'I'm a dermal clinician. There are 4 things to know before buying an LED mask.'

If you've been anywhere near TikTok or Instagram lately, you'll know LED masks are everywhere right now — with more and more brands on the market than ever before. The downside? It's never been more confusing to know what's actually worth your money. And while we love a bargain beauty buy as much as the next person, any expert will remind you that not all LED masks are created equal.

In fact, some might be doing more harm than good.

Watch: Speaking of beauty, here's You Beauty's Em Vernem trying the foundation hug-proof test. Post continues below.

Just take Melbourne-based dermal clinician Jayde Taylor (known as @drivenbybeauty_ on Instagram) for example. She recently put a TEMU LED mask to the test, and the results were... concerning.

"My mum is obsessed with TEMU — they have got that age bracket on the market by the nostril hairs," Jayde shared. "Mum's bought me this LED face mask."

On TEMU, the LED Facial Mask 7 Color Beauty Light Facial Mask is currently listed at $26.29 down from $119.99.

It has 4.8 stars and a slew of five-star reviews. But does it actually work?

Image: TEMU.

Well, Jayde put it to the test so you don't have to.

Are LED masks safe for sensitive skin?

At first glance, the mask seemed promising. "It's quite well-made — including the strap," Jayde noted. "It does feel comfortable on the face which is nice. I feel like this would be an appropriate thing to answer the door with."

But things took a turn after just one 10-minute session.

"I'm pink," Jayde reported. "I wanna feel warmth — I don't feel like I'm just clammy from being inside the mask. We have some warmth. Meaning? It's a clinical endpoint — it's doing what it's supposed to do.

That warmth, however, wasn't the good kind. The mask caused what Jayde describes as "uneven vasodilation" — essentially, it made her blood vessels dilate unevenly, creating visible patches that "refused to go down."

"Thankfully, I'm a clinician and can just get someone to zap me with a vascular laser at work tomorrow," she said. "But if you're at home — I don't know babe. It's a really good quality mask — it does put warmth in your face to the point of this."

And therein lies the problem.

"The goal is to improve blood flow and stimulate tissue perfusion without causing damage," Jayde explained in her post. When LED masks deliver too much energy or distribute it unevenly, they can cause issues — especially for people with existing vascular skin conditions.

In her detailed Instagram caption, she broke down exactly why this happens:

1. The LED lights are too close together.

2. The energy delivery is uneven.

3. The mask sits directly on the face.

4. The inflexibility of some masks can cause problems.

While the vessel patches usually go away (Jayde's took several hours), it's a sign that the device isn't working as it should. "It's actually an LED mask that is emitting too much on one side."

Eeep.

Interestingly, Jayde noted she's "never experienced this from a clinical LED with the joules (energy) high, or at home Omnilux or Lightstim" — suggesting that investing in a reputable brand might be worth the extra dollars.

So what should you look for in a quality LED mask?

According to Jayde, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

• The skin should be slightly warm to the touch — but without hot spots.

• The warmth should dissipate relatively quickly.

• The mask should deliver energy evenly.

• It's crucial to buy from reputable sellers, especially if you have a skin condition.

Watch the full clip below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jayde (@drivenbybeauty_)

The bottom line? While that $30 LED mask might seem like a bargain, it could be doing more harm than good. And unless you have a friendly neighbourhood dermal clinician with a vascular laser on speed dial, it might be worth investing in a properly tested device.

If you're looking for some expert-approved LED masks, we'd recommend checking out Omnilux and Lightstim, as touted by Jayde.

While they may be on the pricier side, LED masks such as San Lueur Advanced LED Light Therapy Mask, $795, Current Body Skin LED Light Therapy Mask, $585, Therabody TheraFace Mask, $899, Dr Dennis Gross DrX SpectraLite Faceware Pro, $763.72 and Dr Naomi LED It Glow, $595 also came highly recommended by general practitioner and cosmetic physician Dr Prasanthi Purusothaman (who goes by Dr Prasanthi).

If you want to check out her full list of the best LED masks ranked, head here.

Want more beauty advice? Follow @drivenbybeauty_ on Instagram for no-BS evidence-based skincare tips and some very entertaining product reviews.

What is your favourite LED mask? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Instagram/@drivenbybeauty.