My secret to firmer skin: ZIIP Halo Review

I used to think that anti-aging skincare was just about combating fine lines and wrinkles. Oh, how naive and young I was!

Little did I know that fine lines would be the least of my concerns. It’s the loss of volume and firmness that really shows my age, and no serum or cream was going to fix that.

This is where skincare devices come in. With so many claiming to lift and firm, I’m sharing why the ZIIP Halo stands out from the rest.

Overview

What is it
The ZIIP Halo is a cutting-edge beauty device that offers pre-programmed skincare treatments tailored to individual needs. With its Dual Waveform Technology powered by microcurrent and nanocurrent, the ZIIP Halo can help you achieve lifted, smoother, and more radiant skin with lasting results.

Available for
$399 on ZIIP or CurrentBody (10% off with code JENNYHALO)

Is a primer required?
Yes. ZIIP offers four different versions: the base Electric Complex Gel, and the Crystal, Silver, and Golden Gels that target different skincare needs. A detailed review of each is shared in the Conductive Gels section below.

Does it hurt?
Occasionally, some of the more intense treatments can cause a slight stinging sensation when gliding over sensitive areas (e.g., skin that was exfoliated the night before). However, 99.5% of the time, you’ll feel at most a gentle vibration, if anything at all.

Is there any downtime?
None! Unless you count the extra time you might want to leave the primer gels on as a mask!

Is it safe to use while pregnant?
No studies have been conducted to confirm or deny the safety of the device during pregnancy. To be safe, it’s best to stop using it or consult with your healthcare provider. I personally stopped using mine when I was pregnant.

Treatment time
A treatment can be as short as 2 minutes or as long as you’d like. You have the flexibility to mix and match treatments to fit your skin (and scheduling) needs! The recommended frequency is 3-5 times a week.

Areas to avoid
Avoid using the device on the top of the eyes, Adam’s apple, areas with open wounds or extremely sensitive skin, or where you’ve had professional treatments (e.g., Botox) done within the last 10 days.

Charge hold
Around 7-10 treatment sessions, which will obviously vary depending on how long each session is. I usually recharge every two weeks.

Device Demo

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What is Dual Waveform Technology?

Created by esthetician Melanie Simon in 2015, this technology is what really sets the Halo apart from other facial devices that use only microcurrents. The ZIIP Halo uses two types of electrical current, micro and nano, that work in synergy to deliver both short and long-term results:

Microcurrent skin benefits

Microcurrent works by mimicking our body’s own bioelectrical currents to stimulate facial muscles to contract and relax, essentially giving them a workout! As a result, skin immediately looks and feels more lifted and toned. This effect can be especially noticeable around the brows and jawline.

Other benefits include:

• Increased ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production in cells, which can help stimulate collagen production.¹
• Improved blood circulation, which in turn can enhance the health of skin cells or even promote wound healing.²
• Reduced appearance of wrinkles with continuous use.³

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Nanocurrent skin benefits

As the name suggests, nanocurrents are about 1,000 times smaller than microcurrents, which may explain why you won’t feel anything when using a nano-only treatment.

The idea is that because they’re much smaller, nanocurrents work on the cellular level to rejuvenate the skin. Specifically, they help trigger ATP production in our skin cells, which is essentially the energy cells need to repair themselves.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any independent studies on the effects of nanocurrent on the skin. But if it truly helps increase ATP production as claimed, we can expect these results in the long run:

• Increased collagen and elastin production
• Reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Generally healthier-looking skin

How I use the ZIIP Halo in my skincare routine

Time is of the essence for me now, which means I can only commit to devices that 1) allow me to multitask 2) offer quick and easy treatment sessions.

