Over the last ten or so years, L’Oréal has introduced a style of magnificence tech to the lots at CES 2026. This time, it has three gadgets to point out off: the “Mild Straight + Multi-styler” in addition to the helpfully named LED Face Masks and LED Eye Masks.
Don’t let the unassuming names mislead you. These three merchandise really harbor some distinctive traits. The Mild Straight (and multi-styler, which I’m going to only name the Mild Straight from right here on), for example, makes use of infrared gentle to assist generate the warmth required to type your hair. In the meantime, the LED Face Masks is totally different from these made by corporations like Dr. Dennis Gross, Omnilux, Therabody and Shark. As a substitute of pretty arduous shells that sit rigidly in your face, L’Oréal’s model seems to be to be pliable and skinny.
I haven’t seen this in individual but, although I do intend to take action as quickly as attainable, however the footage of the LED Eye Masks look, and I imply this in one of the simplest ways, ridonkulous. Not solely do they seem supple, however additionally they appear to be clear, with bulbs and wires you may see inside. In among the pictures that the corporate offered, the masks are utterly awash in purple because the lights are on. In others, solely elements of it are purple. One in all them even exhibits the masks sitting in a little bit carrying case and so they virtually appear to be wi-fi earbuds. I haven’t seen any pictures of the LED Face Masks however I can think about they’d be pretty much like these.
The L’Oréal LED Eye Masks in a carrying case (L’Oréal)
In accordance with the press launch, this “ultra-thin, versatile silicone masks” is at the moment “in prototype kind” and was developed in collaboration with LED solutions company iSmart. The corporate mentioned this masks “delivers gentle on to the face” in 10-minute robotically timed classes. That’s not too totally different from present purple gentle masks, however L’Oréal mentioned it believes “the important thing to the masks’s effectiveness is its superior, clear help, which integrates a skin-safe microcircuit to exactly management the emission of two chosen wavelengths of sunshine—purple gentle (630 nm) and near-infrared gentle (830 nm).”
Because the masks is barely launching in 2027, there aren’t particulars but on pricing and availability, although the corporate’s world vp of tech and open innovation Guive Balooch advised Engadget that it will be a premium product that may sit someplace beneath the very best priced choices at the moment on the market.
One in all my issues with full-face LED masks is that my pores and skin all the time feels too parched below them, as a result of you must use them on clear, dry pores and skin for 10 minutes at a time. Balooch advised me that L’Oréal would have a serum developed for use with its masks that may assist with that, whereas additionally bettering the effectiveness of the sunshine remedy.
That actually is intriguing, and Balooch indicated that creating formulations which can be designed to work with gadgets just like the LED masks is a future path for the corporate.
A pair of arms utilizing the L’Oréal Mild Straight and multi-styler on an individual’s hair. (L’Oréal)
I’m additionally within the Mild Straight, which like the corporate’s AirLight Pro makes use of infrared gentle to assist dry or type hair. In accordance with the corporate’s press launch, hair straighteners with “abnormal heating locations can attain temperatures of 400°F and better—above the edge at which keratin denatures, resulting in weakened cuticles, breakage and diminished shine.” For context, I used to show my flatiron all the way in which as much as 425 levels Fahrenheit to tame my tresses (although today I discover a extra cheap 330 levels is nice sufficient).
L’Oréal says the Mild Straight and its “patented infrared gentle know-how” can “assist present distinctive styling outcomes at decrease temperatures, to raised defend the well being of the hair.” The system’s glass plates by no means exceed 320 levels, and the corporate says its testing discovered that the Mild Straight is 3 times quicker and leaves hair twice as easy as “main premium hair stylers.” I’m unsure how you’d quantify smoothness, however I’m hopeful the outcomes do pan out in the true world.
The Mild Straight makes use of near-infrared gentle that L’Oréal says “penetrates deeply into hair fibers” to “reshape inside hydrogen bonds.” It additionally has sensors onboard with “built-in proprietary algorithms and machine studying” to adapt to your gestures “to maximise particular person expertise.” I’m unsure what which means, however I hope to seek out out extra this week at CES. Given the Mild Straight doesn’t launch until 2027, it’s not shocking that pricing and different particulars aren’t but accessible. However for now, I’m eager to see corporations proceed to research novel, hopefully more healthy methods for us to appear and feel stunning.
