“There’s a brand in London called Keren Bartov. I actually have to get it for you,” Kim Kardashian told Glenn Close in an interview with Wired last year. “It’s really good.”
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For those unfamiliar with Bartov, the aesthetician has quietly built an A-list following, working behind the scenes with the likes of Julia Roberts, Sienna Miller, Jodie Comer, Lily Collins, Kate Moss, Demi Moore and Paris Hilton to deliver her signature, red-carpet-ready glow.
Her treatments are defined by personalisation, as well as her use of hi-tech devices to tackle concerns from acne to rosacea, pigmentation to ageing. But sampling her unique approach to skincare is no longer reserved for her clinics in London and Tel Aviv, nor for the Hollywood elite.
Her eponymous Keren Bartov brand was launched to bring the professional experience into our homes, and the latest device to add to our arsenal of skincare tools is The Wand – a red light therapy device for firming and radiance-boosting.
- Why it's Vogue-approved: “The Wand Effect, as it will henceforth be known, is visible in just a few uses,” says Vogue’s senior beauty shopping writer Ellie Davis. “My skin looked rejuvenated with an improvement in texture. It is also lauded for its tightening and smoothing, and I hope with continual use that I will see this occur too.” The Wand uses radiofrequency, infrared and red light therapy with a view to reducing the appearance of fine lines, plumping and even skin tone. To begin the treatment, you must first start with clean, cleansed skin. Apply a serum or, as is unusual with this type of tool, a moisturiser to supercharge their absorption. To power on the device, you press the KB logo and glide it across the skin in circular motions. The duration is seven minutes, which is counted down through the four illuminating dots on the front of the gadget.
- Device type: Wand
- Best for: Sculpt, lift and glow
- Wavelengths: radio frequency, red light (630–700 nm) and infrared (700–800 nm)
- Treatment time: 7 minutes
The clinical-grade skin tool already has a fan base among British icons Lily Allen, Carey Mulligan and Georgia May Jagger, as well as Elizabeth Olsen, who flexed its usage on TikTok. It has, over the last few weeks, become a regular feature in my routine in a bid to harness Bartov’s beauty wizardry and lift, sculpt and glow. The Wand Effect, as it will henceforth be known, is visible in just a few uses. My skin looked rejuvenated with an improvement in texture. It is also lauded for its tightening and smoothing, and I hope with continual use that I will see this occur too.
The Wand uses radiofrequency, infrared and red light therapy with a view to reducing the appearance of fine lines, plumping and even skin tone. It makes bold claims like “sagging is diminished, wrinkles are smoothed, tone and radiance are restored” – and while I can’t yet attest to the first two, the luminous glow following treatment is undeniable. The technology used – red light therapy – has been clinically proven to enhance cellular energy, promoting better oxygenation and microcirculation with regular use. The device, however, has not been clinically studied. The studies associated with this device are currently self-assessments and not via third parties, as we typically like to see.
To begin the treatment, you must first start with clean, cleansed skin. Apply a serum or, as is unusual with this type of tool, a moisturiser to supercharge their absorption. Moisturiser is a sealant, and many LED masks will advise using it after. To power on the device, you press the KB logo and glide it across the skin in circular motions. The duration is seven minutes, which is counted down through the four illuminating dots on the front of the gadget. However, as I rarely do this in front of a mirror, it would have been ideal to have a sound to indicate that it is time to move to the next area of the face.
The most similar tool on the market is the LYMA laser. Compared to the LYMA Pro, Keren Bartov’s device is far lighter, but the Pro has a larger head. The KB Wand is emblazoned with her logo on the head, a strange choice as it limits the red light diffused. It is advised to keep the LYMA Pro still, while The Wand should be moved around, insinuating that it’s less of a targeted treatment. The LYMA Pro also flashes with a white light when it’s time to move to the next area, a helpful indicator.