The ZIIP Halo excels at point 2 (and point 1 if you count watching Netflix while ZIIP-ing as multitasking) by offering targeted treatments that take as little as 2 minutes! Here’s what a typical routine looks like for me on a busy day:

1. Cleanse the skin with a oil-free cleanser. Now the instructions don’t explicitly say to do this, but it was required for the NuFace for successful current transmission so I figured this extra step couldn’t hurt.
2. Apply at least one pump of the conductive gel for each area of the face. I typically focus on the two sides of my face sans-forehead, so that’s at least 2 pumps for me. I prefer the Golden Gel to get the anti-aging benefits, but if my skin is more sensitive I’ll use the Crystal Gel instead.
3. Turn on my Halo, and start the default The Lift treatment. I love that the default is just 4 minutes, and includes both micro and nano currents to lift and brighten. It’s super easy to do; I only followed along with the tutorial once and have been doing it from memory since.
4. Add extra “Plump” treatments if time allows. These are just 2 minutes each, so depending on my schedule, I’ll do a quick session on my nasolabial folds, cheeks, and/or under my cheekbones.
5. Leave the gel on as a mask for ~10 more minutes before washing it off. The Crystal, Silver, and Golden gel all contain great ingredients so leave those on while you do your chores, check email, or drink coffee!
6. Continue with the rest of my skincare routine.

Total time spent on treatment: 4 – 10 minutes

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If I have more time, I’ll follow The Lift with Instant Gratification, then Founder’s Favorite, which is an exclusively nanoncurrent treatment that feels so gentle on the skin. This also happens to be the founder Melanie’s recommendation for professional grade results! Then, depending on time, I’ll end with a couple Plump treatments or even add the Jowls treatment as a bonus!

Total time spent on treatment: 22-30 minutes

So in a typical week I’ll probably have one day with a ~25 minute session and three days of the shorter sessions, with a break in between each day

As you can see, you can really fine-tune how long you want your sessions to be and what you want to treat each time for a completely personalized experience.

Or if you don’t know where to start, the app also provides a 14-day New to ZIIP treatment plan that starts you off with their easiest treatments and work your way up the intensity levels.

The only device where I 100% recommend the app

Most skincare devices come with their own apps, but I can tell you from experience that most of them are a waste of space. Precious space could be used for more photos of my cats (I’m currently at about 90GB)!

But the ZIIP beauty app is a must-have. For one, it’s the only way to sync different treatments to your device. While the default “The Lift” treatment is great, you’d be missing out on so much if that’s all you use.

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Even without the treatment sync feature, the app is super helpful. Melanie clearly demonstrates each treatment so you can follow along for the best results. You also get a description of what each treatment does, its intensity, its difficulty, and the expected results. I found this extremely helpful in deciding what I wanted to use.

If you decide to follow one of their plans, the ZIIP app also helps you keep track of which treatments you need to do next. It would be even more awesome if it could sync with your phone’s calendar app to add reminders!

Bottom line: you need this app, and you’ll actually enjoy using it with your device!

Also recommended: the ZIIP Conductive Gels

With other devices like Nuface and Foreo, I’ve used and preferred generic conductive gel or even aloe vera gel for their affordability and effectiveness. I didn’t see a difference when using the branded gel, and a Nuface rep even told me that aloe vera was a perfectly fine substitute.

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However, the ZIIP gels feel significantly different. The others felt like your typical gel: watery with minimal stickiness. In contrast, the ZIIP gels feel almost like an oil.

The oiliness took some getting used to, but I love how it doesn’t dry down. This means you’re not scrambling to reapply mid-treatment. It also allows the device to glide effortlessly across the skin and prevents any tugging. Just be careful not to apply too much, as it can drip if you overdo it.

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Now, some of these gels are expensive. But here’s the cool part: at the lower current frequencies of the treatment, ingredient absorption can actually increase. This means you’re getting extra skincare benefits! You can use these gels alone as masks, or just leave them on for an extra 20 minutes after your session, which is what I try to do.

The texture of the different versions is pretty much identical, so it really comes down to their ingredients and functions:

Electric Complex Gel

This is your basic gel that helps conduct the currents to your skin. It does nothing more, nothing less, and thanks to its simple ingredient list, it’s suitable for all skin types. I wouldn’t call the texture refreshing though. To me, it still feels more like an oil than a gel.

Crystal Gel

Using the Electric Complex Gel as a base, this adds glutathione, pine bark extract, and copper gluconate to help brighten and restore the skin.

