All posts tagged: fashion & beauty

GroWell Cap Review: I Have Hair for the First Time in 15 Years

GroWell Cap Review: I Have Hair for the First Time in 15 Years

There are dozens of LED hair growth gadgets on the market, ranging from a $50 product on AliExpress that’s been ’shopped onto a model to comically bad effect, to the $2,500 Capillus Spectrum, which boasts an aggressive array of laser diodes. Contrary to what I would have suspected, women are actually the current dominant consumer group for LED hair regrowth therapy. As it was explained to me, women are accustomed to spending money on their appearance, and thinning hair is often experienced as a crisis. Men, on the other hand, tend to take the path I did and buzz it all off, then go about their day. Photograph: Martin Cizmar I agreed to test the FDA-cleared GroWell, which sits in the middle of the price range at $550. It contains a total of 63 diodes, including 24 lasers and 39 LEDs. Beyond its attractive price point, comfortably between sketchy dropshippers and well-marketed products that cost nearly as much as the top-end MacBook Pro, the GroWell stands out for offering treatment at a level supported by …

Top Megelin Deals for Laser and LED Therapy Devices (2026)

Top Megelin Deals for Laser and LED Therapy Devices (2026)

The red-light therapy market shows no signs of slowing down. According to Fortune Business Insights, the industry is projected to grow from $1.21 billion in 2026 to $1.76 billion by 2034. Riding that wave is Hong Kong-based Megelin, which is currently running its largest Mother’s Day sale yet, offering major discounts on most of its LED devices and select electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) tools. I’ve been testing the Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask for the past two weeks as part of a six-week trial. While I’m still forming my final verdict, I already have some early thoughts (more on that below). In the meantime, check out the standout deals because some of these discounts might be too good to pass up while they’re live. This Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask Is $270 Off Megelin Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask The Megelin Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask combines 660-nanometer (nm) and 1,064-nm lasers with a 660-nm LED light for a more intensive treatment. The brand claims …

Can Listening to ‘Subliminals’ Make You Beautiful? Plenty of Women Believe It

Can Listening to ‘Subliminals’ Make You Beautiful? Plenty of Women Believe It

“Do you think about me?” So asks a disembodied voice at the beginning of a TikTok from user @velvet.mind. The question is followed by hypnotic synth pulses, hissing static, and sped-up, garbled human speech. An accompanying visual: a montage of immaculately made-up and stylish women who could all be models—indeed, some of them probably are. The text overlaid on the video reads “extreme beauty subliminal.” The minute-long clip has nearly 300,000 likes and 1.4 million views. Why all this engagement for a bit of vaporwave ephemera? Because an online community of young women sincerely believe that sustained exposure to these sounds and images will improve their physical appearance. According to the creator, the indecipherable words are a series of affirmations that include “My face is naturally symmetrical, balanced, and breathtaking” and “I have flawless, poreless, glowing skin.” Listeners are meant to subconsciously internalize and manifest such ideals; they echo that language in their replies, speaking their beauty goals into existence. “I am drop-dead gorgeous,” one comment reads. Welcome to the world of “subliminals,” a subculture …

Top iRestore Deals for Hair Growth and LED Therapy Devices

Top iRestore Deals for Hair Growth and LED Therapy Devices

iRestore is running its biggest anniversary sale of 2026, and early access kicks off on April 13. Since launching in 2003, iRestore has expanded beyond hair restoration into a broader lineup of at-home red light therapy devices, including LED masks for the face, eyes, neck, and chest. These devices are regularly discounted, but with its anniversary sale, you can save up to $900 off select bestsellers and up to $1,550 off bundles. WIRED reviewer Julia Forbes tested iRestore’s Elite—a low-level light therapy hair growth device—and the Illumina Face Mask—featuring red, infrared, and blue light—and approves of both. She’s seen visible improvements from both gadgets, each delivering on its promises, at least to a degree (more on that below). iRestore Elite for $1799 ($900 Off) iRestore Elite Laser Growth Hair System You’ll often find the Elite priced at $1,899, but the sale knocks off an additional $100. The Elite has the most LEDs of the three hair growth devices, with 500 diodes total (300 proprietary lasers and 200 LEDs); the combination is designed to penetrate deeper …

Zuvi ColorBox Review: A Hair Dye Printer That Struggles

Zuvi ColorBox Review: A Hair Dye Printer That Struggles

I will say that I think this product could be neat in a few scenarios. If you like to dye your own extensions, or you continually change the color of a streak and don’t need to buy oodles of full-size dye containers, or you’re a parent with kids that are always dip-dying their bleached ends, then it might make sense. And the resulting product does smell good. I also like the included container that lets you store leftover dye. If you’re specifically seeking washed-out, pastel tones, I still think you should just … get some hair dye and dilute it with conditioner. ScreenshotZuvi app via Louryn Strampe In the end, based on my assessment, the product fails to do its job. And even if this improves—even if eventually, you can get a black pigment to help darken the shades, or Zuvi moves from using primary colors to using cyan, magenta, and yellow, or the company starts making the process of bleaching your hair at home easier, or the use of generative AI stops and Zuvi …

