Geek Review: LG PRA. L Beauty Products

Guys tend to have rather lofty resolutions for the new year – lose weight, exercise more, drink less, quit smoking. But the truth is, those take effort and let’s face it – some are impossible. But here’s one thing guys can do for a big change in 2020 – take better care of your skin.

It’s not just to look good for the ladies (or guys, though it factors in greatly), but having a good complexion and healthy skin does wonders for self-confidence. Now, we’re not advocating the use of cosmetics to hide the blemishes and discolouration, because that’s not what men should do, even as women prefer the made-up looks of Korean boy bands and pop-stars. 

But a good skincare routine definitely plays a part in helping their skin look dewy smooth, which is where LG’s PRA.L line of beauty products come in.

The LG PRA. L is a beauty brand by LG that consists of 4 home beauty devices to help strengthen firmness, elasticity and health of your skin. Combined with your own skincare products, it is supposed to save you more money via repeated use of the product and maximises the efficiency of your skincare products.

To tell the truth, all this was alien to me 3 months ago when the review set came into the office and sat on the table, untouched for a few days. You’re probably aren’t too sure about what products like a skin toner is or what it does, neither did I. But no one likes having acne, pimples, blemishes. As a cross-country rider, spending long hours on a motorcycle means my skin is constantly exposed to the elements – rain, dust, sun, sweat and grease. It leaves my skin oily and dirty in just a matter of minutes, which has over the years, resulted in an unhealthy, patchy-looking skin with frequent acne breakouts.

With that being said, guys will struggle with the logic and practicality of spending all their hard-earned money on professional treatments like facial spas or dermatologists. After all, there are so many other more important items to spend my money on. But now that a set of beauty devices were available to try, it became a case of, what better chance could there be, of seeing if these things actually work?

The verdict after two months of use? All it takes is 15-20mins per day, two to three times a week, and you will have better skin, and noticeably fewer break-outs.

Dual Cleanser

Let’s start with the Dual Cleanser – it provides safe and soft cleansing with the dual-motion brush head. It comes with two easy snap-on brushes – a gentle daily cleansing silicone brush and a deep pore cleansing fine fibre brush that cleans and refines clogged pores to get rid of impurities.

The Dual Cleanser also comes with two adjustable cleansing levels to suit those with sensitive skin and level two for deep-cleaning.

It’s also great for use in the shower with IPX7 waterproofing so those guys out there who have perfected the art of multitasking – shampooing your hair while cleaning your face – will have no trouble using this.

Of course, there are other similar products such as sonic facial cleanser brushes and such however what takes the cake for the Dual Cleanser is that it comes with a UV lamp in the Dual Cleanser Cradle that makes sure that your brushes stay sterilised and clean after each use. Which is also great as I can share it with my wife. Not many products have this feature and without a UV lamp, the humidity can allow mold to fester in the silicone brush resulting in even more persistent break-outs. 

The Dual Cleanser is able to last for about one month off a single full charge and it only takes up to 90 seconds per cleansing session.

Application is simple, LG Pra. L suggests you incorporate your own skincare products. I used Garnier Men Turbolight Oil Control Matcha Gel Cleanser

Now, I can easily state that having smoother, tighter, and less shiny skin was a result of using this cleanser, but the proof that it actually worked on me? Most of my blackheads were also gone in the process. 

Galvanic Ion Booster

Next up is the Galvanic Ion Booster.

This product helps you deliver the ingredients in your skincare products more effectively and deeper into the skin for enhanced moisture, especially if you have products that are expensive and potent.

What’s great about this particular Galvanic Ion Booster is its head, which has a large surface area which allows it to glide and cover more of your skin in one swipe. The design also allows you to get into the harder to reach areas like the bridge of the nose and under the eyes. This results in full coverage of the face to avoid getting patchy spots.

The Galvanic Ion Booster utilises two different modes; one for cleansing with Galvanic ions to eliminate fine impurities like dirt and oil, and a boost mode with ultrasonic wave vibrations and heat to massage in your serums and toners to deeply penetrate the skin.

Those who do heavy activities such as sports or those who are constantly outside on the go can start with the cleansing mode; I started with a gel-based products – the Aloe Vera 100% Water-full Soothing gel / Aloe Vera Moisturising Soothing Mist to help get rid of the fine particles.

