The Shark CryoGlow LED face mask, priced at £299.99, delivers effective blemish control and undereye cooling, but its weight and noisy fans make it unsuitable for everyone, according to consumer journalist Sarah Matthews, who completed more than 100 light therapy treatments with the device over nearly two years.
Testing methodology and mask specifications
Matthews, who has tested 14 other LED masks in her quest to find the best, evaluated the CryoGlow on comfort, eye guard effectiveness, LED count and brightness, and control simplicity. She noted her skin's appearance, feel and texture before and after two months of daily treatments, and tried all settings—including undereye cooling—for at least four nights each.
The mask features 160 LEDs across three wavelengths: red light for skin healing and collagen production, near-infrared light for deeper penetration, and blue light to reduce acne-causing bacteria. It offers three pre-programmed LED settings: a six-minute anti-ageing mode combining red and near-infrared light, an eight-minute Blemish Repair mode that starts with blue and near-infrared then switches to red, and a four-minute Skin Sustain mode combining all light types. The CryoGlow is the only LED mask Matthews tested with cooling pads under the eyes, which can be used alone for five to 15 minutes or alongside LED treatments, with three temperature levels.
Performance and battery life
Matthews, who is acne-prone, found the Blemish Repair mode most beneficial. After eight weeks of daily treatments, she noticed far fewer breakouts, and any that appeared healed within a few days rather than a week. The red light helped calm inflammation and reduce post-acne red marks. Switching to Skin Sustain mode maintained her clear skin until the next hormonal breakout, at which point she easily returned to the blemish treatment.
In a week of testing the Better Ageing mode, Matthews observed more even skin tone and less pigmentation. The cooling pads soothed puffy undereyes during hay fever season, staying cold throughout thanks to electric Peltier coolers, unlike a fridge-stored compress. However, battery life dropped dramatically with cooling use: 17 treatments with LED alone versus just seven with cooling on full power. Most LED masks Matthews tested lasted about 10 days per charge, making weekly charging reasonable given the cooling power.
Drawbacks and warranty
The mask's weight of 537g, due to its sturdy plastic build, caused the cooling pads to dig into the delicate undereye area, making it uncomfortable to lie down with the mask on. The cooling pads' fans produced a constant whirring sound, which Matthews found noisy and distracting. She accidentally knocked the controller dial countless times, activating the fans, which took a minute to quieten down even when switched off immediately. The controller's scroll wheel and buttons were otherwise well designed, though Matthews suggested a button for cooling controls would be an improvement.
The Better Ageing mode lacks deep near-infrared light, which is becoming more common in newer masks like the Silk'n LED face mask Pro (£265) and the CurrentBody Multi Light Therapy mask (£499.99). Shark's newer CryoGlow Plus improved battery life and LED coverage but still didn't add deep near-infrared. The device comes with a two-year warranty if registered online within 28 days, covering repair or replacement. Matthews tested this service when her sister's faulty mask was replaced within a week.
Final verdict
Matthews concludes that the CryoGlow is effective for treating multiple skin concerns simultaneously and for puffy undereyes, but its weight and noisy cooling fans are significant drawbacks. She recommends the CurrentBody Multi Light Therapy mask as a lighter, more comfortable alternative with deeper near-infrared light, despite its higher price.
