GlowLift™ Infinity vs NuFACE: EMS Multi-Tool or Microcurrent?

GlowLift™ vs NuFACE: NuFACE uses microcurrent over a gel; GlowLift™ Infinity pairs EMS with warm and cold modes and needs no gel. Specs and costs compared.

By the Radiant editorial team9 min readUpdated

Woman in her fifties smiling at a bathroom mirror as she smooths cream onto her cheeks before her skincare routine

Key takeaways

  • We make GlowLift™ Infinity; this comparison uses each brand's published facts and FDA records, checked October 28, 2026.
  • NuFACE MINI+ and TRINITY+ use microcurrent over a conductive gel; GlowLift™ Infinity pairs EMS with warm and cold modes, vibration and a gua sha edge.
  • NuFACE's two-year warranty and 60-day money-back window are twice as long as GlowLift™'s one year and 30 days.
  • With activator gel on NuFACE's schedule, year one costs about $490 to $715; GlowLift™ Infinity needs no gel, so there is nothing to rebuy.
  • Research supports facial EMS and gua sha as techniques, but we found no peer-reviewed trial of either finished device.
In this guide

GlowLift™ vs NuFACE is a choice between two technologies. NuFACE MINI+ and TRINITY+ use microcurrent over a conductive gel, a current below 1 milliamp that most people barely feel (Kolimechkov et al., 2022). Our GlowLift™ Infinity face sculpting device uses EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), a pulse you do feel, over your usual serum.

Disclosure: Radiant makes GlowLift™ Infinity. We used only brand-published facts and FDA records, checked October 28, 2026, and ran no side-by-side trial.

What is NuFACE, and which models does it sell?

NuFACE is a US brand of handheld microcurrent devices for the face and neck. Its facial range includes MINI+, a compact device with three intensities; TRINITY+, a larger device that takes interchangeable attachments; and the FIX MicroWand, a pen-shaped tool for the eye and lip area. NuFACE describes all three as FDA-cleared.

MINI+ and TRINITY+ each have three settings. NuFACE lists the output of both as 335 microamps (NuFACE help center, 2026), and says the TRINITY+ Boost Button adds up to 25% more power (NuFACE TRINITY+, 2026).

FDA records list the NuFace Trinity Plus Device (K201782, cleared January 2021) and the NuFACE Mini Device (K191672, cleared October 2019), both "intended for facial and neck stimulation."

How do NuFACE and GlowLift™ Infinity work?

NuFACE MINI+ and TRINITY+ deliver microcurrent, a sub-sensory current, through metal spheres. GlowLift™ Infinity uses EMS, a stronger current that makes the facial muscles contract, and adds warm and cold modes, LED light, high-frequency vibration and a stainless-steel gua sha edge. You feel the EMS pulse; most people barely feel microcurrent.

Our guide to EMS vs microcurrent covers both currents in detail.

How do NuFACE MINI+, TRINITY+ and GlowLift™ compare?

NuFACE offers the longer warranty and return window, and TRINITY+ can be extended with attachments. GlowLift™ Infinity puts more technologies in one device, needs no dedicated gel and costs less up front. Both brands suggest sessions of about five minutes and describe their devices as FDA-cleared.

As of October 28, 2026 GlowLift™ Infinity NuFACE MINI+ NuFACE TRINITY+
Technology EMS, warm and cold modes, LED light, vibration, gua sha edge Microcurrent, 335 µA Microcurrent, 335 µA, plus Boost; optional attachments
Suggested routine 5–7 min, 5–7 times a week 5 min, 5 days a week for 60 days, then 2–3 times a week (NuFACE) Same as MINI+ (NuFACE)
List price See the GlowLift™ Infinity page $250 Starter Kit with 1.69 oz gel $395 Starter Kit; $595 Complete Set with two attachments (NuFACE)
Money-back window 30 days from delivery (refund policy) 60 days (NuFACE site) 60 days (NuFACE site)
Warranty 1 year 2 years 2 years

NuFACE's attachments and accessories are final sale (NuFACE warranty and returns, 2026).

What does a year of NuFACE or GlowLift™ cost?

In the first year, NuFACE MINI+ comes to roughly $490 to $570 and TRINITY+ to roughly $635 to $715 once you add activator gel on NuFACE's suggested schedule. GlowLift™ Infinity has no running cost after the device itself, because it needs no dedicated gel. Figures use October 2026 list prices.

Why NuFACE needs a gel

The FDA's 510(k) summary for TRINITY+ lists a "Conductive Gel Primer" as a special requirement (FDA K201782 summary). Oil-based products "can impede the flow of microcurrent," NuFACE says, so oils go on afterward (NuFACE Aqua Gel, 2026).

