An Editor’s Review of ZIIP, The Electrical Facial Device Used By Margot Robbie |
When I first heard of the ZIIP Facial Device, a pricey handheld microcurrent device that sends electric currents through your face in the name of tighter-looking skin, my inner skeptic scoffed. In a beauty market saturated with miracle products that purport to clear, plump, and tone your face to perfection, gimmicks are commonplace and often difficult to weed out from the truly effective.
However, upon reading up on the high-tech novelty and discovering that Melanie Simon—esthetician to the stars and founder of Melanie Simon Skincare—is the mind behind it, I decided to give the device a fair shot. After all, Simon has pore-less, glassy skin that most only dream of attaining—if anything could bring me closer to a Simon-level face, I was down to try it.
Simon’s passion for skincare was spurred after she observed her sister conduct a science experiment on nectarines: over the course of a month, she moisturized six peaches using six different products. The winner? Humble and unassuming Lubriderm, Simon told The Cut.
After attaining her aesthetician’s license years later, Simon was introduced to the famed French spa Biologique Recherche and its Remodeling Face treatment. Instantly fascinated, Simon began conducting her own research on the dermatological benefits of electricity. Eventually, she learned that currents on the lower end of the electrical spectrum—specifically microcurrents and nanocurrents—mimic the body’s own bioelectricity.
Read on for our review of the ZIIP GX (now replaced with the ZIIP HALO, a more comprehensive device with advanced technology), as well as its results after three weeks of regular use.
With ZIIP, users can target the appearance of specific worries with a menu of treatments, which you sync to your ZIIP through an accompanying app, downloadable on both Apple and Android devices. Users can then follow along to in-app videos of Simon herself performing each treatment. Your electrical facial experience couldn’t be simpler!
The ZIIP GX tested in this review is no longer available—it has since been replaced with an upgraded device, the ZIIP HALO.
The ZIIP HALO operates in the same way, the only difference being the use of a range of waveforms and intensities.
The ZIIP’s high-tech mode of operation entails a bit of a learning curve. For first-time users, a quick read of the user guide is essential to ensure both safety (please don’t place the device in water) and proper use.
For the most part, each treatment’s demonstration video is straightforward and easy to follow along with.
I’ve been using the ZIIP Microcurrent Device for a little over three weeks, and so far, I have no complaints.
As promised, I’ve noticed both immediate and cumulative visible effects, mainly the appearance of clearer and tighter-looking skin.
To be fair, my skin wasn’t particularly problematic to begin with. I get the occasional breakout and suffer from dry skin during the winter, but wrinkles and serious dark spots were not pre-existing problems of mine.
The ZIIP HALO is not recommended for everyone, and the full list of contraindications can be found on the ZIIP website.
It is also worth noting that the use of multiple ZIIP treatment routines back-to-back is not recommended. The ZIIP HALO should be used 3-5 times a week per week, and never more than 6 times per week.
Very simply put, where visible skin concerns are concerned, the ZIIP works, and I suspect it may provide more dramatic before-and-after results on the appearance of spots and wrinkles.
All benefits aside, the ZIIP’s $399 USD price tag, is daunting. Though such an out-of-pocket expense isn’t anything to take lightly, it should be noted that the ZIIP includes multiple treatments that can be performed at home, at any time.
Though the ZIIP feels comfortable to use, some users (myself included), can feel the electrical currents it delivers. It feels like a slight sting or prickle—nothing unbearable, but certainly noticeable.
I’ve found the use of electrical currents especially effective for reducing the appearance of breakouts, but anyone who suffers from serious skin concerns should definitely consult a dermatologist before purchasing.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference that determines whether the ZIIP’s hefty price tag is worth its long-term visible benefits. As for myself, I’ll continue using the ZIIP regularly—only time will tell if my skin will eventually rival that of Simon’s.
