Odd Mom Out's Jill Kargman Reviews the 7 Coolest New Beauty Devices
Odd Mom Outwriter and star Jill Kargman's insight is sharper than a slant-tipped Tweezerman—so we had to ask her to test these new high-tech beauty tools. Read her refreshingly-candid takes below.
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Hot Rod
Kargman, who gets keratin treatments twice a year, outsourced the testing of this perpendicular iron to her teenage daughter, Sadie. "She has blond hair like a mermaid and likes doing waves. She loved this." It may also help conserve strands: "When irons have one of those pelican clips, you always find hairs in it. We wrapped sections around this barrel so there's less breakage." It even heats up to 450 degrees, a feature lost on Kargman. "I told my daughter, 'That will fry your f—ing hair.'"
Hot Tools CurlBar, $100; ulta.com.
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Anti-Aging Eye Mask
This FDA-cleared LED device targets crow's-feet and worry lines with different wavelengths of red light to stimulate circulation and collagen production. The company claims you can see a better-looking surface within a month. Kargman is a fan of infrared technology and already uses a "super-hard-core" full-face version at home, "but it's tough plastic, and you can't watch TV when wearing it," she says. While she likes that this model is less intrusive, "you have to commit to using it every day." The goggles allow the light to have direct contact with the skin, she notes, "so it has to work, because infrared technology works."
Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite EyeCare Pro, $159; sephora.com.
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Vibrating Makeup Brush
This "very soft" brush head clips into all Clarisonic device handles, and the nonporous bristles oscillate to evenly distribute foundation. "If I had a special event and I didn't get glam-squadded, I would use this," she says. "I did my makeup with it, and it looked pretty good. I'm lazy about cleaning brushes, though. Will I still use my fingers to apply makeup? Probably."
Clarisonic Mia Fit ($219) and Sonic Foundation Brush ($35); clarisonic.com.
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Digital Diffuser
This home fragrance dispenser wasn't Kargman's jam. "But it's not them, it's me," she says. "I'm not the right person for this. I'm very nostril-sensitive." The electric diffuser releases scent droplets into the air, evenly covering a space of up to 2,000 square feet. Through an app, you can set the strength and timing of diffusion. About the custom scent cartridges, Kargman says, "I wish they had basic ones like rose or lavender. With names like Curiosity, Moondance, and Zephyr, I don't know what the hell I'm getting." But she did like the preset function. "If my mom is home baking salmon, I can fire up the Zephyr to combat the fish smells."
Aera Starter Kit ($250) and Fragrance Capsules in Zephyr, Odyssey, and Poetry ($50 each); aeraforhome.com.
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Magnetic Mask
Once you apply this refining mask laced with iron particles, you hover the wand over your skin and watch the black flecks lift off your face and onto the magnetic head. "My daughter Sadie thought this was the coolest thing ever," says Kargman. The mask also packs argan plus carrot- and sunflower-seed oils and vitamins C and E. But Kargman found the residue excessive. "My skin did feel hydrated and soft afterward, but I felt like I still had the mask in the crevices of my nose—though maybe it didn't dry long enough," she says. "For me it was time-consuming. You have to approach it as 'This is a fun activity' versus 'I'm doing a quick and efficient mask.'"
E.L.F. Beauty Shield Recharging Magnetic Mask Set, $24; elfcosmetics.com.
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Wrinkle Eraser
Kargman's initial reaction to this liquid line filler? "I thought it was a load. Nail polish for my face? Then I tried it, and it worked!" The instant blurring effect comes from a blend of polymers and silicone and non-silicone powders. "It's like gesso—that stuff artists use to shellac their canvases and fill the cracks to create a level surface—but for faces." The results can last hours. Though it's made for forehead lines, Kargman experimented around her eyes. "It did wear off by the end of dinner," she says. "But it worked. I definitely saw a difference. I felt very smoothed over."
Revlon Youth FX Fill + Blur Primer for Forehead, $20; revlon.com.
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Diamond Exfoliator
"I'm very sensitive and get red in the face quickly," Kargman says, and that's just what happened with this flat diamond-encrusted wand. "There are so many ways to exfoliate, and my skin feels just as soft after a peel." Along with the brand's yogurt-based cleanser, the wireless tool may be used on all skin types (except on active acne), and you can purchase a more abrasive, spatula-like head for your body. "I would use this on my heels," Kargman says. "I think it's good for dead dead skin, not just a couple of flakes."
Tina.K Diamond.K Skin Exfoliation Tool, $179; tinakproducts.com.