After months of deliberating over whether to splurge on an LED mask to try out red light therapy at home, I finally bit the bullet and purchased the Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro. This is my first venture into the use of anti-aging skincare technology to target fine lines and (hopefully) prevent wrinkles.
I am a huge fan of Dr Dennis Gross skincare, which is why I opted to go for this particular product. Their 2-step Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel is one of my favourite skincare products ever after completely transforming my skin following years of breakouts. So, needless to say, I have high hopes for the Dr Gross LED eye mask.
While I intend to do a full review of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro after using it daily for a few months, I thought I would show you what the eye mask looks like out of the box and share some initial thoughts on it.
Overview of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro
The EyeCare Max Pro model is an improved version of the previous Dr Dennis Gross Skincare SpectraLite EyeCare Pro LED Light mask. This model’s design looks much more in line with the full-face SpectraLite FaceWare Pro mask, with its rose-gold metallic finish and curved lines.
According to the description, 3 minutes of daily red light therapy with this mask will stimulate the production of collagen and result in a reduction of wrinkles and crow’s feet. The eye mask uses energy from the Amber, Red, Deep Red and Infrared spectrums. It claims that users should see some initial results after 2 weeks of consistent LED therapy every day, with best results from 10-weeks onwards.
The SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro comes in strong packaging with an outer sleeve to protect the box inside. It has the same clean and premium feel that you’ll find with other Dr Dennis Gross products.
Exterior: Design and Simplicity
I absolutely love the look of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro and how sleek its design is. It only has one button on the side, which turns the mask on/off and illuminates to indicate the battery status when charging. There are no other buttons or controls on the mask apart from this one and it is very light.
This LED mask definitely gives some serious superhero vibes (rather than the Michael Myers look that some full-face LED light masks on the market seem to be going for).
Although I’ll not be wearing this outside of the privacy of my home, I still appreciate how slick it looks. I get more enjoyment than I should admit to in pretending to be a cyborg Catwoman while brushing my teeth at night.
Interior: Charging and LED Layout
The SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro is charged via USB-C, with a USB-A to USB-C power cable included in the box (although there is no power adapter). However, the user guide does warn that you should only use the supplied USB cable along with a compatible 120V/240V power supply to charge this.
The interior of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro is covered in LEDs – there are 96 LEDs altogether. This is a good increase from the 72 LEDs on the older EyeCare Pro model and it covers a larger skin-surface area too.
These LEDs sit under a clear, silicon casing that sits flush against the skin. This makes cleaning the inside of the mask with a damp cloth or alcohol wipe very quick and easy.
Post-LASIK Eye Sensitivity to LED Lights
It’s hard to show just how bright the LEDs are in photos, but they are bright. Thankfully, the shape of the mask and the way in which it sits flush against my face means that the light doesn’t point towards my eyes.
This is something I was relieved about as I have been very sensitive to bright lights ever since getting LASIK eye surgery a few years ago. You should avoid using any red-light therapy when recovering from LASIK. Mine was quite some time ago, so it was only the risk of discomfort from the light sensitivity that I was concerned about.
When I wear this and turn it on, there is an initial moment where the spill-over from the lights feels a little too intense (this is with my eyes closed). However, I find that opening my eyes for a few seconds and then closing them again will completely ease that sensation and the remainder of the 3 minutes is very comfortable.
Dr Dennis Gross advises that you can use this mask safely with your eyes open, but I just keep mine closed for comfort and to be extra cautious with my eye sensitivity.
The (Optional) Strap
Okay, let’s talk about the strap. I had seen a lot of reviews of the DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro mask that complained about the strap coming loose or slipping off the mask entirely.
I was hoping that these issues would have been resolved for the new SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro but unfortunately I have experienced the same problems.
The strap reminds me of the type you get on swimming goggles, but with a much softer finish. So while it does feel lovely, that texture means that it slips very easily. The raised bumps do little to help it stay secure.
I wore the mask a few times with the strap attached and it kept loosening no matter how tight I made it. A couple of times, the strap slipped out completely when I tried to take the mask off. I was worried that the mask would fall off and break, so I removed the strap and decided to just hold the eye mask against my face.
