Read This Before You Purchase an LED Light Therapy Mask
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- 01 Wavelength
- 02 Number of LEDs
- 03 Irradiance
- 04 Time
- 05 Budget
- 06 Comfort and Personal Preference
- 07 The Takeaway: Everything You Should Consider When Purchasing an LED Light Therapy Mask
7-minute read
Summary: When purchasing an LED mask, top considerations include wavelength/colors, coverage, power density of the device, treatment time, safety considerations, and budget
It's tempting to choose an LED mask with the best ad campaign or the widest social media reach, but don’t let marketing hype outshine what really matters—device specifications.
Becoming more tech literate with your beauty devices is the key to investing in the highest quality products that deliver on their claims.
Certain variables such as the number of LEDs, wavelength precision, irradiance, and joules/energy output determine how well the device will ultimately perform. Below we take you through what to look for in red light therapy mask and some personal factors you may want to consider before investing in an LED light therapy device.
Wavelength
The skin absorbs light at different wavelengths - red, blue, green, and yellow all reach different layers of the skill to trigger cellular responses known to improve skin health and appearance.
Red (630nm)
Red light, with wavelengths between 620 and 750nm, penetrates the deepest of all visible light making it the ideal option to trigger collagen synthesis and cell regeneration. Even within this range, an optimal red light wavelength of between 630 and 660nm delivers the most effective skin treatment. Always look out for a device with red light wavelengths within this range.
Infrared (850nm)
Infrared light exists on the invisible spectrum and penetrates deeper than red light. It can even reach underlying tissue and muscles, making it an effective therapy for pain and inflammation. Infrared wavelengths range from 700 to 1,000nm but again have an optimal wavelength of around 830 - 850nm to trigger mitochondrial activity and boost cell regeneration.
Deep Infrared (1072)
Also existing on the invisible light spectrum deep infrared wavelengths range between 1000-1400nm. Deep infrared light is a particularly powerful treatment for deep static wrinkles and areas of the face and neck prone to deep wrinkle formation such as crow’s feet, 11 line, marionette lines, and forehead. It is also suitable for thicker skin and is often incorporated into male-specific devices - but these are suitable for women too.
Blue (460nm)
Blue light therapy has the shortest wavelength on the visible light spectrum ranging from 415-470nm with an optimal wavelength of 416 or 460nm. It is an effective acne treatment due to its short, yet intense light wavelength that acts on the epidermal skin layer to target acne-causing bacteria and regulate excess oil production.
Green (520nm)
Green light wavelengths range from 495-570nm with an optimal wavelength of 520 to target hyperpigmentation.
Other
Since all other LED light colors (yellow, cyan, white, purple, and orange) are combinations of red, green, and blue, these three wavelengths are the most important to consider in terms of wavelength precision.
Number of LEDs
The number of LEDs is crucial in ensuring complete and even coverage of the treatment area. If LEDs are spaced too far apart, the effectiveness of the treatment is reduced. It’s important to choose a device with high-quality LEDs with at least one safety certification. The LumaLux Face and LumaLux Face+ feature 800 and 1600 LEDs respectively, delivering professional-grade treatment and maximum light energy output—four times more than the industry average. Densely packed LEDs provide a more thorough skin treatment in less time and significantly increase the total energy delivered. Just as you wouldn’t apply moisturizer or serum to only part of your face, the same principle applies to LED light therapy. The number of LEDs becomes particularly critical when evaluating the limitations of testing a device’s power density based on a single LED, rather than assessing the total energy output of the entire device.
LumaLux vs Competitor Brand
LED Mask Irradiance
Irradiance refers to the ‘power density’ or strength of an LED. It is measured in milliwatts per cm squared. It measures how much energy is in one square cm of your skin per second. The LumaLux Face and LumaLux Face+ Devices have a peak power density per LED of 30mW per cm2. Many brands measure the power density of the device by testing a single LED using a device known as a spectrometer. A spectrometer or spectral sensors measure the light emitted by the LED bulbs. The sensor is placed over the top of the LED at a right angle.
The sensors measure the power of a single bulb. This measurement does not the total number of LEDs for example, so a device with a peak power of 30mW per cm2 and 66 bulbss does not produce the same power as a device with a peak power of 30mW per cm2 and 200 bulbs.
It’s essential to check whether the LEDs on your light therapy mask are sparsely or densely packed to ensure that the power output truly reflects the ‘energy peak power.’ When designing our LumaLux Collection, we made it a priority to ‘fill the gaps’ (literally) commonly found in LED devices. Our face and neck devices use 800 LEDs each, with the LumaLux Face+ featuring up to 1600 LEDs. In comparison, many brands only use between 66 and 100 LEDs, which doesn’t provide full coverage or deliver an effective treatment within the recommended treatment time.