The 10 oz Aqua Gel Activator ($80, NuFACE's lowest per-ounce price) lasts about two months at five sessions a week, NuFACE estimates (NuFACE help center, 2026). Year one assumes one bottle for the first two months, then two to three bottles over ten months at two to three sessions a week. Tax, shipping and promotions are left out.

Cost (October 2026 list prices) GlowLift™ Infinity NuFACE MINI+ NuFACE TRINITY+
Device See product page $250 $395
Activator gel, year one $0 (none required) $240–$320 $240–$320
Year-one total Device price only $490–$570 $635–$715
Each later year $0 $192–$288 $192–$288

If you buy a new serum to use with GlowLift™, add its price to the GlowLift™ column.

What results can you expect from NuFACE or GlowLift™?

Expect gradual, modest change from either device. NuFACE's results figures, such as the share of users who "saw a lifted appearance," come from its own consumer questionnaires, and we found no peer-reviewed trial of either finished device. Research supports the techniques instead: facial EMS has a 12-week randomized trial, while stand-alone facial microcurrent trials are scarce.

A 510(k) clearance shows that a device "is as safe and effective" as one already on the market (FDA, 2024). The TRINITY+ summary states that no clinical testing was performed for its clearance. Read GlowLift™ Infinity's clearance the same way.

What the trials found

  • EMS (GlowLift™). In a 12-week randomized controlled trial of 108 women, facial EMS for 20 minutes a day, five days a week, raised cheek-muscle thickness 18.6% on ultrasound (Kavanagh et al., 2012). Controls showed no rise.
  • Gua sha (GlowLift™). In an 8-week randomized trial of 34 women, 10 minutes of facial gua sha five times a week reduced facial contour distances by 2.23 to 2.40 mm (Ahn et al., 2025).

None of these trials tested GlowLift™ Infinity or a NuFACE device, and the EMS trial used a different device in longer sessions. Read them as evidence for each technique.

GlowLift™ vs NuFACE: which one fits your goal?

Choose NuFACE if you want microcurrent specifically, an almost unfelt sensation, a longer warranty or a dedicated eye and lip wand. Choose GlowLift™ Infinity for an EMS pulse you can feel, warm and cold contrast therapy for a de-puffed look and a gua sha edge, with no gel to rebuy and a lower first-year cost.

Your priority Better fit Why
Microcurrent specifically NuFACE GlowLift™ uses EMS, not microcurrent
The gentlest sensation NuFACE Microcurrent stays below sensation; EMS is a felt pulse
Eye and lip area NuFACE FIX or a TRINITY+ attachment Made for small zones, three minutes per zone (NuFACE FIX)
Morning puffiness GlowLift™ Infinity Cold mode after warm, plus the gua sha edge
A defined-looking jawline in one glide GlowLift™ Infinity EMS and a stainless-steel edge in the same pass

GlowLift™ Infinity has no microcurrent and no attachments, a shorter warranty and return window, and an EMS pulse that can feel strong at first. It is not waterproof, and its LED is an accent, not light therapy. For another head-to-head, see our GlowLift™ Infinity vs Medicube Age-R comparison.

How do you switch from NuFACE to a GlowLift™ routine?

Switching from NuFACE to GlowLift™ Infinity changes your prep and your pace: skip the gel, glide over a serum or cream, and start EMS on Level 1, since you feel EMS far more than microcurrent. The warm, cold and EMS routine takes five to seven minutes, five to seven times a week.

  1. Cleanse, then apply a serum instead of gel. In the morning, our Radiant C-F Glow Drops vitamin C + ferulic serum give an easy glide; at night, use your usual serum, oil or cream.
  2. Warm up for 2–3 minutes. In warm mode, glide GlowLift™ upward along the jawline, cheekbones and neck.
  3. Cool down for 1–2 minutes. In cold mode, sweep outward under the eyes and over puffy areas.
  4. Finish with EMS for 2–3 minutes. On Level 1, trace upward along the jaw, under the cheekbones and up the neck, off the eyelids. Go up a level only when the pulse feels comfortable.
  5. Seal and protect. Tap our HyOx Peptide Eye Gel along the orbital bone, then moisturize; add sunscreen by day.

Do not use an EMS device if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other active electronic implant, or on broken, irritated or infected skin. If you have epilepsy or a diagnosed skin condition, check with your doctor first.

Who should skip both devices or ask a doctor first?

Skip both devices during pregnancy. NuFACE says not to use its devices with a seizure history, a thyroid problem or topical or systemic steroids, or over suspicious lesions. Do not use GlowLift™ Infinity with a pacemaker or other active electronic implant, and check with your doctor first if you have epilepsy or a diagnosed skin condition.

NuFACE's full list adds photosensitive epilepsy and children under 14 (NuFACE contraindications, 2026). Keep GlowLift™ away from active skin malignancies or a history of skin cancer.

