Shark CryoGlow LED face mask review, is the $350 mask worth it?
The Shark CryoGlow is the LED mask everyone is talking about right now. It is the one with the built in eye cooling, it costs about $350, and it comes from the brand that made your vacuum. The reviews are everywhere and most of them gush, but a lot of them come from sites that earn a commission and rank by being the biggest, not the most careful. So we went the other way. We read the actual research on the light it uses, the patterns in real owner reviews, and the testing nobody links to, then asked the only question that matters at this price. Is it worth it, and is it right for you? Here is the full picture, including the parts the brand and most reviews leave out.
The Shark CryoGlow is a well made mask that uses the three kinds of light the research actually supports, and owners genuinely love the cooling. The catch is that it asks for almost daily use over two to three months, the cooling pads sit over your eyes so that area gets less light, and you can get the same core benefit from a mask that costs a third as much.
Buy it if you want a premium, polished device, you care about the eye cooling, and you will use it most days. Skip it if you want the cheapest thing that works, or you know you will not keep it up.
What the Shark CryoGlow actually is
Stripped of the marketing, it is a firm plastic mask that shines three kinds of light on your skin. Red light, blue light, and a deeper kind called near infrared. It runs preset modes that mix those colors for goals like smoothing lines and calming breakouts, it is cleared by the FDA for use at home, and its party trick is the cooling plates that chill the area under your eyes while the lights run. One thing is worth knowing about that label. FDA cleared is not the same as FDA approved. Cleared means the device is considered safe and a lot like ones already on the market, not that the agency tested and signed off on a wrinkle claim. That is normal for this kind of product, but good to know.
Does it actually work?
Within reason, yes. The light it uses is one of the better studied tools in skincare. Red light and the deeper near infrared light have been shown to nudge the skin into making more collagen over time, and blue light helps with acne by going after the bacteria behind breakouts. A dermatology review that looked at all three of the colors this mask uses found that LED light improves acne, healing, and the look of aging skin, with a very good safety record (Ablon, 2018). A 2025 study of people using a blue and red light device at home found that most of them improved, with only mild and short lived side effects (JCAD, 2025).
The real catch is strength. A mask you use at home is far gentler than the panels a dermatologist uses, so the results come slowly and they stay modest, not a face lift in a box. The people who see a difference are the ones who actually use it for a couple of months. Think of the CryoGlow as a slow, steady add on to a real routine, not a replacement for one.
Does the eye cooling actually do anything?
This is the feature everyone talks about, so here is a straight answer. The cooling feels wonderful, and reviewers keep calling it the best part of the mask. What it does is briefly tighten the blood vessels under your eyes and take down puffiness, the same way a cold spoon or an ice roller does in the morning. That is real, but it fades, and it is comfort rather than a second treatment. There is no strong evidence that a few minutes of cold makes a lasting change under your eyes.
There is also a trade off the ads skip. The cooling pads sit right over the area under your eyes and your brow, which means those exact spots get less of the light while you wear it. So you are giving up a little light where the cooling sits in exchange for how nice the cooling feels. If your main goal is the lines under your eyes, that is worth knowing.
Is it actually strong enough?
Anyone pausing at $350 usually has one quiet worry. Is it strong enough to do anything? Independent testing suggests the real dose of light is gentler than the marketing makes it sound, which is true of almost every mask you can use at home, not a knock on Shark in particular. The takeaway is the same either way. This is real light therapy on the gentle end, so showing up regularly for weeks matters far more than any number on the box. If you want the strength of a clinic, no mask you wear on the couch is going to be that.
What real owners say
The CryoGlow sits at about 4.4 stars across roughly 865 ratings and sells in the hundreds every month, so the feedback is real, not hype. We read for patterns instead of cherry picking. The praise is steady. People love the cooling, call the mask powerful and well made, trust the Shark name, and report calmer skin and brighter looking under eyes once they stick with it. The complaints are just as steady. The price stings, the cooling pads do not come off for a lights only session, the hard shell and charging stand are awkward to store and a pain to travel with, and a few owners admit they did not keep the routine up long enough to judge it. None of that is a deal breaker, but it is the real story under the 4.4 stars.
The downsides nobody mentions
Most reviews list one downside, or none. Here are the ones that actually come up.
- It asks for almost daily use. Plan on using it most days for eight to twelve weeks before you judge it. If you will not, the money is wasted.
- The cooling pads block the light over the area under your eyes and your brow, and they do not come off for a lights only session.
- Storage and travel are a hassle. The hard shell and charging stand take up room and do not throw easily into a bag.
- Price. At $350 it is one of the priciest masks out there, and the light that does the work is not unique to it.
Is it safe, and who should be careful?
For most people, these masks are very easy to tolerate. A review that gathered the safety research on light therapy for skin found it safe, with only mild and temporary redness reported (Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2023). Here are the cautions worth knowing.
