By: Lena Whitmere

In a group chat thick with emojis, drama, and unsolicited baby photos, one of the moms—let’s call her Jen—dropped a selfie that stopped the scroll. “No filter,” she swore, her skin tighter than a parking spot in Manhattan. The group lit up with rapid-fire comments: “Botox?” “Retinol?” “A deal with the devil?” Turns out, it was something far less sinister, though equally mystifying to the uninitiated: a handheld device called the illu Facial Toner.

Jen isn’t alone. Thousands—millennial moms, stressed-out Gen Xers, TikTok beauty skeptics—are ditching needles and salon appointments for a gadget that looks like it belongs in Tony Stark’s bathroom. The pitch? Neural tapping, red and blue light therapy, and a serum lineup that sounds like a menu at a Michelin-starred spa. The result? Skin that looks like it got eight hours of sleep, even if its owner hasn’t since 2016.

Photo Courtesy: illu

Not Just a Pretty Face

The beauty industry is vast and growing—projected to surpass $11 billion in the Philippines alone by 2033, with skincare leading the charge. While many legacy brands lean into mystique and clinical language, illu taps into something more intimate: the mirror check before a Zoom call, the post-breakup self-repair, the quiet rebellion against gravity.

illu’s signature product, the Facial Toner, works like a workout for your face. Its neural tapping tech simulates rhythmic massage to boost circulation and contour your jawline, while light therapies handle bacteria and boost collagen. Clinical studies have found increases in key dermal proteins—collagen, decorin, fibrillin—without sounding like a dermatology textbook. It’s not magic. It’s microcurrents, infrared, and a clever ability to tap into the public’s collective skin anxiety.

Photo Courtesy: illu

Tech-Beauty With a Side of Therapy

What separates illu from the sea of shelf-clogging serums isn’t just its gadgetry. It’s the very un-techie idea that skincare is, above all, personal. The device doesn’t just promise lifted cheekbones; it promises autonomy. 

We live in an era where your phone tracks your steps, your watch nags you to stand, and your fridge suggests what you’re emotionally eating. Into this noise comes illu, suggesting—rather softly—that your skin, too, deserves some feedback.

It’s no coincidence that the product design borrows from acupressure and Korean spa rituals. Or that the tapping sensation, when used under the eyes, feels less like a treatment and more like a sigh. You’re not just firming skin—you’re quieting cortisol.

As CEO Sloane Carter puts it, “I think of it as a stress diffuser that just happens to lift your jawline.”

Photo Courtesy: illu

From Vanity to Validity

Of course, beauty tech has its critics. For every science-backed tool, there’s a sea of snake oil with LED lights and celebrity endorsements. What gives illu its edge isn’t just sleek marketing but its refusal to overpromise.

It doesn’t offer eternal youth, just better skin and a clearer conscience. That might sound modest in an industry drunk on superlatives, but it’s surprisingly effective.

And then there’s the cult: a growing user base of thousands who swap toner tips on Reddit and film unboxings like they’re opening iPhones. They love the clean ingredients. The visible results. The fact that they can skip the derm’s office and still feel seen.

There’s also the feminist undercurrent: a rebellion against the idea that self-care has to mean self-surveillance or self-loathing. This isn’t a desperate bid to freeze time; it’s a nudge to enjoy your reflection a little more before the next meeting, meltdown, or milestone birthday.

The Marketing of Realness

illu’s tone is refreshingly unfiltered. No overpolished reviews or suspiciously perfect endorsements. No fake before-and-after photos. Instead, it leans into transparency: clinical trials, ingredient lists without 30-letter words, and a promise that “looking better” shouldn’t feel like a full-time job.

This is intentional. Carter knows the modern consumer is more chemist than customer. “We don’t talk down to people,” she says. “They know what retinol is. They’ve read the reviews. We just give them something that makes their routine smarter.”

The device has sold thousands across the U.S., and global expansion is next. Damaris’ team is betting big on markets like Southeast Asia and Europe, where demand for at-home, tech-driven skincare is rising faster than a serum-soaked sheet mask on Instagram.

The Glow-Up Economy

The beauty boom is real, and so are the evolving preferences of consumers. As trends like the “clean girl aesthetic” dominate social feeds, some are expressing a quiet fatigue with overly complex routines. Many are now leaning toward results-driven tools that simplify their skincare, complementing rather than replacing the rituals they already love.

illu isn’t the solution to aging. But it’s proof that skincare can evolve without becoming absurd. It respects your intelligence, your schedule, and your face. And in 2025, that feels revolutionary enough.

There’s an old joke that by the time you’ve finished applying all 12 steps of your nighttime routine, it’s morning. illu skips the punchline—and maybe, just maybe, lets you get some actual sleep.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general informational purposes only. Results from using skincare devices or products may vary by individual. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new skincare regimen or using new devices.