The BeautyBio GloPRO Facial Microneedling Tool Is Worth the Hype

We put BeautyBio’s GloPRO Facial Microneedling Tool to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review. 

Microneedling has become a wildly popular treatment over the past few years, and with good reason. The innovative, minimally-invasive treatment uses super tiny needles to lightly puncture the outermost layers of the skin, triggering the skin’s injury response to boost collagen production, which leads to a long list of skincare benefits like smoother texture and reduced signs of aging. With the rise of this professional treatment, we’ve also seen several brands develop at-home microneedling tools that boast similar—though, less powerful—results, too. The crème de la crème of said at-home treatments? BeautyBio’s GloPRO Microneedling Facial Regeneration Tool. 

An award-winning and top-rated beauty tech tool, the GloPRO fuses microneedling technology through its dermaroller tip with the benefits of VibroTactile Stimulation (aka, vibrations that wake up the cells in deeper layers of the skin) and LED therapy to completely revitalize and rejuvenate the skin. Having never tried microneedling before, professionally or DIY, I was curious to see what this would do for my complexion.

This GloPRO comes with a pretty hefty price tag, costing $199 for the starter kit. While a professional microneedling session can cost you anywhere from $200 to $700 a pop, would this nifty tool be a cost-effective way to reap the same benefits?

I tried it out for a full month to find out if the results lived up to the promise.

About My Skin: Healthy, but could use a boost

Up until recently, I’ve been pretty content relying on my arsenal of skincare products to keep my skin in check. Since entering my 30s earlier this year, I rely on vitamin C, lactic acid, and plenty of antioxidants to keep my skin healthy, glowy, and line-free. Other than freckles and spots from sun damage in my teens and occasional dryness, I, fortunately, don’t have too many concerns other than dull skin. That said, I’ve never really felt a need to dive into the world of beauty tech tools, especially considering I always thought them to be too time-consuming to use.

Since working from home, I have all the time in the world to pamper myself and try all the fancy at-home treatments I never cared to try. Even though I’m sure I could have squeezed in a five-minute at-home microneedling treatment, now I really had no excuse seeing as I work from home. And even though my skin is in relatively good condition, who couldn’t benefit from stimulated collagen production to prevent future signs of aging and a sweet boost of radiance?

The GloPRO Microneedling Facial Regeneration Tool is meant for PM use, so I worked it into my nighttime routine three nights a week over the course of 30 days. I would first cleanse and tone my skin (then prep with the GloPRO Skin Prep Pads until I ran out of the samples included in the kit) and then start the four-to-five minute treatment. Afterward, I would follow up with my current serum, Odacité’s All-Embracing Serum, and oil, Augustinus Bader’s The Face Oil. 

Design: Microneedles, vibration, and LED therapy to rejuvenate the skin

BeautyBio’s GloPRO Microneedling Regeneration Tool is designed to treat the skin with three different features: its MicroTip dermaroller head, which encourages collagen stimulation by triggering the skin’s injury response and increases product absorbency; VibroTactile Stimulation, gentle vibrations that send stimulating energy to the deepest layers of the skin; and LED therapy, which is thought to have anti-inflammatory benefits, boost collagen production, and improve the skin’s barrier function.

The handheld plastic tool features a replaceable dermaroller head; a small, rolling tip that’s covered in hundreds of tiny surgical steel needles that penetrate the top layer of the skin as it’s rolled over it. These heads typically need to be replaced every three to four months with regular use, and retail for $35 a pop.

When the tool is turned on, the VibroTactile Stimulation and LED lights are activated, emitting a soft vibration and a red LED light directly from the MicroTip head. The GloPRO is battery-powered, taking two AAA batteries (which are included), and also comes with a cord to plug into the wall should the batteries die while in use (not to be confused with a charger).

How to Use: Prep, treat, moisturize

Before starting your treatment, it’s crucial to make sure both your skin and the tool are clean to avoid clogging pores or causing an infection (since, you know, you’re poking tiny needles into your skin). I always cleanse and tone right before I plan to use, and before I ran out of the five samples, I would prep my skin with the GloPRO Skin Prep Pads.

Next, turn on the tool to activate VibroTactile Stimulation and LED Therapy. Using gentle touch, begin rolling over targeted areas of the face in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions for 60 seconds at a time. I split my face into four quadrants, focusing on each cheek, my forehead, and chin for one minute each. You can spend a bit of extra time on any stubborn lines or pores, so I would spend a few extra seconds around my nose area to target my pores.

Once you’ve covered all areas of the face, follow with a facial serum and moisturizer, and you’re done! Be sure to clean your tool with a spritz of rubbing alcohol so that your tool is clean and ready to go the next time you use it.

You’re likely wondering if pricking yourself with hundreds of tiny needles hurts, and I can assure you, it doesn’t at all. But, if you’re someone who sneezes every time you pluck your eyebrows (…nope? Just me?), prepare to have uncontrollable sneezing fit every time this thing touches your forehead. 

Clinical Studies: Most users saw tangible results

According to a GloPRO consumer perception survey overseen by BeautyBio, users seemed pretty happy with the product and its results. After using the tool three times a week for 30 days, 90% of users felt skin had a renewed glow and considered it as an alternative to fillers, 93% saw visible improvements in evenness of skin tone and overall appearance of the skin, and 97% agreed their skin looked younger and firmness of skin had been improved. 

The Science: A gentler treatment than professional microneedling

So, does the GloPRO—and other at-home microneedling tools, for that matter—actually do what it says it does? First, let’s take a quick look at what a professional microneedling procedure entails and how dermarolling compares. 