Time
Masks with lower irradiance and fewer LEDs will naturally take longer to deliver the optimal light dose needed to trigger the desired cellular response. Consider how much time you're realistically willing to spend wearing an LED mask. If dedicating 30+ minutes per day doesn’t seem feasible, opt for a mask with a shorter recommended treatment time, ideally under 10 minutes. Thanks to the high power density of LumaLux, the recommended treatment time to achieve optimal light energy for visible results is just 3 minutes
Budget
Another important personal factor to consider is your budget for an LED light therapy mask, as prices vary widely. Once you've identified key features like wavelength, irradiance, and the number of LEDs, start comparing masks that meet these standards. Investing in a mask that doesn’t meet these criteria might result in an ineffective product.
Comfort and Personal Preference
While technical specifications are crucial, personal factors such as comfort, eye protection, and design are equally important. Some devices are made from soft, flexible silicone for added comfort, while others use rigid plastic. Additionally, some devices include built-in eye protection to block out light and safeguard your eyes, whereas others simply recommend keeping your eyes closed during treatment.
Through extensive research, we found that users are more consistent with their treatments when they choose a mask made from comfortable, soft silicone that’s both easy to wear and clean. Our LumaLux Collection features upgraded ultrasoft silicone that won’t stick to the skin, preventing any pulling, dragging, or irritation, ensuring a comfortable experience every time.
LumaLux Face | Pro LED Light Therapy Mask
Our most advanced LED mask for deeper skin renewal - fine lines, acne, hyperpigmentation, skin texture
The Takeaway: What To Look For in A Red Light Therapy Mask?
When choosing a high-quality LED light therapy device, the three most important factors to focus on are wavelength, irradiance, and the number of LEDs. Once these key criteria are met, it's also important to consider aspects like treatment duration, comfort, and ease of use. Taking these personal factors into account will help you stay consistent with your treatments, ensuring you achieve the best possible results.
written by Charlotte Rycroft
15 comments
Hi Suzan,
Thank you so much for your message, and we’re excited that you’re enjoying your new LED mask. I’m happy to help clarify how to get the best results from your device.
1. Use the LED mask on clean, bare skin
LED light therapy works best on freshly cleansed skin with no serums, creams, sunscreen, or makeup. These products can act as barriers and may reduce how effectively the light reaches your skin.
2. Avoid applying serums or active ingredients before or during treatment
This includes Vitamin C, caffeine serums, PDRN, peptides, retinol/retinal, moisturizers, and any other skincare. Apply treatments after your LED session—never before.
3. Using Retinol or Retinal
If you are already comfortable with retinol, you may continue using it, but always apply it after your LED session and ideally at night.
• If you’re new to retinoids, start slowly (once a week) to avoid irritation.
• Wait 10–15 minutes after your LED session before applying retinol.
4. What you can apply after LED
Once your LED session is complete, the skin is primed to absorb skincare. Products you may use afterward include:
• Hyaluronic acid
• Vitamin C (avoid before LED)
• Retinol (after LED only)
• Moisturizers and niacinamide
• SPF if using LED in the daytime
5. About exfoliation
If you’ve recently exfoliated (chemical exfoliant or microdermabrasion), give your skin a few days to recover before using LED again to avoid irritation.
6. Recommended session length & frequency
Most customers use the mask 3–5 times per week. Daily use is generally fine.
If your device recommends 3-minute sessions, this is due to the device’s high power density (irradiance) and superior construction, which allows it to deliver an effective dose of light energy in a shorter period. Longer sessions are not necessary for results and may increase the chance of irritation.
7. Using the mask on other areas
Our LED masks are designed and tested for use on the face (and neck if you purchased the face-and-neck model). For other areas of the body, we recommend reaching out to a medical professional for personalized guidance, especially if you’ve had recent procedures, injections, or are treating sensitive areas like the scalp.
We hope this helps you make the most of your device, and we’re here anytime if you have more questions. Thank you again for choosing Project E Beauty—your support means a lot to us.
Project E Beauty
Hi. I bought the mask and am excited. What seriums can be used with the mask on, what serums should be avoided with the mask on, can I still use retinal every day? What can I use without the mask on to increase success? What should I avoid on days I use the mask and entirely? I have loads of serums: caffeine, Vitamin C, PDRN, peptides, as I have been working on my 77 year old skin for about 18 months. Also, can I do longer sessions and use the mask everyday? I am not deeply wrinkled and I do have uneven skin tone. Last question: will the mask work on other areas such as my arms and hands, my tummy were I have been injecting a medication and have some brushing and scars from surgery, my scalp to help with hair growth? That’s a lot! But I want to take full advantage of the mask. Dr. Charles recommended your products. Thank you so much for answering my questions. Suzan
Suzan Reed
Hi Jacqui,
Thanks for getting in touch with these great questions.
