Zipping & Zapping Our Way To A New Face
microcurrent, nanocurrent and a basic electricity lesson
Hiya!
Today we’re talking about ZIIP, NuFACE and micro/nanocurrent technology. I’ve been working on this for a while because I like to explain things thoroughly but not overwhelmingly, which is a difficult balance when talking about electricity and why you might want to spend a few hundred dollars.
In high school and college science classes and during esthetician school, anything involving electricity was my toughest subject. Even though I know it happens and theoretically how it happens, I simply cannot make peace with the fact that the human body is a conductor of electricity. I am a very visual learner so I have a hard time conceptualizing the movement of ions translating to a current… I feel like I should need to be plugged in. I want wires, I want lightning, I want something that I can see, at least in my mind. I think a lot of people struggle with this. It’s partially why things like LED seem so improbable––how can light stimulate collagen production?
After many, many years of learning and doing, it still baffles me if I think too hard about it, but I have a much better understanding. I wanted to approach this how I wish I had been able to learn it, which is watered-down but also like I’m an adult with some brain cells and enough of an interest in skincare to follow along if you give me a chance and explain it logically and answer practical questions.
Helpful Terms & Definitions
Don’t panic. You do not need to understand these terms to use these devices, but they will aid your understanding of the technology and why it works. If you are an electrician or familiar with biochemistry, I’m sorry. For everyone else, I tried my best, you’re welcome.
Current: the flow of electric charge (ex: electrons) through a conductor (ex: metal, human body). In the human body, these currents are responsible for everything from cell regulation and nerve impulses to muscle contraction and heart function.
Frequency: the number of electrical pulses delivered to the skin per second (literally, how frequently is the current hitting). High vs. low-frequency has different effects on the skin. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Amplitude: the strength or intensity of the treatment. Amplitude is measured in amperes (A), specifically microamperes (µA) or nanoamperes (nA) when talking about skin devices.
Waveform: the shape of the electric current flow. Different waveforms have different effects on the skin. Sine and square waveforms are the most common, but there are others.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP): the primary energy molecule in cells. ATP stores, transports and provides the energy cells need to carry out pretty much everything. Skin wise, ATP is responsible for cellular repair and regeneration (read: texture, tone, improved circulation, collagen production, muscle contraction, wound healing etc.) ATP production slows down with age. LED, nanocurrent and to an extent, microcurrent, work by increasing the production of ATP.
Microcurrent: low-level electrical currents, measured in microamperes (µA). With microcurrent devices, the idea is to match the intensity of our body’s own electrical current, stimulating muscle contraction to help lift, tone and tighten the skin, and to stimulate low levels of ATP. Microcurrent devices are what people describe as workouts for your face muscles. You can sometimes see and feel the contractions and even get an immediate lifting effect, but need to be consistent to make that muscle memory stick.
Nanocurrent: even smaller and lower electrical currents! 1,000x smaller than microcurrent, measured in nanoamperes (nA). Works at a deeper and more subtle cellular level, improving communication between cells, stimulating ATP production (thus, collagen and elastin), and boosting repair and regeneration. You don’t really feel nanocurrent and it’s not giving an immediate effect, but the long-term results are much more impressive as it’s not just working on muscles.
Was that too much for you? Here you go: electric currents flow through our body at various strengths, shapes and frequencies. These currents have the ability to impact our muscles and cells. We can use skincare devices to stimulate these currents to create change in our skin. Microcurrents help to lift and are more likely to be felt, like a workout for your face. Nanocurrents work deeper and more behind the scenes for long-term cellular health.
NuFACE vs. ZIIP 101
There are other at-home electrotherapy devices on the market, but NuFACE and ZIIP are the two biggest players. Both are handheld devices with two metal probes. The biggest differentiator is that NuFACE only uses microcurrent and ZIIP uses microcurrent and nanocurrent. This is why everyone has started losing their mind over ZIIP. There is no other at-home device that can do this.
NuFACE:
Has been around since 2005, was founded by an esthetician.
The original design is more or less the same today, but has some upgrades, like possible attachments and intensity.
Up until a few years ago, only sold the Trinity (can use attachments) and Mini (no attachments). Now Trinity+ and Mini+ which have modes with higher amps (intensity) as well as an app.
Uses only microcurrent.
Has smaller attachments to target eyes/lips, and LED attachment and a separate tiny device for quick fixes on the go.
Their old conductive gel sucks and could clog pores, but they recently came out with much nicer formulas.
Ranges from ~$220-$400 (there are also different kits with attachments available)
ZIIP:
Was also founded by an esthetician, but entered the scene in 2015.
Their original device design has also largely stayed the same, but with a few tweaks.
The original devices needed to be used with their app. They now only sell one device, the ZIIP Halo, which can be used with or without the app.
The app allows for customized and varied treatments, including different waveforms and intensities.
Features their Dual Waveform Technology™ which uses both microcurrent and nanocurrent.