The boost mode comes after you’ve had your serums applied. I only used a small dollop of my toner, the Lab Series Rescue Water Lotion, for the boost mode. For any sort of expensive serums with lightening effect, vitamin c, hyaluronic acid treatments, you’d want to use the boost mode for maximum efficiency.  Due to the deep penetration of the boost mode, I’ve noticed the skin on my cheeks getting more bouncy, my dark circles were also lightened, and the eye bags reduced. 

Total Life Up Care

The third device is the Total Lift Up Care, which works to massage the skin on your face. There are three modes to choose from: Total Care Mode (for both tightening and lifting), Tightening mode, and Lifting mode which utilises red LED lights and micro-currents to stimulate skin tissue and muscles and thermal high-frequency currents (deep heat effect) to help improve skin elasticity which in turn make you look more “youthful”.

It definitely feels like a warm soothing massage across the face with a little tingly sensation during the routine. My skin ended feeling noticeably firmer, especially around the cheeks, forehead and jawline. One thing to note, is that you’re essentially giving your facial muscles a workout so that your skin holds up against gravity. Each mode runs for about 9 minutes for the individual routine or 18 minutes for the complete routine. It does take some time but fret not, as you don’t have to do this every day (recommended usage is about twice a week). 

What I found worked the best for me was to skip the individual modes and just go for the complete routine instead but if you have time to spare, then you can do the Tightening and Lifting modes individually.

Derma LED Mask

Last but not least, there’s the Derma LED Mask. LED masks have been around for quite some time already but what makes this LED Mask different is its ergonomics. For starters, the Derma LED Mask has included a voice guide to remind you how much time is left at 3-minute intervals. What’s also neat about this mask is the FDA-cleared in-built protective silicon goggles which not only protects your eyes from the LED light glare but also comes a safety sensor feature which turns the LED lights off automatically when the mask is not worn properly or falls off. There’s also a velcro strap included to help secure smaller or narrow-shaped heads.

During the session, I was surprised to feel close to nothing from the LED lights. I had expected at least some heat from all bright lights permeating my skin but none of that actually happened. It’s a more laid back experience and with the tinted shades, you are able to go about doing your usual activities.

The mask pairs with a remote that acts like a portable power supply, through the 9-minute sessions – 2-3 times a week, you can expect to recharge it weekly.  

After 3 months of putting it to the test, I noticed subtle visible differences to my skin. Milia seeds (small bumps) under my eyes were getting smaller and some had even vanished. My skin looked less tired and more toned. My moles got a lot lighter and pores were less visible. What is surprising was how my pimples healed faster with no visible scarring, with the texture of my skin feeling pearlier, elastic and perhaps brighter though the change is not the most obvious. 

With that being said, LG is not providing you with miracle cures for your face. What the Pra L series is, is an additional boost to your skincare routine. It is definitely a cumulative treatment that only shows results if done with the recommended usage and regularly.  

These are the before and after images of my 12-week plan

• 

• 

Notice (Before) the dry, flaky skin as well as redness of the cheeks that are caused by using a generic facial scrub with microbeads. Dark circles have been lightened and overall complexion looks slightly brighter and pores have been minimized.

(After) has more even skin tone with skin looking more moisturized, minimal to no blackheads on the nose 

It’s also good to mention that if you’d prefer something more streamlined and would want to get products all in one place; you can look no further than SUM37, a premium Korean brand specializing in naturally fermented skincare under the LG umbrella that pairs well with the LG Pra L Series. What’s great about SUM37 is the fact that their product line is derived from a proprietary and traditional natural fermentation process, without the use of potent chemicals, artificial fragrances and synthetic preservatives that would potentially be more harmful to your skin than good.  You can get this SUM 37 Deer Homme All-in-one special set specially catered to male skin

Think of it as an investment of time and money, if you’re looking for products that will last a lifetime and save you copious amounts of money rather than going for professional treatments that you hardly have the time to commit then this is definitely for you.

You do not need to get all four devices, in fact, we recommend the Derma LED Mask and the Dual Cleanser for starters.

If this is still not your cup of tea, I’m pretty sure this will be a great gift for your significant other.

Better yet, these devices are built with portability and ease of use in mind, which means you won’t need to be sitting in one spot whilst completing your skincare routine (it comes with suede carrying pouches too!). It also includes voice assistance to signal when it’s time to stop or move on to the next treatment.