To answer your question about the energy output, a typical 3-minute session with this mask delivers approximately 3.8 J/cm². While this is a respectable dose, we actually recommend running two back-to-back sessions for a total of 6 minutes.
Extending your session to 6 minutes is completely safe and increases the total dose to about 7.6 J/cm². This places you right in the “sweet spot” (typically 5–9 J/cm²) for the most effective results.
Regarding the bulb configuration, the LumaLux Face features 800 LED lights total (composed of 200 individual bulbs with 4 LEDs inside each). The breakdown including your Infrared question is as follows:
- 50 Red bulbs
- 50 Blue bulbs
- 50 Green bulbs
- 45 Infrared bulbs
- 5 Deep Infrared bulbs
I hope this helps you get the most out of your sessions. Let me know if you have any other technical questions.
Project E Beauty
Hi,
Can you tell me how many joules your LED mask has for a typical 3 minute session please? Can this be increased with a longer session? If so, is it safe to have a longer session?
I understand that your LED mask has 800 bulbs but can you tell me how many bulbs are dedicated to near infared please?
Sorry, I can’t seem to find this information on your website.
Thank you.
Jacqui
Hi Jane,
Thank you for your thoughtful question! We’re happy to clarify.
The LumaLux Pro is not yet FDA-cleared, but it is CE-certified, which means it meets the European Union’s strict health, safety, and environmental protection standards. CE certification is internationally recognized and demonstrates compliance with rigorous quality and safety requirements.
Most at-home LED light therapy devices, including the LumaLux, are categorized as low-risk general wellness products. Because of this, they are not required to undergo FDA clearance as long as they remain within general wellness claims and not medical claims. But, we are currently in the process of registering the LumaLux Pro for FDA clearance.
The LumaLux Pro is designed with clinically studied wavelengths and is built with safety and effectiveness in mind.
For a deeper look into this topic, you can read more here:
https://www.projectebeauty.com/blogs/news/does-fda-approval-matter-when-choosing-an-led-light-therapy-mask
If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help!
Project E Beauty
Is the Lumalux Pro FDA approved?
Jane
Is the Lumalux Pro FDA approved?
Jane
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for your thoughtful question.
In Mode 7 (Yellow Light), the light is created by a combination of red and green wavelengths. Specifically, both Red (630 nm) and Green (520 nm) lights are activated at the same time.
For reference, the Lumalux Face Mask contains 200 bulbs, and each bulb has 4 LED lights (200 red, 200 blue, 200 green, 180 infrared, 20 deep infrared). When you select yellow light mode, all 200 red LEDs and 200 green LEDs are activated together.
The combination of red and green light wavelengths works powerfully to stimulate the production of red blood cells, which helps improve circulation and skin renewal. Clinical studies have shown this can soften skin texture and reduce roughness in as little as 4 weeks.
Yellow Light Therapy Benefits:
- Calms sensitive skin
- Reduces redness and soothes irritation
- Brightens dull skin and promotes a more radiant complexion
- Removes toxins from the skin
- Increases dermal blood flow, boosting red blood cell production
- Supports cell turnover and renewal
- Improves hydration and overall glow
- Clears the lymphatic system
- Helps relieve mental stress
So, there’s no loss of benefit—using yellow light allows you to receive the combined effects of both red and green light simultaneously.
Project E Beauty
In mode 7, yellow light waves, do half of the lights go green and half go red? Would it be better to do a session of green alone so all lights are providing the benefits?
Brenda
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes, the red light therapy from the face mask device can effectively help target the jowls and tighten the skin in that area.
Red light therapy is a powerful anti-aging treatment that stimulates collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production. It works to visibly lift and tighten the skin, preventing sagging, and improving the appearance of deep wrinkles, including those around the jowls.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us!
Project E Beauty
Hi Gillian,
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you’ve experienced trying to cancel your order.
For urgent issues like cancellations, we recommend contacting us directly via email at hello@projectebeauty.com for a faster resolution. Rest assured, our team is here to assist you promptly.
Project E Beauty
I bought the face mask as well as the neck and chest red light. Please tell me if the the jowls are targeted as far as tightening the skin. Thank you in advance and hope to get a timely reply. Sarah Englestein
Sarah Englestein
I would appreciate a response from customer service as I have been trying to cancel my order for 3 hours.
It’s not on the way this site is run.
Gillian Linard
Bonjour, Biau ! Merci beaucoup pour votre retour ! Nous sommes ravis d’apprendre que vous voyez déjà de beaux résultats avec votre masque LED. La constance est la clé pour maximiser les bienfaits, alors continuez votre routine et n’hésitez pas à nous partager votre progression. Si vous avez des questions ou besoin de conseils pour optimiser votre traitement, nous sommes là pour vous aider !
Project E Beauty
Je vous remercie le masque led est vraiment très bien je commence à avoir de beaux résultats suis très contente
Biau
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