The 10 Best Tools for Total Body Care
“Skin care” only used to include the skin from our neck up; for a long time, we neglected our body in favor of our face. But that’s quickly changing. Since 2022, data from Google Analytics and Meta shows a 1,025 percent increase in searches for “body care,” according to a recent report from Cosmetics Design.
As body care has gotten more popular, so have body care devices. These tools range from health trackers to sauna blankets to yes, even humidifiers. For this year’s Tools and Treatments Awards, 28 ELLE staff members gamely tested body care gadgets that ran the gamut. We had staffers wear an Oura ring 24/7 for over a month to learn its full capabilities. We asked them to put an air purifier in their living room and see how it affected their allergies. We even requested that they zap the hair on their legs with an at-home IPL device to see how it measured up to in-office hair removal.
Ahead, you’ll find the 10 best-of-the-best body care devices on the market, with commentary from ELLE editors who tested each one.
Best Sauna Blanket
Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston swear by infrared saunas. They tout plenty of benefits, like increased circulation, muscle relief, stress alleviation, and more. This blanket allows you to enjoy all of the benefits of an infrared sauna from the comfort of your home. Our tester noted that the blanket was relaxing and even helped ease soreness following rigorous workouts. Set up was quick (though she recommends laying down a yoga mat and a towel inside for comfort), and the mat also folded up nicely for easy storage.
Best Electric Toothbrush
This toothbrush has over 10 different intensities, an LED touch bar for maximum control, and an easily swappable head—all designed to cradle each tooth and remove tough plaque buildup as it cleans. Our tester reported that it feels like a bespoke toothbrush, thanks to the various speed settings: “I liked that I was able to choose how fast or slow I wanted the brush to be, and that, after 30 seconds, it alerts you with a vibration to ensure you brush each quadrant of your mouth equally for two minutes.”
Best Floss Alternative
Waterpik is the at-home version of the dentist’s oral irrigator tool, using a small but powerful stream to floss between the teeth. Medical professionals love it, because it is effective enough to remove debris and plaque between teeth crevices. It is also so targeted that it can even be used with braces. Our tester liked the adjustable pressure and the ease of the Waterpik compared to flossing. On her most recent visit, her dentist even complimented her on the cleanliness of her teeth.
Best Health Tracking Tool
Compared to other wellness tech, Oura rings are actually sleek—they come in six different colors and are true to their name, looking like simple metal jewelry. Every day, the ring gives a “sleep score” and a “readiness score” based on factors like resting heart rate, heart rate variability, body temperature, respiratory rate, and how long you spent in three different types of sleep (REM sleep, deep sleep, and light sleep). It also tracks your activity, step count, and menstrual cycle, if you want it to. Our tester found that the Oura ring was easy to wear and helped her look at her overall health in a more holistic way. She said that the biggest benefit has been learning about what habits affect her readiness and sleep scores (for example, a big meal before dinner negatively impacts both) and making lifestyle changes accordingly.
Best Air Purifier
Sans Air Purifiers manage to pack an industrial-grade air purification system into an elegant vessel that’s smaller than a carry-on suitcase. These purifiers use a combination of medical-grade HEPA 13 filtration (a filter that’s able to capture 99.97 percent of airborne particles), activated charcoal, and an internal Ultraviolet-C Light (a wavelength that kills germs) to clean the air in your home and protect against pathogens. Even the brand’s mini version can clean the air up to 490 square feet—perfect for New York City apartments or large rooms in a house. It’s also whisper quiet, so it’s easy to incorporate into any space. Our tester has severe allergies and frequently sneezes when outside. She found that this powerful purification system helped keep her allergies under control, and she stopped sneezing entirely in her apartment.
Best At-Home Hair Removal
If you’re tired of making a trip for your laser hair removal treatments, this tool gives you professional results at home. It connects to an accompanying app to provide real-time expert guidance for at-home hair removal for light to medium-dark skin tones. This tool includes three interchangeable heads, including a wide model for the chest and back, a standard one for underarms and lower legs, and a slimmer model for the face and bikini areas. It also uses intense pulsed lasers and automatically adjusts the intensity of the laser based on your skin tone to help reduce any risk of burns or discoloration. You can also use the app to track your progress over time. Our tester reports that the app was easy to use, and though the treatment itself delivered a slight sting, the process was quick. After two weeks of use on fair skin, our tester reported a slight reduction of hair in treated areas and was optimistic about future results with continued use.
Best Humidifier
Did you know that humidifiers can benefit your skin by adding moisture to the air, which can boost hydration and strengthen the skin’s barrier? With this 2.0 version, Canopy took its humidifier three steps further—it doesn’t just produce moisture, it also functions as an aroma diffuser, a sound machine, and a night light. It even has smart sensors that inhibit mold growth.
Our tester’s experience speaks for itself: “I’ve used several humidifiers over the past few years, as my skin tends to be very dry in the winter, and I have chronic sinus issues and seasonal allergies. I’ve yet to find a humidifier that I liked as much as the Canopy. The special filter made upkeep easy and did not produce a wet mist. Every piece of this humidifier that touches water can go in the dishwasher, so it’s extremely easy to keep clean. I have a humidity monitor in my room and found that this increased the humidity about 10 to 15 percent at the highest setting after about eight hours of use.”
Best Shower Filter
This shower head is almost like an at-home spa treatment. Its unique filter reduces and neutralizes chlorine, heavy metals, and calcium sulfite in your water to protect the natural oils in your hair and skin and prevent dryness. Each shower head also comes with aroma oils and a felt diffuser, so you can fill your bathroom with scents like rose and peony petals. Our tester notes that the shower head was easy to install and that the water stream felt luxurious and left their hair and skin feeling less dry than usual. He also noted that the scent tablets were a nice added bonus.
Best At-Home Gel Manicure
As our tester said, “This tool takes the at-home nail extension manicure to the next level.” With a gel adhesive and an LED lamp, this system helps you achieve long, vampy nails that can last up to 14 days. Our tester loved that the larger version of the LED lamp didn’t take up too much space in the bathroom, yet could also accommodate multiple fingers to make the curing process more efficient. “It’s really easy to use, and even has a light beam that tells you exactly where to place your hands.”
Best Body Sculpting Tool
This device combines red light therapy with microcurrent technology to create a sculpting effect on your body that you can really see. The Body Sculptor has 14 dual-chip LED lights, so it can emit both red and near infrared light to improve blood flow, boost collagen, and even out your skin tone. Four levels of microcurrent strength help promote lymphatic drainage, muscle stimulation, and fascia release, too. Paired together, these technologies help tighten, tone, and support recovery. Our tester found that the tool was easy to use, despite all of the different functionalities. After testing it consistently for a week, she said it helped her de-puff when she felt bloated and made her muscles look more defined every time.
elle