The ZIIP Halo uses 26 different waveforms among its treatments. It uses low-frequency and low-amplitude currents.
They have 3 conductive gels with very skin-friendly ingredients, as the founder herself has problematic skin.
Only one option that’s $399.
ZIIP has a lot of helpful visuals on their website:
My Experience
I got my NuFACE Trinity in 2019 and was fairly religious about using it for about a year. Since then I’ve gone through periods of consistent use and months where I don’t touch it. You can notice some immediate lifting effects, but like everyone says, you need to be consistent for the results to last. Also like everyone says, the gel was the biggest deterrent to use. You need to apply a decent amount on clean skin, then wash your face again to remove it. I found the shape and process very intuitive. It’s easy to hold and you just follow your muscles. (Re: gels, we’ll get into that later.)
I was sent ZIIP’s first device, the ZIIP OX, at some point during COVID. I knew it had more advanced technology and many were making the switch from NuFACE to ZIIP, but I absolutely hated the experience compared to NuFACE. The design was tough to hold and weirdly, I felt like it was too big for my face and difficult to glide. The gel could get on the device and make it slippery to hold. But most annoying was that you had to use the app every single time and follow along with the tutorial videos–helpful in theory, but frustrating in practice, because the device stayed on, buzzing and lighting up, so if I needed to pause for any reason or apply more gel, I’d have to touch my phone and start over. I couldn’t stick with it for more than a couple of days, which was not enough to see the power of nanocurrent.
Flash forward to last year, when ZIIP upgraded and replaced their device with the ZIIP Halo, which they also offered to send to me. The primary reason I agreed to try it was because I had never seen a brand take user feedback so spectacularly. The new design was smaller and more compact and you could use it with or without the app. The craziest thing is that this new and improved, more technologically advanced device is cheaper than their old model because the brand wanted a lower barrier to entry, so they swapped the starter gel and removed the travel pack. The other reason I wanted to try it was because by that time, I had learned more about nanocurrent and wanted to incorporate it into my wedding skincare prep, especially for acne.
I still find that the NuFACE fits my face better and is easier to hold, but that’s not enough of a selling point anymore. Because I could use the ZIIP without the app, I was able to be consistent for long enough to start seeing results, which then encouraged me to use the app on occasion, which, I will admit, is worth the extra step sometimes. So what exactly are the results that made me convert to a loyal ZIIP user?
Nanocurrent really is that girl. What a basic, uninformative thing to say that also communicates everything you need to know! Similar to LED, with consistent use, you can see your skin looking healthier and brighter, like you just gave it IV fluids. It can increase ATP production by 500%.
Coupled with microcurrent, I also get a lifted, smoother, more toned and defined facial structure, like I get from NuFACE.
The ZIIP Halo comes pre-loaded with their 4-minute “LIFT” treatment, which is great on its own. It’s what got me hooked, sans app. But with the app, you can pair your phone to the device, which sends various combinations of waveforms, intensities, frequencies and currents that can target different concerns–this highly customizable feature is truly incredible technology.
It is annoying that to do any of those advanced, customized treatments, you need to use the app, but all of the tutorials are done by the founder herself, Melanie Simon, who walks you through the steps and the science. You can mute her if you want. These treatments include things like Lips, Jowls, Brow Lift, Depuffing and range from 2 to 14 minutes.
I do still use LIFT most often, just because it’s easy and I don’t need my phone, but Problem Solver has to be my favorite because it’s just so cool. It helps reduce blemishes by sending negatively charged ions that can inhibit acne-causing bacteria. (This research goes over my head tbh, but anecdotally from myself and others, it really helps with monster inflamed pimples.) I also like Founders’ Favorite, which is just nanocurrent. You can do multiple treatments in a row if you’re so inclined.
Melanie Simon herself says she recommends every other day usage or no more than 5x per week, so I don’t feel bad if I miss a day. I actually feel good, like I’m following the instructions.
As a consumer and practitioner, I find the device options for NuFACE unnecessary and overwhelming. There are too many to choose from and more than one starter kit. The ZIIP is a straightforward recommendation with one option.
I feel like I’m being really mean to NuFACE, which I have so much love and respect for. It was a game-changing device with impressive technology that captured the market for about 10 years. It is not bad, it is just no longer the reigning champ of microcurrent devices.
You can see how the NuFACE is easier to hold. Above it is the Eye & Lip Attachment, which I do like for super targeted lifting.
The Dreaded Conductive Gels
The need for conductive gels goes back to electric currents. A conducting gel allows the current to flow from the device to our skin with minimal resistance and most effectively reach where it needs to, be it our muscles or deeper cells. They are water-based, because water is a great conductor of electricity. Without a conducting gel, the current will not pass through your skin and anything blocking the conducting gel can impede the current. This is why you generally want to start with a clean face, so the gel is the only thing between the device and your skin.
