The 5 Best Beauty Tools Of 2023

It’s truly mind-boggling how far we’ve come with at-home beauty devices. While we might still be waiting for that automatic makeup-applying compact à la The Fifth Element (any day now, Chanel), sometimes it feels like we’re living in a sci-fi movie with all the gizmos and gadgets we have at our fingertips — handheld machines that would have been either doctor’s office only a decade ago or completely unfathomable to generations before us. Vibrational therapy, pain-alleviating LED, cordless heat tools — having devices that either supercharge existing regimens or simplify age-old beauty rituals help add excitement back into our daily routines and enhance the products we already know and love. Ahead, discover Bustle’s best beauty tools of the year.

Best Hair Tool For Straight & Wavy Hair

This cord-free curling iron is proof that our beauty routines are living in the year 2100. No more awkward maneuvering to try and avoid bulky cords as you’re attempting to get those hard-to-reach pieces in the back of your head. With a wave of this magic wand, you can move your hands unencumbered to curl wherever you need. The rechargeable battery offers up to 40 minutes of styling on a single charge while the curling iron itself offers three heat settings and a nano silver tourmaline barrel for consistent and even styling. Celebrity colorist, hairstylist, and guest judge Reece Walker calls it “perfect for being on set and on the go — I loved how easy and portable it is,” while BDG staffer Panita Chanrasmi-Lefebvre raved about the convenience of the cordless wand and the USB charger for international travel.

Best Hair Tool For Curly & Coily Hair

This wand is a sleek objet d’art that will glam up your vanity as it adds definition to curls and coils that need some extra oomph. Testers were wowed with its rapid heating action and its ability to create tight curls that last for days in as little as three seconds — all without causing excessive heat damage to the hair thanks to a self-regulating ceramic barrel that maintains a 365-degree temperature. “This thin wand is great for defining those curls that won’t quite curl or to wand-curl straighter textures,” says celebrity hairstylist and guest judge Naeemah Lafond. “I love using this on blown-out, textured hair for a glam look.”

Best High-Tech Face Tool

Face tools have a tendency to make a lot of promises that they can only partially deliver on. However, TheraBody’s TheraFace Pro is the rare at-home tech that’s actually as good as it sounds. The multi-tasking device combines percussive facial massage with LED light treatment, skin-toning microcurrent, and more thorough cleansing through a variety of interchangeable attachments. “It’s the only skin care tool I’ve met that truly does it all — and does it all well,” raves Rachel Lapidos, BDG’s senior beauty and lifestyle editor. “If you’re only going to buy one tech-y beauty device, this is your Holy Grail.”

Best Body Tool

Once you strap yourself into this device and turn it on, all your skepticism will melt away along with pretty much every ache and pain it encounters. The Body Belt uses a mix of infrared, red light therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field to relieve tension and soothe sore spots like nothing else our testers have encountered. “I was a little bewildered by this product when I first opened it up because it seemed like it would be a scam — it has over 40 pockets filled with different colored crystals and tiny ceramic beads, as well as six infrared circles that closely resemble the kind of red plastic reflectors you’d see on a bicycle,” explains BDG staffer Abby Lebet. “However, I was pleasantly surprised that it heated up quickly and helped to alleviate pain in my lower back.”

Best for Dermaplaning

This handheld exfoliating tool is proof that the most high-tech solution isn’t always the superior choice. Our testers reported this manual dermaplaning wand removes peach fuzz, enhances your glow, and smooths and softens skin just as well as their pricey electric versions. “I have an expensive electric dermaplaner that I love, so I was suspicious of a hand-powered, affordable alternative,” says BDG staffer Sarah Aswell. “Welp, this tool works exactly as well as the one I paid much more for — and it has more affordable blades and it takes up way less room. I use it weekly and always love how it makes my face look and feel.” Adds Rachel Lapidos, BDG’s senior beauty and lifestyle editor, “Schick’s razors feel really gentle and make shaving my peach fuzz a non-irritating cinch. My face is like butter afterwards.”

Photographs by Di-Chen Chen

Prop Stylist: Ada Victoria Ochoa Arce

Executive Beauty Director: Faith Xue

Photo Director: Alex Pollack

SVP Creative: Karen Hibbert