When you visit your derm for a microneedling treatment, a professional uses a tool containing a cluster of tiny needles to puncture and penetrate the surface layer of the skin, which helps the skin go into collagen-production overdrive. This boost in collagen production helps thicken the skin, which can provide improvements in skin texture, reduce scarring and hyperpigmentation, and lessen the appearance of lines and wrinkles. When you use a microneedling tool at home like the GloPRO, you’re using what’s called a dermaroller, which penetrates the skin more superficially than a professional tool.

So, the question is: Does this gentler at-home version of microneedling yield the same results as a professional procedure? According to NYC-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, both treatments are effective, but not necessarily in the same way. “At-home derma rolling can help important active ingredients—such as antioxidants, anti-aging peptides, and retinoids—penetrate better. The needles don’t penetrate as deep as the microneedles used by a professional, so although probably not deep enough to stimulate collagen, they can help with product penetration.” However, pay attention to ingredients and formulas as some actives like vitamin C, AHAs/BHAs, and retinol can potentially irritate punctured skin.

With this in mind, the results you see may be from the products you pair with your tool but not actually from the tool itself. However, GloPRO’s unique VibroTactile Stimulation feature helps stimulate layers of the skin beneath the dermis without needle penetration, making this more effective than a classic dermaroller that may not penetrate deep enough.

In terms of LED light therapy, GloPRO’s other feature, some say it’s beneficial—though its efficacy hasn’t necessarily been proven through enough large studies. “Some experts believe that red LED light acts on fibroblast cells in the skin, which play a role in collagen production,” says King. “So, in theory, red light could help to reverse some signs related to photo-aging in the skin, but in reality, we don’t yet have enough scientific evidence to prove effectiveness. There aren’t yet large studies demonstrating that these lights are effective.” Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t work, either.

The Results: Visibly smoother and more radiant skin

Being totally new to microneedling and dermarolling, I wasn’t really sure what to expect after using my GloPRO for the first time. After hitting all the targeted areas, I applied serum and moisturizer, and it felt like my skin drank it up. My skin was slightly red and flushed, but this subsided relatively quickly. I didn’t notice much else—the first few times I used it, that is. 

Any signs of dullness were long gone, and I looked noticeably radiant and fresh-faced, my skin’s texture smooth and even. I began waking up with the softest skin of my life—like, can’t-stop-touching-my-face soft.

I don’t have much of an issue with lines and wrinkles, and any faint lines I’m beginning to notice are very close to my eyes, so they’re in areas I couldn’t safely reach with the classic MicroTip head. That said, I wouldn’t say this had a profound effect that aged me backward, but I trust that it would help out with more prominent lines, and I’ll continue using it to prevent any from forming.

Irritation: Patch testing and sterilization necessary

As King points out above, microneedling helps improve product penetration, so post-session is the best time to use your favorite antioxidants, peptides, and retinoids. However, if you’re following up with any highly active product, you must patch test first (as recommended by the brand). 

I made the mistake of applying an already sting-inducing vitamin C serum all over my face post-treatment, and I pretty much set my face on fire. While it didn’t result in any serious rash or reaction, boy, did it burn. If your skin reacts a bit more sensitively to these kinds of skincare actives, post-treatment is a good time to slather on a soothing, antioxidant-rich serum instead. For this reason, I chose to apply my daily vitamin C in the AM on treatment days and AHA exfoliators on the evenings I wasn’t using the tool. 

Additionally, this tool must be properly sterilized every time you use it, which I don’t think the brand stresses enough when it comes to the directions. Without cleaning it, you can potentially cause an infection, breakouts, or irritation since you’d be pricking your skin with dirty needles. The kit comes with an empty spray bottle for you to fill with rubbing alcohol to spritz on the tool’s head after every use.

Other Features: MicroTip head can be swapped to target other areas

I love a multifunctional tool, and the GloPRO can be used on other parts of the face and body, too. BeautyBio sells several different attachment heads, so you can swap around depending on the areas you wish to target. In addition to the classic MicroTip facial head, you can also purchase attachments for the hard-to-reach eye area, the delicate lip area, and the body for stubborn dimpling and stretch marks.

The Value: A solid investment

There’s plenty of fancy skin tech out there at a range of price points, but I do believe that this one is worth the $199 price tag, its VibroTactile Stimulation and LED Therapy technology making it stand out amongst simpler dermarollers. 

Sure, it still may not be as effective as a professional microneedling session, but based on my own results (and the sheer fact that it boosts the penetration of your products, giving me more bang for my buck), I’m now a GloPRO believer.  Plus, it’s versatile enough to be used on other parts of the body if you purchase the separate attachments, which is also a major bonus.

Similar Products: You have options

StackedSkincare Microneedling Skin Refining Tool 2.0 ($125): This sleek and sexy-looking Microneedling Tool 2.0 from StackedSkincare is similar to the GloPRO tool in design, easy-to-hold, and has a replaceable dermaroller head. However, this one is much simpler, offering only microneedling and no vibration or LED features—which is why I think the $125 price tag is a bit overpriced. If you’re looking to make an investment and spend over $100 on a dermaroller, opt for the GloPRO so you can benefit from all of its other features, too.

ORA Facial Microneedle Roller System ($35): If you’re just looking for a simple, no-frills dermaroller without the fancy add-ons, consider ORA’s Facial Microneedle Roller System. At only $35, it’s an affordable way to introduce at-home microneedling into your skincare routine. Just keep in mind, this one isn’t designed with replaceable heads, so the entire tool will need to be replaced as the needles dull.