Silver Gel

This is the only gel I haven’t tried, but it features two types of hyaluronic acid, honey, and green tea extracts that hydrate and soothe the skin.

Golden Gel

This is the priciest of the gels, but it includes five different growth factors and niacinamide for a serious collagen production boost! This is my favorite one to use, but because of these more potent ingredients, sensitive skin types may be more prone to redness when using it.

Usage Experience & Results

What I loved ❤️

It’s so gentle and painless. I’m a huge chicken when it comes to pain, especially those little electrical zaps. But even when using the Halo’s most intense treatment, at most I feel a vibration and some of my muscles twitching – never any pain. So you can imagine just how much less noticeable the other treatments feel.

I also love how ZIIP designed different gels with active ingredients targeting various skincare concerns. This really adds another layer of personalization. I especially love the Golden Gel because it includes growth factors, which can cost a fortune as a standalone product.

But for me, the best feature is its versatility. It’s not just a regular microcurrent device that tightens and lifts. I can treat a variety of issues and adjust the time to as little or as long as I need. It’s the main reason why I’ve been able to continue using the device regularly, and why I stopped using my Nuface and Foreo Bear once I got my ZIIP.

What I think could be improved 💭

There’s really nothing I hate about the device, but I do think there are areas where they could do even better:

• To sync the treatments without the tutorials. Don’t get me wrong, the video walkthroughs are super helpful if you’re a first time user, but once you’ve memorized the steps, it’d be nice to just skip videos.
• A more responsive on button. The device beeps when turned on, but sometimes it takes a few seconds of holding the button down, while other times it turns on with just one push.
• Peer reviewed studies on the nanocurrent. ZIIP has a whole post about the benefits of nanocurrent, but it would be awesome to see these claims backed up by independent studies. On the other hand, they do have plenty of before & after photos, which I always love to see.

My before & after 🪄

For me, the immediate lift was the most obvious result. It’s really hard to tell the long-term effect of nanocurrents, especially if you use other devices like RF or LED, or even just use retinol, as all those things can help with signs of aging.

Here’s an immediate before & after from using The Lift + Founder’s Favorite + Plump x 3

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I’ve been using the ZIIP Halo for ~6 weeks and here’s the before & after: 

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The long-term results are similar, with the lifting effect being the most noticeable. Even though I use the plumping treatment regularly, I’m not really seeing any differences in the nasolabial folds or cheek area. But it also hasn’t gotten worse, so I’ll keep it up for prevention.

ZIIP Halo Device vs Nuface Trinity vs Foreo Bear

It’s pretty obvious that the Halo is my favorite, but this table below will break down the reasons why:

I first tried the Nuface Mini years ago when it was the first of its kind, and I absolutely loved it. It delivered great lifting results and wasn’t too painful to use. I was so impressed that I decided to invest in the Nuface Trinity with ELE. You’d think I’d get comparable or even better results, but nope – the results were less noticeable, while the zaps became more obvious.

Next, I was gifted the Foreo Bear 2 to try, and as you can tell by the much higher current range, this one hurts. Even with a thick layer of the primer gel and their “anti-shock system,” I was getting zapped left and right. I stuck with it for a week then gave up because I legit felt bad for my face.

But if you have a higher pain tolerance, the Foreo Bear could be an interesting alternative. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test it long enough to see results, but on paper, it offers more than the Nuface at a comparable price.

ZIIP Halo vs ZIIP GX

I actually used the Gx extensively before my pregnancy and was about to review it. Then I found out it was being replaced with the new ZIIP Halo, which is why this review is coming more than a year later.

Here are some of the main improvements to the Halo:

• A smaller size and lighter weight, making it more travel-friendly without sacrificing ease of use.
• Surgical steel plated electrodes that actually make the currents feel less noticeable while maintaining the same intensity.
• A default LIFT treatment, so you can use it without the app.
• Three new exclusive treatments in the app: The Lift, Electric Tone, and Depuff

The microcurrent and nanocurrent waveform technology remains the same though, so if you already have the GX, you can achieve the same results without upgrading!

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Final Verdict

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