L’Oréal’s CES 2026 magnificence units embody a skin-like versatile LED masks

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 units to point out off: the “Gentle 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 Gentle Straight (and multi-styler, which I’m going to simply name the Gentle Straight from right here on), as an illustration, makes use of infrared mild to assist generate the warmth required to model 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 laborious shells that sit rigidly in your face, L’Oréal’s model seems to be pliable and skinny.

I haven’t seen this in particular person but, although I do intend to take action as quickly as doable, 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 photos that the corporate supplied, the masks are utterly awash in purple because the lights are on. In others, solely components of it are purple. One in every of them even reveals the masks sitting in slightly carrying case they usually virtually appear like wi-fi earbuds. I haven’t seen any images of the LED Face Masks however I can think about they’d be pretty just like these.

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 mild on to the face” in 10-minute mechanically timed classes. That’s not too totally different from present purple mild 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 mild (630 nm) and near-infrared mild (830 nm).”

For the reason that masks is simply 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 could be a premium product that might sit someplace beneath the best priced choices at the moment on the market.

One in every of my issues with full-face LED masks is that my pores and skin at all times feels too parched underneath them, as a result of you need to 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 might assist with that, whereas additionally bettering the effectiveness of the sunshine therapy.

That definitely is intriguing, and Balooch indicated that creating formulations which can be designed to work with units just like the LED masks is a future course for the corporate.

I’m additionally within the Gentle Straight, which like the corporate’s AirLight Pro makes use of infrared mild to assist dry or model hair. In accordance with the corporate’s press launch, hair straighteners with “odd heating locations can attain temperatures of 400°F and better—above the edge at which keratin denatures, resulting in weakened cuticles, breakage and decreased 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 lately I discover a extra affordable 330 levels is nice sufficient).

L’Oréal says the Gentle Straight and its “patented infrared mild expertise” can “assist present distinctive styling outcomes at decrease temperatures, to raised shield the well being of the hair.” The gadget’s glass plates by no means exceed 320 levels, and the corporate says its testing discovered that the Gentle Straight is 3 times quicker and leaves hair twice as easy as “main premium hair stylers.” I’m undecided how you’d quantify smoothness, however I’m hopeful the outcomes do pan out in the actual world.

The Gentle Straight makes use of near-infrared mild 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 undecided what meaning, however I hope to seek out out extra this week at CES. Given the Gentle Straight doesn’t launch until 2027, it’s not shocking that pricing and different particulars aren’t but out there. However for now, I’m eager to see corporations proceed to analyze novel, hopefully more healthy methods for us to feel and appear stunning.