Kelly Meharg gives Shark’s newest beauty tech – the Shark CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask – a go, and explains why this Star Wars-esque thing is poised to be skincare’s biggest gamechanger
Capsule x Shark Beauty
“What the HELL is on your face!?” – My husband, coming home from work to see what he assumes is a Stormtrooper laying on the bed with a bright red, glowing face.
To be fair I never thought my skincare routine would incorporate Star Wars cosplay but hey, that’s 2026 for you, isn’t it?
Well, to a point. When it comes to my skin, I don’t like unpredictability, so here I am in the era of high-tech skincare – LED lights and cryotherapy, to be specific – with Shark Beauty’s latest device, the CryoGlow Cooling + LED Face Mask.
If you’re spent more than five minutes on TikTok lately, you’ll know that cryo skincare is having a *moment* – cold plunges for your face, chilled globes for the under-eyes and iced rollers that live permanently in the fridge, etcetera.
So where does this cold glowing mask fit into all of this?
What is the Shark CryoGlow and what does it claim to do?
Ok, so this high-tech baby combines LED light therapy with cryo-inspired cooling technology in a wearable mask. The LED system uses Shark’s iQLED technology, incorporating red, blue and infrared LED, while the cooling element sits beneath the under-eye area and delivers a chilled sensation designed to help tighten under eyes in one use.
If that sounds slightly space-age, that’s because LED skincare has quietly become one of the most talked-about technologies in beauty, and it’s something I’ve loved ever since I had a few treatments at my facialist’s clinic before my wedding.
LED devices use different wavelengths of light as part of skincare routines, and in recent years they’ve moved from those clinic treatment rooms into bathrooms and bedside tables everywhere. What’s super interesting about the CryoGlow mask is that it brings multiple light options together in one device, alongside *that* cooling element, turning what used to feel like specialist skin tech into something you can slot into a nightly routine.
I’ve genuinely never looked better
The mask was developed with dermatologists and backed by clinical testing, with the Better Ageing Treatment mode designed to help reduce fine lines and firm skin in eight weeks* and the Skin Clearing Treatment mode designed to help reduce acne and achieve a more even complexion in four weeks**. Individual results may vary depending on skin type, but the idea is that the technology supports different skin goals through specific LED settings.
Why combine LED and cryotherapy? And why should I care?
What makes the CryoGlow interesting from a tech point of view is the way it layers these ideas – LED and cold therapy – together, to be a true multi-tasking skincare hero. The LED component focuses on light-based skincare technology, while the cooling panels sit beneath the under-eye area with a cryo-inspired chill that is adjustable, depending on the level of chill you’re after (all of the chill?!).
The Shark CryoGlow also taps into something I’m loving in the beauty space: customisation, because no two people’s faces are the same. Instead of one single function, the mask offers multiple modes built around different LED combinations and the cryo-inspired cooling feature. It gives a lot of value, depending on what your face is needing.
The Better Ageing Treatment mode utilises red and infrared LED technology and is designed to help reduce fine lines and firm skin*, while the Skin Clearing Treatment mode utilises blue, red and infrared LED technology and is designed to help reduce acne and achieve a more even complexion**. Meanwhile, the cooling element focuses on the under-eye area, with cryo-inspired cooling that helps tighten under eyes in one use.
How do I use the Shark CryoGlow?
It’s pretty simple – you set it to what mode you’re after, strap it to your head and let it do all the work. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and as someone who is terrible at remembering to do her skincare at night, it’s actually been great for me on the discipline front. It’s been something of an unexpected side effect, but the self-care element of having this mask sitting on the bathroom counter is that I’ve been able to actually start a ritual of remembering to wind down for the 10 minutes or so I have it on my face.
I’m very good at buying skincare and slightly less consistent at actually using it, especially at night, but putting on a mask changes the whole rhythm. While it might be pulling double-duty for you, you can actually take a few minutes to simply stop – and yes, you absolutely can clip the remote onto your pants and go about your meal prep or scrolling, but I’ve found it acts as a reminder to actually slow down and do my nighttime skincare properly. Cleanse, put the mask on, sit still for a few minutes and let the day switch off. It’s less about chasing perfect skin and more about building a small pause into the end of the day, which might be the most underrated part of the whole routine.
What do I think of the Shark CryoGlow?
Darls, I wish I could tell you – but because this mask is serious stuff, talking about its specific effectiveness on me personally is an advertising standards no-go, just like other medical devices.
What I CAN say is the Shark CryoGlow sits firmly in the category of beauty tools that make your routine feel a little more futuristic. And honestly, if the future of skincare involves sitting still for a few minutes while a glowing mask quietly does its thing, that’s a trend I can get behind.
Shark CryoGlow Cooling & LED Face Mask, $849.99
*Based on results from 12-week clinical study with 60 subjects and 1 x day use in Better Ageing Treatment mode. Individual results may vary based on different skin types
**Based on results from 12-week clinical study with 59 subjects and 1 x day use in Skin Clearing Treatment mode. Individual results may vary based on different skin types.
