'My skin hates the winter cold, but Shark's new FacialPro Glow gave me a hydrating facial, no salon needed'

I don't know if you've noticed, but it's really, really cold right now. And as someone with dry skin on the best of days, the chill has me reaching for my most hydrating skincare products and slathering them all over my face. But if you want true, intensive hydration, one of the most popular treatments is called a hydrafacial. By extracting nasties from the pores and replacing them with skin-loving ingredients like peptides and hyaluronic acid, it's one of the fastest ways to get your glow back. But there's a major catch (or in this weather, two) — it's very expensive, and you'll need to leave the house to do it.

Shark's new FacialPro Glow makes a bold and possibly game-changing proposition for people like me: spend $100+ on one hydrafacial, or spend $400 and get a tool that will give you years of practically free facials, from home. While neither option is cheap, the math works out — so long as the FacialPro Glow works, that is.

So, I put it to the test at home for three months. While I'm no dermatologist, there's no denying that this gadget gives your skin an instant boost of radiance, banishing the dullness that can come from dry winter skin and preventing pores from clogging. The Depuffi attachment is my personal favorite feature, allowing me to give my neck a warm, comforting massage, or tighten my tired undereyes after a few too many drinks!

Here's my full verdict on the Shark FacialPro Glow.

Shark FacialPro Glow: was $399 now $349 at Amazon

The FacialPro Glow comes in three colorways: blue, black or lilac. The set comes with a power hub, DePuffi attachment and exfoliating head, plus a hydrating and exfoliating treatment.

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Shark FacialPro Glow: First impressions

The Shark FacialPro Glow comes in a handy carry case which houses the battery, as well as both the extraction and contrast therapy attachments. There is also room for two nozzles inside, but seeing as my kit came with four nozzles (two sensitive, two normal), I was left without a space to store the excess.

Everything about this product feels sturdy and well made. The clean and dirty water containers click securely into place, the nozzle slots easily into the attachment, which also clicks satisfyingly into place on the battery base.

As for the Depuffi attachment, it is made of a solid and hefty metal, which heats and cools relatively fast without feeling thin.

Using the exfoliation attachment

The Shark FacialPro Glow has two functions. I tested the exfoliation function first, which requires you to warm up the skin usin the Depuffi's warming setting. This loosens oils in the skin and opens up pores, meaning you can extract nasties more effectively.

Next, I added some of Shark's own 'Detox' solution to my face. This is an AHA + BHA exfoliating gel in a 0.66 fl oz container — and yes, Shark does recommend you repurchase this when you run out, which, combined with the Hydro Infuse solutio,n will cost $50 a go. Ouch.

Once the solution had worked on the skin for a few minutes, I then went in with the exfoliation attachment. Using a tank of clean water, it works to flood the tip of the chosen nozzle with fresh water and suck out dead skin, oils and other nasties from the skin, depositing it in the dirty water tank.

I have relatively sensitive skin that's very prone to redness, so I was slightly concerned that this would irritate my face. And at first, the FacialPro Glow left visible red lines along my face where it had extracted. This left my cheeks and forehead visibly red and angry-looking, as you can see below.

Despite this, the process didn't hurt at all. The flooding of cool fresh water cushions the face as you move over it, so while literally vacuuming your pores may sound painful, it's actually really satisfying.

Below is a photo of my dirty water tank when I was done with the extraction. As you can see, the water is cloudy and grey, which (according to infographics from Shark) is a sign that I had excess oils in my skin.

What's smart about this is that there's no disputing the effectiveness of the tool — you can literally see all the gunk that's been pulled from your face floating in the dirty water.

Next, I went in with a tank full of the Hydro Infuse BHA Hydrator, which comes in a larger 2.66 fl oz bottle. This is full of juicy, skin-loving hyaluronic acid (one of my favorite hydrating skincare ingredients) which is pushed into pores to soothe and hydrate post-extraction.

This is inspired by a hydrafacial, a popular resurfacing treatment that cleanses, exfoliates, extracts impurities and hydrates. And after following the routine, that's exactly how my skin felt. Although it took 15 minutes or so for my redness to go, I was left with a glowier and healthier-looking complexion and my skin felt fresh throughout the rest of the day.

Using the Depuffi attachment

Shark sells the Depuffi separately from the FacialPro Glow, and even if you don't decide to pick up the full kit, I highly recommend this soothing contrast therapy device.

With three hot and three cold levels to toggle between, the Depuffi attachment uses contrast therapy to promote circulation in the skin through fluctuating hot and cold treatments. This claims to reduce inflammation and improve skintone. But also, it just feels really nice.

I tend to use the Depuffi at its highest cold or hot settings for maximum efficiency. It has a really impressive reach between both hot and cold temperatures, and hits the intended temperatures usually within 15 seconds. I did find that it struggles to stay ice-cold when pressed against my face for a long period, so I instead use it for about 30 seconds at a time and then let it cool down further before resuming.

I've used this thing on tired undereyes after a few too many New Years drinks, or sore neck muscles after an over-zealous trip to the gym. It's a brilliant multi-tasker, and I found it made a huge difference in bringing down the post-extraction redness when used before and after the hydrafacial routine.

Should you buy the Shark FacialPro Glow?

I've been testing the Shark FacialPro Glow for over three months, and I find myself reaching for it constantly. Especially with the cold weather, which often leaves my skin dull and thirsty, it's been a much-needed boost of radiance over the past few weeks.

I wouldn't do this more than once per week due to how in-depth the process is, and if you have particularly sensitive skin, I do worry that even the sensitive nozzles may be too irritating for you. But if your skin can handle physical exfoliation, it will be a welcome step to your routine, and one that makes an instantly visible difference.

While hydrafacials are expensive, so is the Shark FacialPro Glow. And the refills (which I anticipate you'll need to buy every three months or so) aren't cheap, either. But if the product piqued your interest due to its many claims of radiance-boosting and improved hydration, I don't think it'll disappoint you.

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