. It charges over USB-C and runs without a cord, which is a major perk in my eyes. Inside the box you’ll find the mask itself, a protective eye shield and a charging cable. Therabody says the battery lasts about 60 minutes, which works out to several full treatments before you need to plug it in again.

How to use it

Start with a clean, dry face. Next, slide the eye shield into the mask through the openings near the nose. The shield is technically optional, but it cuts down on eye strain from the light, and if you skip it you need to keep your eyes closed the entire time and never look directly into the LEDs. Then you secure the adjustable straps so the mask sits comfortably against your face.

From there, you press the power button on the side and the mask starts its preset 12-minute cycle. If you don’t have a full 12 minutes, you can choose a shorter treatment anywhere from 4 to 12 minutes. When it’s done, I follow with my usual nightly routine: serum and moisturizer. Therabody recommends consistent use and points to visible results around the 8-week mark.

The light and vibration modes, explained

The 12-minute cycle moves through three light modes, spending 4 minutes on each. The first is red light, the one most associated with anti-aging. It’s used to target the appearance of fine lines, dullness and uneven texture, and it’s the mode you’ll hear about most in LED mask reviews.

The second mode combines red and infrared light. Infrared adds a deeper layer to the treatment, and Therabody positions this mode for firmness, fine lines and the look of dark spots. The third is blue light, which is aimed at acne-causing bacteria and is the one to pay attention to if you’re prone to breakouts.

The scalp massage is what makes this mask different from the rest, and it works independently of the LEDs. You press the vibration button on the side of the mask to cycle through three settings: Relax, Refresh and Relieve. You can run the vibration alongside any light mode, or use it on its own for a 12-minute massage with no light at all. It took me some getting used to the vibration at first, as I find it to be on the stronger side as opposed to a faint background vibration sound, but now I can say it is what makes me love this mask so much more and makes it unique.

My experience

I’ve been using the TheraFace Mask Glo a few times a week for the last four months, and the biggest thing I’ve noticed is the way my old scars have started to fade. It’s gradual, and I wouldn’t have spotted it if I hadn’t been using the mask consistently, but my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and fine lines look noticeably less obvious than they did when I started. This isn’t an overnight change, and it showed up after several weeks of regular sessions, which lines up with Therabody’s own guidance that results come with consistent use. Everyone’s skin is different, so your results may look different from mine.

Comfort-wise, the eye shield makes a real difference. I used it for every session, and it took the strain off my eyes from the light, which made the full 12 minutes much easier to sit through. That said, I still get some redness around my eyes and nose after taking the mask off. It’s normal and Therabody says to expect it, and for me it fades within five minutes. Just something to note!

My one wish is that the mask covered more of the neck. The coverage on the face is great, but my neck is an area I’d love to treat with the same anti-aging consistency, and right now the mask stops short of it. If Therabody ever makes a version with a longer design or a neck attachment, I’d be first in line.

What are your thoughts on the Theraface Mask Glo?

If you’ve tried an LED mask, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Let me know which one you used and whether you saw a difference!

*Disclaimer: Product provided for review consideration. Some affiliate links provided.

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Tage Retinal Duo Review: Korean Skincare for Sensitive Skin

2026-10-27T20:27:00.000-04:00

Retinal (retinaldehyde) has been everywhere in skincare lately, and the pitch is appealing. It’s one step closer to retinoic acid in the skin’s conversion process, so it tends to work faster than retinol, while often being gentler than prescription-strength options. That’s the theory.

I’ve tried prescription-strength retinol in the past, and it left my skin very dry and irritated enough that I had to stop. Since then, I’ve been looking for gentler actives that still help renew my skin, and Korean retinal is one of the ones I’ve been most curious about.

I wanted to experience how a retinal-focused skincare routine would benefit my skin, and for the past three weeks I’ve been testing the Tage Vita A Retinal Multi Balm Stick* and the Vita A Retinal PDRN Pore Booster Cream* as part of my daily skin program to see if and how my skin would improve.

My main concerns prior to starting these products were fine lines on my forehead, overall texture and dullness, dark circles, pores on my cheeks and nose, post-blemish marks on my chin, and stretch marks and keratosis pilaris ("strawberry skin") on my body. For context, my skin is on the drier side and sensitive, and I've kept my routine quite simple recently: a facial mist, a serum, a moisturizer, an SPF for daytime, plus the two Tage retinal products, which I use at different times of the day to cover different concerns. The combination of Retinal and Volufiline in these products makes them highly effective for targeting not only face but body concerns as well - especially for improving the look of hyperpigmentation and stretch marks.

Tage Vita A Retinal Multi Balm Stick

This retinal balm stick is formulated with 6% Volufiline, an ingredient the brand says provides instant volume (you may have seen the “boob filler for your face” tagline). The idea is to pair retinal’s skin-renewing action with a plumping, smoothing effect on areas that look a little hollow or crepey.

The Tage Retinal Stick glides on easily, and the format won me over right away. It’s mess-free and simple to target specific areas like my under-eyes and smile lines. The balm melts on contact and leaves a thin, comfortable film that settles onto the skin, so I can layer the rest of my routine on top without the product shifting.

I’ve been using the stick every morning on my smile lines, under-eyes, and chin (where I’ve been dealing with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and on my stretch marks. Because it’s gentle, it can be used day or night, but if you apply it in the morning, follow up with sunscreen, since retinal makes skin more sun-sensitive.