- Your eyes. The light is bright, and blue light in particular can stress the eyes, so keep them closed while you wear it and follow the guide that comes with the mask (Int J Ophthalmology, 2018).
- Medication that makes you sensitive to light. If you take something like an acne antibiotic, isotretinoin, or St. John's Wort, check with your doctor first.
- Melasma. That kind of pigmentation can be set off by heat and light, so ease into it and stop if your dark patches get worse.
- Pregnancy and light sensitive conditions. If you are pregnant, have epilepsy, or know you are sensitive to light, talk to a doctor before you start.
Price, and where to buy
The CryoGlow runs about $349.99. For some context, a single LED facial at a clinic often runs $50 to $150, so if you would pay for those anyway, the mask can pay for itself in a handful of sessions, as long as you actually use it. You will find it on Amazon, sometimes bundled at Costco, and on Shark's own site. We track the Amazon listing because it is the easiest place to return it if it is not for you, and it is the one with the review history we read for this piece.
Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask
A powerful, polished mask that uses the three kinds of light the research supports, with eye cooling owners rave about and the Shark name behind it. Worth the splurge if you want the premium build and the cooling and you will use it most days. If all you want is the light itself, a cheaper mask with the right colors does the core job for less.
Loved
- Eye cooling owners rave about
- Powerful, polished, trusted brand
- Calmer, brighter skin over time
Gripes
- Among the priciest out there
- Cooling pads block the light and do not come off
- Needs almost daily use for two to three months
Shark CryoGlow vs a cheaper mask
The fair comparison is not Shark against a $600 device, the framing that conveniently makes the splurge look smart. It is Shark against a good mask that costs a third as much. The $350 buys you real build quality, the cooling, the brand, and the customer service. What it does not buy you is better light, because the colors that do the work are not unique to Shark. A well reviewed mask in the $100 to $150 range that has red and near infrared light gives you the same core benefit. If the cooling and the polish matter to you, the splurge makes sense. If they do not, your money goes further somewhere else. We compared the masks worth buying, including the more affordable ones, in our guide to the best red light therapy masks.
The Shark CryoGlow is well made, it uses the kinds of light the research supports, and the eye cooling is a genuinely lovely feature that owners adore. Buy it if you want the premium build and the cooling and you will use it most days for a couple of months. Skip it if you want the cheapest thing that works, or you are not the consistent type, because the light that does the real work costs a lot less elsewhere.
This article is general education and our opinion, not medical advice. An LED mask is not a treatment for any medical condition. Keep your eyes protected, follow the instructions that come with your device, and talk to a doctor if you are pregnant, have an eye or skin condition, or take medication that makes you sensitive to light.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shark CryoGlow worth it?
It is worth it if you want a premium, well made mask, you care about the eye cooling, and you will actually use it most days for two to three months. If you mostly want the proven benefit of red and near infrared light for the lowest price, a mask with the right kind of light at about a third of the cost gets you there too.
Is it recommended by dermatologists?
The kinds of light it uses, red, blue, and the deeper near infrared, are the same ones skin doctors point to for fine lines, acne, and brighter skin. No mask you use at home replaces a professional treatment, and you should check with your own dermatologist if you have a skin or eye condition.
Does the eye cooling actually work?
It feels great and it takes down puffiness for a little while by tightening the blood vessels, but that is a short comfort effect, not a lasting treatment. The cooling pads also sit over the area under your eyes, so those spots get less light while you wear it.
Can you use it with melasma or rosacea?
LED light is usually easy to tolerate, but melasma can react to heat and light, and rosacea is different for everyone, so ease into it and stop if it flares. Anyone who is pregnant, sensitive to light, or on medication that raises light sensitivity should check with a doctor first.
Shark CryoGlow or Omnilux?
Omnilux is a soft, treatment focused mask with a strong clinical reputation and no cooling. The Shark is firm, adds the eye cooling, and feels more premium and more of a lifestyle device. If clinical results are the priority, Omnilux is the purist pick. If you want the cooling and the polish, the Shark wins.
How long until you see results?
Plan on eight to twelve weeks of almost daily use. Some people notice calmer, brighter skin sooner, but collagen changes slowly, so the results go to the people who keep at it.
Sources and further reading
- Ablon G. Phototherapy with Light Emitting Diodes. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2018 (covers the red, blue, and near infrared light this mask uses).
- At home blue and red light for acne, a 7 week study. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2025.
- Blue light for acne and the bacteria behind it. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2009.
- Near infrared light and skin healing. Laser Therapy, 2015.
- A review of the safety of light therapy for skin. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2023.
- Blue light and eye safety. Int J Ophthalmology, 2018.
- Aggregated verified purchase customer reviews and ratings, Amazon (Shark CryoGlow), as of June 2026.
