In our advice column, “Ask the Strategist,” we take your most burning shopping questions and survey friends, call up experts, and draw on our own personal experience to answer them. If you have an online-shopping question of your own, please send it to strategist@nymag.com with the subject “Ask the Strategist.” We’re here to help.
Hi, I have recently bought a NuFace device like the rest of the world, and I am trying to figure out what the best dupe is for its expensive gel. There are lots of suggestions on the internet, but none from trusted sources like the Strategist. Can you get on this?
Hi! I, like the rest of the world, also own a NuFace, and I too have thought Damn, I really need to use a lot of gel. In order for the tool to do its microcurrent magic, there needs to be a thick, slick layer between your skin and the device, otherwise it gets a bit zappy. If you’re using it daily as the brand suggests, it won’t take long before the included two-ounce bottle runs out. A quick Google search will turn up lots of cheap gels — the kind that are designed for ultrasounds. These work, but they’re more functional than anything else, and don’t offer the skin-care “extras,” like hyaluronic acid that allows NuFace to charge a premium. You also wouldn’t want to leave them on, so I’m excluding those from the list.
Onto the alternatives: A replacement tube of NuFace gel starts at $35 for 1.69 ounces. That translates to $21 an ounce, so I sourced a few options that are cheaper than that — if not less than $35, then a better deal per ounce. For vetted recommendations, I spoke to my esthetician friend Sydney Utendahl, who, as a fellow NuFace user, has also had to make something work in a pinch. For a conductive gel to be functional, she says, it has to be water based and have a gel-like consistency. This helps with slip and ensures the device can actually penetrate skin and stimulate the muscles below. All three picks below fit those criteria. And it’s worth noting: Do not try anything oil based. It won’t conduct the microcurrent properly and actually messes with the flow. Below, a few recommendations.
For a cheap, no-frills option, Sydney recommends aloe gel, which is water-packed, hydrating, and soothing. The slip really allows for a smooth glide. Brand doesn’t really matter here; any drugstore option should do. I like this one from Amazon because it’s pure aloe vera gel. I also like the price. It’s only $15 for 24 ounces (for reference, ten ounces of NuFace Gel is $80), so you can use a lot without thinking much about it.
This chia mask from Cocokind is both more affordable than the NuFace gel and has more skin-care benefits. It’s $22 for 1.7 ounces — a full $13 cheaper than a NuFace gel of the same size. Sydney first came across the mask after seeing the brand’s founder Priscilla use it with her NuFace on Instagram. It’s formulated with antioxidant-rich chia seeds, two weights of hyaluronic acid for immediate and slow-release hydration, spirulina (rich in niacinamide), and vitamin B5, which helps skin to retain moisture. This doesn’t need to be washed off and can even be used in place of your moisturizer.
Sydney is in the process of opening her own esthetician studio, Dorian Skin, and plans to use this conductive gel from 7e Wellness during treatments. At a little more than $3.50 an ounce, it’s much cheaper than NuFace’s offerings and works just as well, she says. It also contains green tea, neroli, seaweed, kelp, and peptides, all of which help to fortify skin.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