Within a few weeks, I noticed subtle changes. Those areas now feel smoother, plumper, and more even, and my fine lines and stretch marks have softened. The biggest relief for my dry skin: it didn’t feel any drier than before. If anything, it looks more glowy.

Tage Vita A Retinal PDRN Pore Booster Cream

The Tage Retinal Pore Cream is the nighttime-only half of the duo. This booster cream is beginner-friendly and pairs retinal with rice PDRN, an ingredient popular in Korean skincare for hydration and supporting the skin barrier. The retinal is in an ultra-fine liposome form, meant to deliver it more gently. It focuses on pore texture, fine lines, and overall smoothness.

This cream can be used wherever you have pore concerns, whether on your face or body. I like applying it to areas that are prone to keratosis pilaris, such as the upper arms, thighs and calves. It can even be used after shaving or waxing to prevent ingrown hairs.

The texture is rich yet light, with the brand describing it as a gentle butter that melts into the skin, which I can vouch for. There is not much of a scent, making it a great option for those with more sensitive skin. I also have not experienced increased redness while incorporating this retinal cream into my routine (thank goodness)! The formula spreads thinly and evenly and does not leave a sticky residue behind, and paired with a moisturizer, prevents my skin from feeling tight or dry.

Since incorporating this retinal cream into my routine, I can see that my pores in my problem areas look less visible, and I see fewer texture bumps on my cheeks and upper arms. I can also see that it is fading my post-acne marks and strawberry skin faster, and my skin looks visibly brighter, tighter, and not as lacklustre.

Who These Are For

If you want an easy way into retinal skincare for sensitive skin, this duo is a good place to start. The stick suits anyone who wants to target specific areas like the under-eyes, smile lines, hyperpigmentation and stretch marks, and the pore cream is a natural fit if pores and texture are your main concerns and if you deal with keratosis pilaris.

Why Retinal Works Well for Sensitive Skin

If you’ve avoided retinoids because they leave your skin red, flaky, or tight, retinal is worth a look. Before retinol can become active retinoic acid, your skin has to transform it twice, while retinal only has to do it once. That shorter path is why many people see results sooner without needing a higher strength. Pairing it with a barrier-supporting ingredient like PDRN, and using a liposome delivery system, is the thinking behind this style of Korean skincare. Of course, “gentle” is relative, and what works for one person’s skin may not work for another’s, so it’s worth going slowly. Tage's retinal skincare for sensitive skin is very beginner-friendly, too.

Tips If You Want to Try Them

If you’re curious about the Tage Vita A Retinal Multi Balm Stick and the Vita A Retinal PDRN Pore Booster Cream, I’d suggest easing in. Start with using them a few times a week and build up as your skin adjusts. Patch test first, especially if your skin is reactive. Wear sunscreen every morning, which matters most if you use the stick during the day. I’d also keep the rest of your routine simple while your skin settles, and skip strong exfoliating acids on the same days. Retinoids reward consistency over weeks, not days, so give them time before deciding.

My Go-To Steps for Minimizing the Look of Pores and Fine Lines

You can’t eliminate pores or erase fine lines topically, but a consistent routine can make both look less prominent. Mine stays simple, because dry, sensitive skin doesn’t do well with anything aggressive.

Cleanse gently. Clogged pores look bigger, but scrubbing backfires on sensitive skin.
Hydrate internally with water and externally with a mist and hydrating serum. Dehydrated skin makes both pores and fine lines look more obvious, so this step does more than you’d expect.
Moisturize. It locks in hydration and supports the skin barrier, which matters even more when you’re using retinal.
Target lines with the stick. The Tage retinal stick is easy to swipe on my smile lines and under-eyes. After a few weeks, those areas feel smoother and plumper, and my fine lines look softer.
Use the cream at night for pores. The Tage Pore Booster Cream goes on my face and body as my last step. Since starting it, my pores look less visible and I have fewer bumps on my cheeks and keratosis pilaris-prone areas on my body.
Wear sunscreen every morning. Sun exposure worsens both texture and fine lines, and retinal makes skin more sun-sensitive. This step is not optional.

Results & Final Thoughts

After three weeks, I’m happy with how these two have been working. The changes are subtle, but they’re noticeable: my fine lines and pores look less visible, and my skin looks brighter and more even overall.

The stick has earned a permanent spot in my morning routine. I reach for it on my smile lines, under-eyes, and chin, where it’s softened my lines and helped even out the hyperpigmentation marks from acne without making my skin drier. It has also helped with stretch marks appearing less visible on my body. If anything, my skin looks a little more glowy.

The cream has been a gentle way to bring retinal into my nights. After my experience with prescription-strength retinol, the dryness and irritation that made me stop, I was cautious. This time I haven’t had increased redness, and my skin doesn’t feel tight or sticky when I wake up. My pores look less visible, I see fewer texture bumps on my cheeks, the post-acne marks on my chin seem to be fading faster, and the strawberry skin on my upper arms looks a lot smoother and less textured.

I’m not expecting overnight miracles. Retinoids reward consistency, and I know the biggest changes take time. That’s why I plan to keep using both long-term, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next few weeks bring.

You can find the Tage Vita A Retinal Multi Balm Stick and the Vita A Retinal PDRN Pore Booster Cream on Amazon. Have you tried retinal before? Let me know in the comments!

#RetinalStick #Retinal #Volufiline #Tage #RetinalCream #PDRN

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*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.