CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device review: get a firmer face without the facelift

I’m a massive fan of the best LED face masks for their collagen-boosting effects to plump the skin. But recently, at the grand old age of 45, it’s fair to say I’d become way more aware of gravity taking a toll on my face. 

My jawline was starting to look less ‘snatched’ and more jowly. And my naturally hooded eyes were giving saggy and droopy: the exact opposite of the ‘fox eye lift’ look that’s so popular on TikTok and the ‘gram. Worse of all, I’d realised that my mouth was beginning to look permanently downturned, which meant I often appeared sad instead of happy – even when I was in a good mood. 

So, when I heard about the completely natural, non-invasive lifting and sculpting benefits of radiofrequency – one the most popular in-salon treatments for tightening the skin and improving elasticity – I was highly interested to give it a go. That is, until I saw the cost of a course of in-salon treatments, which can run into the thousands. 

Thank the heavens then for the at-home CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device, which claims to deliver the same results as salon treatments. But does it work? Well, there’s a reason why its included in our round-up of the best skincare gadgets 2024…

CURRENTBODY SKIN RF RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING DEVICE REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device is available for a recommended retail price of £299/ $385 /AU$530 from CurrentBody UK / CurrentBody US / CurrentBody Australia, and select retailers like Amazon.

It’s also worth noting that the CurrentBody Skin RF can be combined with their other products – including the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask, the CurrentBody Skin LED Eye Perfector, and the CurrentBody Skin LED Lip Perfector – to enhance results further.

CURRENTBODY SKIN RF RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING DEVICE REVIEW: UNBOXING AND DESIGN

Inside the super swanky box, you get the Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device, a mains power cable and three adapter plugs for travel, a travel bag, a user manual, and an all-important 100ml bottle of CurrentBody Skin Radio Frequency Gel for use during treatment.

The device itself it so remarkably lightweight out of the box, it feels a bit like you’re holding an empty outer shell and the manufacturers forgot to put the essential components inside. But that’s no bad thing, because you’ll be holding the device to your face for up to 70 minutes for a full-face treatment.

The silver, ergonomically shaped design gives off futuristic ‘premium price tag’ vibes, with a pull-off top that doubles as a stand so you can display the device with pride on your dressing table, and a discreet on/off switch at the other end next to a socket for the power cable.

On one side of the shaft, you’ll find a Treatment Indicator light that blinks green until the device has reached its desired temperature; turns solid green when the temperature is optimal and good skin contact is being made for effective treatment; or shines orange when a five-minute treatment period is up and it’s time to move onto the next area of your face. On both sides, you’ll also see a semi-circular Energy Level Indicator light that displays which of the three settings you’re on. 

Once the top is removed with a strong yank (don’t be afraid of breaking the device like I was – the design is tough and durable), you’ll discover the four small silver electrodes for conducting the treatment.

CURRENTBODY SKIN RF RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING DEVICE REVIEW: FEATURES

The CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device claims to tighten sagging skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture and enhance skin tone by delivering RF (radio frequency) waves to the skin – a treatment that was only accessible in professional skin clinics until recently.

These RF waves work by passing from one electrode to another, which the skin then resists, causing it to heat up and stimulate the production of new collagen fibres to improve skin elasticity, provide more structural support to the skin, and effectively target and tighten trouble areas like crow’s feet, brow 11’s, smile lines, and jowls.

Experts say you get the best collagen-boosting results from RF when your skin is heated to an optimal temperature of 43°C, which is the exact temperature the CurrentBody Skin RF device maintains using patented Skin Sense technology that continuously measures skin temperature every 0.004 seconds. This ability to automatically adjust to your skin’s resistance without making manual adjustments makes the device safer and more effective for home use. 

Clinically proven and backed by scientists and dermatologists, CurrentBody say the RF Radiofrequency Skin Tightening Device is 33 per cent more effective than other RF devices on the market and delivers results in 50 per cent less time. In case you’re not satisfied with your results, you also get a 60-day money back guarantee.

CURRENTBODY SKIN RF RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING DEVICE REVIEW: PERFORMANCE

CurrentBody says many Skin RF device users see an improvement in their skin tone after just one session but recommend that you use it once a week for eight weeks for optimal results and once every four to eight weeks thereafter to maintain results. 

Before purchasing, it’s worth checking the contraindications list for the Skin RF device, which excludes those with a pacemaker or severe heart disorder, silicone implants, body piercings in the treatments area, a history of skin cancer and anyone taking blood thinning medications. Assuming you pass, you’ll still need to perform a three-minute skin sensitivity test and wait 48 hours before proceeding to a full treatment.

Using the device effectively took me some practice initially because the face naturally has so many contours. As advised, I started out on the first (and lowest) setting, but by the third week, I’d nailed the technique and was comfortably using the third (and highest) setting.

Depending on the area of the face or neck you are treating, you need to move the device up and down, side to side, or in small circular movements according to the guide in the manual. The key here is to make sure that you are keeping the device constantly moving in a small area to maintain the optimal skin temperature. If you don’t – or you fail to keep all four electrodes pressed against your skin - the Treatment Indicator will start to flash green to show you the optimum temperature isn’t being achieved, which also means the treatment isn’t working as well as it should.

Each separate treatment area demands five minutes of focus, and there are 14 different areas you can treat. For example, treating your forehead requires five minutes on the right side, five on the left side, and another five to treat your ‘11’s’. Extend that treatment window to your eye area, and you’ll be adding another ten minutes to treat crow’s feet on both sides.

I chose to treat all 14 areas of my face and neck in one 70-minute session for maximum lifting results, which sounds long, and it is. But it forced me to enjoy some ‘me time’ once a week, helped by the fact that using the device feels like you’re having a deeply relaxing hot stone massage on your face – only with teeny tiny stones. 

Of course, if you have just the one area of concern, such as around your mouth, you might only need to spend 20 minutes covering all the bases. Or maybe a more achievable solution is to divide the face into sections – i.e., the forehead and eyes, the cheeks and mouth, and the jawline, chin and neck – and then tackle a different section several nights a week. 

Either way, if you’re prepared to make the effort and commit to a regular regime, the one thing I can promise is AM-AZ-ING results. I was always excited to look at my face in the mirror after every treatment and see that my jawline was looking that little bit more snatched, and my eye area had lifted, and my ‘smile folds’, aka marionette lines, had softened to such an extent that they’d almost disappeared. Seriously, who need Botox?

CURRENTBODY SKIN RF RADIO FREQUENCY SKIN TIGHTENING DEVICE REVIEW: VERDICT

The CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device provides a non-invasive, highly effective solution to facial skin tightening in the comfort of your own home for those wanting to avoid Botox, fillers, and plastic surgery. 

RF (radiofrequency) waves heat the skin to a salon-worthy optimal temperature of 43°C to stimulate the production of new collagen fibres, tighten sagging skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and enhance skin tone and texture in a safe, comfortable way. Pricey but way cheaper than a course of in-salon RF treatments, you’ll get impressive results if you’re willing to put in the effort.