HigherDose Red Light Shower Filter Review (2026): Filter Needed

HigherDose Red Light Shower Filter Review (2026): Filter Needed

The ring of red LEDs is charged separately via USB-C (this takes an hour and a half to charge fully), and can then be pushed up onto the showerhead and rotated to lock in place. The water-resistant, covered charging port is positioned away from where the water flows. One full charge is good for a couple hours of showers, which for most people is at least a week’s worth. The showerhead does have a power switch. But it’s best operated via its little shower-safe remote control, which is also charged by USB-C. Click the On button, and the remote will pair with the showerhead. The red light turns on for 5, 10, or 15 minutes. This works just fine, though it’d be nice if the buttons were more clearly marked than just with raised black text on a black button. Finding the power button, which looks like the other buttons, requires trial and error. But once you’ve got the remote figured out, the red light does indeed offer relaxation and a little bit of drama …

This At-Home Hair Growth System Just Dropped in Price

This At-Home Hair Growth System Just Dropped in Price

The iRestore Elite Helmet + Battery is on sale, from March 15 through March 31, dropping to $1,879 ($419 off). Considering the helmet alone retails for $1,899, this deal scores you a rechargeable battery at no extra cost. The additional battery makes the treatments far more convenient. Instead of being tethered to a wall outlet, you can move around during sessions. A single charge lasts roughly two weeks of daily 12-minute treatments, so you won’t even need to recharge often. IRestore Elite Helmet + Battery for $1,879 ($419 off) iRestore Elite Helmet + Battery IRestore Elite combines LEDs with its proprietary laser diodes that operate in the 655 to 680 nanometer range; the combination is designed to penetrate deeper than standard red light therapy, while the LEDs help distribute the light evenly across the scalp for maximum efficacy. Treatments take just 12 minutes a day, but like most routines, consistency is crucial. Fortunately, the included storage case makes it easy to keep up the habit even when you’re traveling. WIRED reviewer Julia Forbes spent 16 …

Best Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth: WIRED-Approved (2026)

Best Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth: WIRED-Approved (2026)

Hair loss isn’t always dramatic. It can be incremental. You start noticing a bit more scalp in harsh bathroom lighting; a tiny bald spot when you tie your hair up in a ponytail. The shower drain is more clogged than usual. Not long ago, hair loss treatments meant topical remedies, supplements, or a flight to Turkey. Luckily, red light therapy brings the potential for hair regrowth into your home—no clinical appointment required. Beyond skin rejuvenation, research suggests red light therapy can help energize hair follicles, increase blood circulation in the scalp, reduce inflammation, and lower dihydrotestosterone levels—a hormone that causes hair loss and thinning. Red light therapy also supports adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, which helps provide oxygen and blood flow to the scalp and triggers follicles to remain in the hair growth phase. To determine the best red light therapy for hair growth, I tapped three WIRED tech reviewers who’ve dealt with hair loss themselves. We assessed red light therapy caps, hands-free helmets with full scalp coverage, and low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation devices for …

iRestore Elite Laser Hair Growth System Review: Surprisingly Effective

iRestore Elite Laser Hair Growth System Review: Surprisingly Effective

Red light therapy has come a long way since then. Rahman explained that red light wavelengths activate the mitochondria in skin cells and increase blood flow to hair follicles. This uptick in stimulation encourages mitochondria to increase their production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which promotes new growth. When it comes to efficacy, we noted that iRestore Elite is FDA-cleared. This is a designation bestowed on moderate-risk tools that are sufficiently similar to other cleared devices already on the market. There are specific pathways that devices must follow to obtain FDA clearance, and the iRestore Elite was cleared through the FDA’s 510(k) premarket evaluation. There are three hair-growth devices in iRestore’s lineup: the entry-level Essential ($499), the mid-tier Professional ($899), and the Elite ($1,899). Each contains iRestore’s “Lumitech” technology, which combines LED lights and medical-grade lasers. These laser diodes are proprietary to iRestore and are called Vixo lasers, operating in the 655- to 680-nanometer (nm) range. (Preliminary studies with mice have shown that using red light in the 600- to 660-nm range, and infrared wavelengths in …

CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet Review: Baby Hairs Abound (2026)

CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet Review: Baby Hairs Abound (2026)

Pretty much everyone I know is unhappy with their hair in some way. All of my straight-haired friends want curly, and all of my curly-haired friends want straight. I’m so jealous of people who have thick hair, as someone with fine, thin hair that tangles easily. My hair also grows famously slow. I got a pixie cut in spring of 2011, and my hair did not touch my shoulders until the end of 2013. Plus, because my hair is super thin, when I pull it back, it separates, and you can see my scalp underneath. Because it’s so fine, it tangles and often breaks off, resulting in chronically dry split ends. Overall, I’m unhappy with my hair and its lack of growth or fullness, so I wanted to see if CurrentBody’s cord-free, Bluetooth-enabled LED Hair Growth Helmet would work for my slew of hair issues. Red-light-therapy devices for hair are similar to red-light therapy masks for your face, using red lights to increase hair growth and promote a healthy scalp. You need to use the …