At that point, I discovered that the mask actually stays on my face perfectly fine without the straps. The interior is a little sticky due to the silicon covering and there is a little bit of flex to the mask, so it conforms nicely to my face and then it just stays put.
Given that the straps were also getting caught in my hair and felt like a hassle in general to work with, I was more than happy to be able to remove them for good. (Note that the straps aren’t even attached to the eye mask in the image on the box… a coincidence? I think not.)
It sounds bizarre, but removing the straps has definitely improved my user experience.
How much is the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro?
I purchased this from Space NK as it’s currently the only official stockist in the UK (although you can purchase the older SpectraLite EyeCare Pro model from a range of suppliers like LookFantastic and Cult Beauty).
The SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro was £199 when I bought it in August 2023. I tried a couple of discount codes that Space NK was running at the time (including the FIRST15 for new customers), but none of these discounts were applicable to Dr Dennis Gross products.
Why I chose the EyeCare Max Pro over the EyeCare Pro or FaceWare Pro
I decided to buy the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro because of its increased coverage and power from the extra LEDs compared to the older version. The price of the new model was also a key factor in my decision.
The previous EyeCare Pro is currently for sale in the UK at around £175. It seemed like a no-brainer to purchase the new EyeCare Max Pro for the sake of an extra £24.
The reason why I didn’t go for the full-face SpectraLite FaceWare Pro was mainly down to its cost. I am still slightly sceptical about the efficacy of consumer-grade LED Red Light Therapy and want to try one out for a while to see if it really does make any tangible difference. I could not bring myself to spend the £465 that the FaceWare Pro is currently priced at in the UK without knowing for sure if this would work well with my skin.
In terms of my current skin condition, I only have concerns around my eye area. At 32-years-old, I’m just starting to see some fine lines starting to appear around my eyes (which is what prompted me to start looking into LED Red Light therapy in the first place).
My personal aim is to use this for the preventative benefits of LED Light therapy when it comes to wrinkles and to see if the fine lines will diminish at all. As I don’t have any concerns anywhere else on my face, it made sense to go with the much cheaper product that focuses on my target area.
In saying that, if I do see tangible results from daily use of the EyeCare Max Pro, then I will definitely consider an upgrade to the full-face version.
Initial Review of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro
As mentioned, I will post a full review of my red light therapy experience with before and after pictures after I have used the EyeCare Max Pro for at least 6 months. Until then, here are some of my initial thoughts.
The Pros
Simple to use There's just one button to turn this on and it automatically turns off after 3 minutes. Convenient for Daily Use 3 minutes makes it easy to fit home red light therapy into an existing daily skincare routine. I would be less confident in my ability to stay consistent with this if the run-time was any longer. Comfortable to Wear Even without the strap attached, the LED eye mask fits comfortably on my face and doesn't fall off. Easy to Clean The interior is wipeable and the user guide suggests using a damp cloth or alcohol wipe to clean it after each use. This is especially important if you are sharing an LED light mask with other people in your household. Holds a Charge A full charge lasts for far longer than the 10 x red light treatments that Dr Gross says it should last for. The device charges fully in 2-4 hours. It Looks Great The design of the SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro is very sleek whilst also serving the practical purpose of covering a large area around the eyes.
The Cons
It is Expensive At £199, this is not a cheap purchase - but when compared against the cost of paying for in-office LED Red Light therapy then this will pay for itself very quickly. The Straps are Frustrating Trying to use this with the straps attached was more hassle than it was worth. I'm lucky in being able to wear the mask without them. But if this wasn't the case, then it would be extremely inconvenient to have to hold this on manually. Customer Care is US-only The user guide provides details of how to register your device for a 1-year warranty and details of how to contact Client Care in the case of any issues. However, this is only applicable to US customers. I couldn't see any information about how UK customers can contact Dr Dennis Gross support.
So, it has been a positive start to my SpectraLite EyeCare Max Pro journey. I’m looking forward to seeing if there are any noticeable improvements in my eye area after using this consistently for a few months.
If you have used this LED eye mask and/or the FaceWare Pro then I’d love to hear about your experience with them in the comments!