Back in May, I met a friend for a happy hour after leaving a facial appointment. The first words out of her mouth were, “Did you just get Botox?” Seeing as I hadn’t had Botox in a few years, I was surprised by this–not to mention I showed up wearing zero makeup (a rarity, especially when out for drinks). I had not come from any sort of injection appointment–but I did come from a treatment at dermatologist Dendy Engelman’s office in New York to test out a buzzy new tool, the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro. While I now see people singing the device’s praises on my TikTok, at the time, I had never heard of the Korean device that had just arrived stateside. I have too many beauty tools in my bathroom to count, but after my friend’s accusatory Botox compliment, I decided to give the Medicube device a whirl at home. After just one week of using it, the device quickly replaced a majority of tools in my skincare routine, and I truly haven’t put it down since. After using it for months religiously, I’ve gotten dozens of compliments–including one from my favorite esthetician, Elizabeth Grace Hand of Ställe Studios, who is also now a Medicube Stan herself. Ahead, I dive into how the device works, how I like to use it, and why it’s truly worth every penny.
Known as the “glass-skin tool” in Korea, this device may be small and compact, but it sure is mighty. Medicube, as a brand, offers a plethora of devices, and the Age-R Booster Pro combines the best of them all with even stronger technologies than the one-off devices. The Age-R Booster Pro has a small digital screen that shows what mode (Air Shot, Booster, Microcurrent, or Derma Shot) and level (each modality has five power levels) is currently in use. LED light therapy has taken the beauty world by storm, and Medicube harnesses the power of five LED colors that each serve a different purpose in conjunction with the other technologies used in each mode. One of the best parts of the Medicube is that you can opt to use one mode or all–regardless, you’ll get an effective treatment. While the modes are in order of how they should be used, you’ll still get the same effects if used out of order.
I dedicated my tools routine to road-testing the Age-R Booster Pro to its fullest potential, using it whenever my skin needed a glow-up or lift, which was just about every day. For the last three months or so, I’ve used the device almost five times per week. Since each mode has a maximum timer of five minutes, it never takes more than ten minutes of my time to go through the entire routine. What sets the Medicube device apart from other tools I’ve used is that there’s no need to apply a gloopy, messy conductor gel. You can use any serum or cream that provides enough slip for the device to move across your face. Medicube has an efficacious skincare line that I will sometimes apply before using the device. My favorite is the Collagen Jelly Cream, which I apply a thick layer of, like a mask, and then wash off. But I’ve used the Medicube on top of my daily skincare, and it’s worked just as well.
For the last few months, I’ve been gushing over the Medicube to anyone who would listen, and for good reason. Aside from the fact that it has made my skin plumper, smoother, and lifted, it is practical and easy to use, which shouldn’t be overlooked. The issue with most at-home devices is consistency, and a lot of times, for me, that lies in adding another step to my routine in the form of applying a conductor gel. I love that you can use the Medicube on top of your skincare, making my already-beloved formulas even more efficacious. The device is also super gentle–it can even be used around the eyes and neck area without irritating. Battery life can also make or break how consistent I am with a skincare device. Luckily, the Medicube devices have an extremely long battery life–so much that I used the device every day on a two-week trip and still had plenty of battery life when I arrived back in New York.
While this device is practically a ten out of ten in my book, I would love it if the buttons were more spaced out on the device. It’s easy to accidentally hit a button while using a mode, which completely changes the setting and resets your treatment. Regarding aesthetics, if black isn’t your style, the brand just released a beautiful baby pink shade that looks nicer in your bathroom. If you recently have had Botox or fillers, talk to your dermatologist before using the Medicube as the technology is so strong that it can disrupt injectables as they settle into your skin.
Multifunctional devices of this statue can be pricey, but the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro normally rings in at $228, which is about the same as other tools on the market that only offer microcurrent. But right now, the device is on sale for $150 at Amazon for Black Friday 2024, which is why it’s the perfect time to try one for yourself.