The gel also allows you to glide the device and protect your skin. While theoretically you could use just water, it evaporates too quickly, so we use gels or other water-based things, like aloe or even ultrasound gel. Historically, these gels weren’t formulated to be cosmetically elegant or beneficial for the skin, so you really needed to wash them off after. Plus, they usually were pretty thick and hard to apply stuff over.
The conductive gels that you need to use with these devices are by far the biggest pain point and reason for falling off the wagon. In theory, you need to apply the gels on a freshly cleansed face and then wash your face again to remove the excess when you are done. The original gel that came with NuFACE did not feel good on the skin and broke a lot of people out. I stopped using it and for a while switched to the Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Mask, which I felt like at least was giving me a mask treatment too, so the double-washing wasn’t as annoying. I then discovered the ZIIP Silver Gel, which is expensive but has anti-inflammatory ingredients and was formulated for reactive, acne-prone skin. After making this transition, I realized that I could cut corners sometimes, just wiping off the excess gel on my skin after using my NuFACE. Alternatively, if I used my NuFACE first thing in the morning, I would just rinse with water or micellar water, apply the gel and actually wash my face after I was done microcurrenting.
You may notice I’m specifically saying I took those shortcuts with NuFACE. This is because ZIIP has some caveats, which I only learned about from using the app. For example, during the Problem Solver treatment, Melanie Simon says you must wash all of the gel off right after because the waveform pulls bacteria out of the skin. Otherwise, the gels are sort of designed to be treatment masks, which you can rinse off completely or leave. The consistency of the gel may be a reason to rinse it afterwards, but I honestly love the silky feeling of the basic ZIIP Electric Complex Gel, which is what comes with the device.
So my order of operations is really dependent on what time of day I’m using it and what else I’m using. If it is anytime other than first thing in the morning, I will always wash my face beforehand. If I am using any exfoliants or retinoids, I will rinse off the gel completely when I’m done before applying those products. Because I am getting married in 6 weeks, I have been washing before and after because I am doing the most and not risking breakouts, though I haven’t really ever had a problem with the ZIIP gels.
NuFACE also sent me their new gels and I like them, especially the Aqua Gel Activator. They also have a spray, which is really smart if you need to re-up during a treatment but don’t want to get your hands dirty. I’m partial to the ZIIP gels, but you can use either brand with either device. You can also use aloe vera or ultrasound gel, but I think if you are investing in one of these devices, you might as well get a gel that has better skin-benefits and maximizes conductivity for enhanced results.
Oh, you want a straightforward answer about what to use? Get the ZIIP Electric Complex Gel or NuFACE Aqua Gel Activator, whichever is cheaper, they’re often on sale. If you have money and want some more anti-aging benefits, use the ZIIP Golden Gel, which has peptides and growth factors. If you have money and inflamed, reactive skin, use the ZIIP Silver Gel, which is what I use if I get it on sale.
Ok, What Else?
If you don’t have either device, get the ZIIP Halo, no question.
If you have a NuFACE already, I would probably say to get a high-quality LED mask instead (though of course, it’s your money and your face, do what you want!) LED has some overlapping/similar benefits to nanocurrent, helping to increase ATP, stimulate collagen and elastin, in addition to things like wound healing and reducing inflammation. LED is also much easier to use, requiring no gel and no hands. You could use your NuFACE for enhanced sculpting and lifting and LED for everything else. They are very complementary and I use both my LED and ZIIP. If I were to pick one, I’d go LED, but if you already have a ZIIP, it wouldn’t be redundant to also get an LED.
You can’t use ZIIP or NuFACE if you have epilepsy, a pacemaker, while pregnant/breastfeeding, have active cancer or are currently in chemotherapy. Wait at least 10 days after Botox/other injections before using.
It doesn’t hurt, but you may feel some tingles or zaps with microcurrent. Avoid your thyroid, but sides of your neck are fair game.
If you can be consistent with use and realistic about results, I think you will be pleased and see benefit.
Briefly, the difference between these at-home devices and professional micro/nanocurrent treatments: more powerful, use different types of probes and varied waveforms for a more encompassing treatment that can take up to 30 mins.
I have discount codes:
ZIIP: ZIIPJOLIE for 10% off on the device and gels
CurrentBody: JOLIE10 for 10% off. This site also sells ZIIP, so you can get the same discount from either site. However, CurrentBody has a ZIIP + LED mask bundle, which will save you about $150 with my code, if you’re in the mood to splurge.
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Discount Codes
…are usually here, but look above for today’s
you can find all of my discount codes here
Have a great week! This was so insanely long, I appreciate you making it here. I hope it was helpful. Perhaps you want to share with a friend? Perhaps I will take next week off or make it simple. Ask me a straightforward question below!
I have some openings for facials at my Brooklyn pop-up tomorrow, July 20th. Email hi@joldef.com for info.
xx,
Jolie