Review: SSense Firmify
Radical self acceptance is a practice interwoven into my soul. Amongst many other things, it means that I fully embrace my whole self; flaws and all. This is why, I have no qualms in confronting the fact that I am indeed, quite vain.
As a woman of multitude this means that whilst I am all ‘Live, Laugh, Love’, I am also a high-maintenance chick with a 6-step skin care routine who will take measures to preserve my 20 year old skin for as long as I can. To be clear, I am in no way under the illusion that I am the most beautiful woman on the planet- far from actually, I know I need a helping hand and am always inclined to take the time on my skincare and beauty.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the first signs of visible aging on my face have been met with a swift and decided response: Radio Frequency (RF). Unfortunately, I am deathly afraid of needles/injections so Botox and Filler are out of the question for me, leaving space for only Radio Frequency, Red Light therapy and a Kris Jenner facelift when the time comes. For anyone who is not familiar with Radio Frequency in a skincare context: it takes form as an electromagnetic device that uses heat to penetrate the dermis, stimulating collagen production and mimicking the effects of a surgical facelift by lifting and tightening the skin.
When I was shopping around for an RF tool, what drew me to the Firmify was that it combined RF, EMS and Red Light therapy in one device unlike many others on the market. It was also on offer at Boots: £86.99 down from £140, which made it way cheaper than the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro Ex that I was also eyeing up, and an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Upon receipt of my device, I followed the manufacturer’s recommendation to not use the device before first allowing it to charge to full: approximately 4 hours. The device comes with a USB C to USB charging cable, so note that you will need to have a USB charging adapter if you intend to use this cable. I was really impressed by how clear and detailed the instructions were but if you would like a visual on how to use the Firmify, scroll to the bottom of this page to find a tutorial.
Through my own research I discovered that it is generally not encouraged to use EMS tools on the upper lip region as EMS uses a higher electrical current intended to cause muscle twitching and contraction which can be too harsh for the delicate muscles around the mouth. For this reason I steered clear of using the device in this region, but this isn’t mentioned in the instructions, so it’s up to you. I also did not use the tool anywhere near my eyes even though there is a designated ‘Eyes’ function. Again, this is down to personal preference as I always prang out about products in or around my eyes.
I used the wand 2-3 times a week exclusively on the lowest setting of the ‘Contour’ and ‘Collagen’ mode. Typically, I used the Firmify first thing in the morning so that my skin was clean and dry and then I followed use with my normal cleansing routine. I used the device on both sides of my cheeks, chin and neck. The Firmify very helpfully beeps after 2-minutes of use to indicate it’s time to switch to the other side of your face. In total, I used it for 8-minutes each session: 2 minutes on each side of my face and 2 minutes on each side of my neck.
The photos below were taken incrementally after each week of use. At around the 6th week mark, I took a one week tolerance break.
Overall, I am absolutely delighted with the results of the Firmify. I’m sure you’ll agree after reviewing the photos that my skin is tighter and more lifted which was the exact outcome I desired; having felt that my skin was beginning to sag slightly. In fact, you’ll notice that my skin did not look as sculpted in the photo after the one week tolerance break, which advocates for the effectiveness of the tool.
I’ve now been using the device for 12-weeks and pretty much exclusively use it on Collagen mode as I’m conscious of sculpting my face too much with the Contour mode and zapping off my chubby cheeks. Even after 12-weeks, I have not needed to charge it again since that first charge out the box so it’s safe to say that the tool has fab battery life.
My only note/critique is that you must be diligent about properly cleaning the device, or else you’ll notice the frequency of your breakouts increase (as I did). The instructions are explicit in that the Firmify should not be washed or submerged in water. However, I don’t think that just wiping the device with a clean cloth after each use (as recommended) suffices for proper cleaning. Instead, I used these Antibacterial Face Wipes, to clean the tool after each use and always put on the dust cap.
Going forward, I’m planning to start incorporating the Cleanse mode into my routine to see if the Green Light does anything for my hyperpigmentation. More on that another time! xx
