Facial Glow and Circulation, What a Device Session Does for Your Skin
Medically reviewed by
4 independent reviewers
Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) | Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) | CEO and Founder, Xtreem Pulse LLC
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Dr. Andrew Conrad Barile is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and the CEO and Founder of Xtreem Pulse LLC, the engineering company behind PureLift. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Daemen College and is a licensed physical therapist.
He brings over two decades of clinical and entrepreneurial experience across physical therapy, craniosacral therapy and medical device innovation, built on a working knowledge of human anatomy and muscle physiology.
For PureLift LAB he reviews how current is delivered across all ten levels, from sub-sensory nanocurrent and skin-level microcurrent to motor-level EMS, and how the Infuse pass fits into the same ten-minute routine.
Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.
Board-Certified Physician, Dartmouth Medical School | Medical Director, Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic
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Dr. Bertica M. Rubio is a board-certified physician and Medical Director of the Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic in Redlands, California. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School and completed her pediatrics residency at UC Irvine Medical Center.
With decades of clinical experience, she specialises in age management medicine, regenerative medicine, wound healing and growth factor therapies, and her practice integrates evidence-based medical science with advanced aesthetic treatment.
For PureLift LAB she reviews articles for medical accuracy across the whole dial, from the gentle nanocurrent and microcurrent settings through to muscle-level EMS and the Infuse pass.
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Otolaryngologist | Head and Neck Surgeon | Fellow, American College of Surgeons | Mount Sinai
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Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at ENT and Allergy Associates in West Nyack, New York. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
He completed his otolaryngology residency at New York University Medical Center, serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
For PureLift LAB he brings a wider clinical lens, connecting at-home facial stimulation from microcurrent to EMS to the anatomy underneath, with the same rigour we apply to every device specification.
Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann
Chair of Angiology, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg | Clinic Director, University Clinic for Angiology
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Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann is Chair of Angiology at the Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane and Clinic Director of the University Clinic for Angiology at the Brandenburg University Hospital.
He trained at the University of Hamburg, was a Max Planck Society Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, and held senior consultant posts at the Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin before his appointment as Chair in 2016.
One of Europe's leading authorities on arteriogenesis, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications and US and EU patents, he reviews for PureLift LAB how the evidence on electrical stimulation is read and where its limits lie.
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Skin often looks brighter and more awake after a facial device session because the muscle activity and massage briefly increase blood flow to the face, giving a short-lived glow on top of the longer-term toning effect.
This article explains the glow, such as:
- why skin looks brighter after a session
- how long the glow lasts
- what builds lasting skin quality
- how light therapy adds to it
- a glow routine
and many more!
We make PureLift devices, including GLOW, so weigh our view accordingly.
Key Points:
Working the facial muscles and gliding a device across the skin briefly increases blood flow.
The brighter, flushed look usually lasts from minutes to a few hours.
Lasting skin quality depends on sun protection, sleep, skincare and consistency.
Red and blue light work on the skin's surface and are a separate effect.
A morning session is a simple way to look more awake for the day.
Why skin looks brighter after a session
Muscle activity and gentle massage briefly increase blood flow, so the skin looks pinker and more awake. This is a short-lived effect, separate from muscle toning.
What a session feels like is in our article on what microcurrent feels like.
How long the glow lasts
From minutes to a few hours, depending on the person. It is why many people use a device before events. See our event prep article.
What builds lasting skin quality
Daily sunscreen, enough sleep, a consistent skincare routine and not smoking matter most. Device toning adds firmness over weeks. A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured facial electrical stimulation over twelve weeks.
Adding light therapy
Red light at 634 nm and blue light at 465 nm on PureLift GLOW work on the skin's surface. See our microcurrent vs red light article.
A glow routine
Cleanse, apply conductive serum, run a short session, then moisturizer and sunscreen.
Every PureLift model runs nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10 on one dial, plus an Infuse pass, with a ten minute session and no more than three minutes per side of the face, and works with any water-based conductive serum.
| Model | Price | Output | FDA 510(k) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PureLift Face | $499 | Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms | K190269 | Compact, the simplest way into the range |
| PureLift Pro | $699 | Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms | K230506 | Larger handle for longer home sessions |
| PureLift Pro Edition | $799 | Up to 7.7 mA at 500 ohms | K230506 | More output on the Pro body |
| PureLift Pro Plus | $899 | Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms | K221443 | Our strongest output |
| PureLift GLOW | $999 | Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms | K243587 | Adds red 634 nm and blue 465 nm light |
Do not use any facial current device if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, if you are pregnant or if you have epilepsy, and skip broken or irritated skin. The full list is in our safety article.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my skin glow after using a facial device
Muscle activity and gentle massage briefly increase blood flow to the face.
How long does the glow last
From minutes to a few hours.
Does a facial device improve circulation permanently
No. The increase in blood flow is temporary.
Is red light good for a glow
Red light is used for the look of skin quality over weeks.
When should I use a device for a glow
In the morning or before an event.
This article sits inside our full map of the category, where we set out all 33 devices we track, what each one carries and what each brand publishes: Nine Technologies on One Dial, What the Rest of the Market Actually Carries.