See a board-certified dermatologist first for active acne or rosacea flares or a new or changing spot; sudden one-sided facial drooping or weakness needs prompt medical care. For GlowLift™ questions, use our contact form.

The bottom line

NuFACE and GlowLift™ Infinity both aim for a more defined-looking face at home. NuFACE offers microcurrent, attachments and a two-year warranty, with gel at every session; GlowLift™ pairs EMS with warm and cold contrast therapy and a gua sha edge, over your usual serum.

Expect gradual change with either. Still deciding? Browse our at-home skincare and beauty devices.

Sources

  1. Kolimechkov S, Seijo M, Swaine I, Thirkell J, Colado JC, Naclerio F. Physiological effects of microcurrent and its application for maximising acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2023;123(3):451–465 (published online 2022). PubMed 36399190 · doi:10.1007/s00421-022-05097-w
  2. NuFACE. MINI+ Starter Kit product page: settings, routine frequency, what's included, price, returns and warranty badges. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  3. NuFACE. TRINITY+ Starter Kit product page: settings, Boost Button, routine frequency, what's included, price. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  4. NuFACE. TRINITY+ Complete Set product page: attachments included, price. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  5. NuFACE. FIX MicroWand product page: treatment zones, three minutes per zone, price. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  6. NuFACE. Aqua Gel Activator product page: sizes, prices, use with oil-based products. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  7. NuFACE Help Center. Device General Information (output in microamps). nuface-help-center.gorgias.help. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  8. NuFACE Help Center. Microcurrent Activator Ingredients & General Information (how long each bottle lasts). nuface-help-center.gorgias.help. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  9. NuFACE Help Center. NUFACE Contraindications. nuface-help-center.gorgias.help. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  10. NuFACE. Warranty & Returns. mynuface.com. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  11. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K201782, NuFace Trinity Plus Device (decision January 22, 2021), and its 510(k) summary. accessdata.fda.gov · summary PDF. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  12. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K191672, NuFACE Mini Device (decision October 15, 2019). accessdata.fda.gov. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  13. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Premarket Notification 510(k) (content current as of August 22, 2024). fda.gov. Accessed October 28, 2026.
  14. Kavanagh S, Newell J, Hennessy M, Sadick N. Use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device for facial muscle toning: a randomized, controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2012;11(4):261–266. PubMed 23174048 · doi:10.1111/jocd.12007
  15. Ahn SH, Hwang UJ, Han HS, et al. Comparative effects of facial roller and gua sha massage on facial contour, muscle tone, and skin elasticity: randomized controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(6):e70236. PubMed 40439289 · doi:10.1111/jocd.70236

Frequently asked questions

NuFACE devices use microcurrent. NuFACE lists the output of MINI+ and TRINITY+ as 335 microamps, below the 1 milliamp line researchers use to define microcurrent. EMS sends stronger pulses that make the facial muscles contract, which you feel as a rhythmic tingle. GlowLift™ Infinity uses EMS, not microcurrent. Our guide to EMS vs microcurrent compares the two currents in detail.

NuFACE describes its activator as "essential for optimized microcurrent," and the FDA's 510(k) summary for TRINITY+ lists a conductive gel primer as a special requirement. NuFACE also says oil-based products can impede the current, so oils go on after a session (NuFACE). GlowLift™ Infinity has no gel requirement and glides over a serum, facial oil or cream.

At five sessions a week, NuFACE estimates a 1.69 oz Aqua Gel bottle lasts two to three weeks and a 10 oz bottle about two months (NuFACE help center). At the time of writing, those sizes cost $35 and $80. NuFACE adds that activators work best within 12 months of opening. Fewer sessions a week make each bottle last longer.

NuFACE makes sense if you want microcurrent specifically, a two-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee, and the ongoing gel cost fits your budget: year one runs roughly $490 to $715 with gel on NuFACE's schedule. If you prefer EMS with warm and cold modes and no gel to rebuy, GlowLift™ Infinity is the alternative. Disclosure: Radiant makes GlowLift™.

Yes. GlowLift™ Infinity uses EMS instead of microcurrent and glides over a serum, facial oil or cream, so there is no activator to rebuy. It suits you if you want a defined-looking contour and a de-puffed morning look. It is not a like-for-like swap: it has no microcurrent, no attachments and a one-year warranty. Disclosure: Radiant makes GlowLift™.

No. NuFACE lists pregnancy among its contraindications, and we advise against using GlowLift™ Infinity during pregnancy because of its EMS mode. NuFACE says its devices can be used while breastfeeding if you are in good health (NuFACE help center). For GlowLift™, check with your doctor before using it while breastfeeding, and ask about any other condition before starting either device.

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This guide is for general education and isn't medical advice. If you have a skin condition or a health question, please speak with a dermatologist or your doctor.

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