Draft record: not yet reviewed. Last researched 1 Nov 2026.

LED face mask

FOREO FAQ 202

Full name: FAQ™ 202 Silicone LED Face Mask · Model FAQ™ 202

Company: FAQ GmbH

A wireless, flexible silicone mask with 600 LED points and eight selectable light colours including near-infrared, operated by one button or through the FAQ™ Swiss app, which must be used once to unlock the mask before first use.

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5 light types850 / 650 / 465 / 520 / 600 / 580 / 440 / 485 nm
5–15-minute sessionsper treatment
Light outputNot published
24-month warrantyfrom the manufacturer

Light and dose

Light	Wavelength	LEDs
Near-infrared	850 nm	—
Red	650 nm	—
Blue	465 nm	—
Green	520 nm	—
Amber/yellow	600 nm	—
Amber/yellow	580 nm	—
Blue	440 nm	—
Blue	485 nm	—
Total		600

Sources differ: US product page says '3 different wavelengths' but lists eight; UK-shipping page and manual say 8.

Sources differ: Lookfantastic lists blue 420, green 519, purple 450, orange 590, cyan 463, yellow 570 nm vs FOREO 465/520/440/600/485/580 nm; its 'At a Glance' lists six colours and 'seven advanced LED settings'.

Light output (irradiance)

Not published

Not disclosed

Dose per session

Not published

Not yet checked

Notes on these figures

No irradiance or fluence figure on product page, manual or DoC. App offers Low/Medium/High intensity, with no output figures.

Light-output figures come from the manufacturer. Independent checks are rare, even in published studies, so treat them as claims. Why

Using it

Treatment

Session length: 5–15 (max 15)
Details
Manual: 'do not use FAQ™ 202 for more than 15 minutes at a time'. Page: '5 minute quick-fix' preset in app.
How often: 5–15 mins, 3–5 times per week
Details
No course length stated.
Modes: 8 colours selected by button press; app adds NIR on/off toggle, Low/Medium/High intensity, adjustable auto-off time, pre-programmed guided treatments and remote control
Auto shut-off: Yes, after 15 minutes (time adjustable in app)

Design and power

Power: Rechargeable, USB charging cable supplied (no mains adapter listed); manual says use only a SELV power adapter
Battery: Li-ion 680 mAh 3.7 V; up to 90 minutes of use per charge; 90 days standby
Sources differ: Lookfantastic: 'Up to 2 hours per charge'; FOREO: up to 90 minutes.
Charge time: 2 hours
Details
'Recharge … for up to 2 hours until fully charged' (troubleshooting section).
Use while charging: No
Details
'Do not use the device while charging.'
Eye protection: Open-eye design; no goggles or eye shields listed
Details
Manual says the open eye design 'Protects eyes from powerful LED wavelengths' and warns 'Do not stare directly at the LED lights.'
Weight: 169 g
Sources differ: Lookfantastic 172 g; manual 169 g.

Details
Size 162 × 100 × 182 mm. Lookfantastic lists 172 g.
App needed: Once, to unlock before first use; optional afterwards
Details
Manual: 'In order to use your mask, you MUST first UNLOCK IT … by registering your mask via the FAQ™ Swiss app'. After that the mask works by button without the app. Pre-programmed treatments are only in the app.
Subscription: Reported: full preset suite £4.99/month (June 2026); accidental-damage cover £9.99/month Third-party reported
Sources differ: Guardian reports paid monthly tiers (£4.99 presets, £9.99 accidental-damage cover); FOREO's own pages and manual mention no paid tier, and App Store pages list no in-app purchases.

Details
From the Guardian review (full text supplied by the site owner; reported at the time of testing, June 2026). No subscription, price or paid tier is mentioned in FOREO's product page, manual, warranty page or app pages, and the App Store pages for FAQ Swiss and FOREO For You show 'Free' with no in-app purchases listed. User reviews on the FOREO For You App Store page mention a monthly subscription for 'professional levels' and full-screen ads. The manual says the app 'offers a pre-programmed facial treatment' and does not say any are paid.
Replaceable battery: No
Details
'This product contains no serviceable parts.' Battery removal is described for disposal only and voids warranty.

Values are as stated by FOREO unless marked otherwise.

How much FOREO publishes

8 of 12 key facts published

Wavelengths: published
LED count: published
Light output (irradiance): not published
How output was measured: not published
Treatment time: published
Warranty: published
Returns policy: published
User manual: published
Who should not use it: published
Safety standards declared: published
Published study of this device: not published
UK company / contact: not published

This counts what's disclosed. It doesn't measure how well the mask works.

What FOREO claims quoted, not verified

“Reduces wrinkles by 32% in just 2 weeks.”

“Reduces acne by 48% in just 2 weeks.”

“Reduces sebum by 18% in just 2 weeks.”

“Significantly increases elasticity in just 2 weeks.”

“Red LED light helps to improve fine lines by stimulating collagen and elastin production”

“NIR (Near-infrared) LED light (850 nm) Intended to stimulate the production of collagen & accelerate the repair of damaged skin cells.”

“Blue LED light (465 nm) Intended to improve the appearance of mild to moderate inflammatory acne.”

“ensuring the LED wavelengths evenly penetrate each millimeter of skin. 100% of users agree.”

“The world's best-selling wireless LED face mask”
Context
Used in the FAQ 202 plus section.

“Unlike other types of light therapy, LEDs do not contain ultraviolet rays. Therefore, they're safe for regular use.”

Evidence

Third-party clinical study, 28 days, FAQ™ LED Mask + FAQ™ Red Light Serum, 30 women aged 20–45

Requested from manufacturer

What it measured and its limits

Summarised on FOREO's 'Clinical results & expert reviews' page; no report, investigator or protocol published. Combined with a serum, so mask-only effect cannot be separated. The same figures (32% wrinkles, 48% acne) and the same study description also appear for FAQ™ 211, and the product page puts them under the FAQ 202 plus section — ask which device(s) were tested.

Consumer-reported results (e.g. '100% of users report FAQ™ 202 fits their face perfectly')

Requested from manufacturer

What it measured and its limits

Perception survey; sample size and method not stated for FAQ 202 (the FAQ 211 equivalent says 28 days, 30 participants).

General research on red light doesn't prove a particular mask gives the same results. Research overview

What reviewers say

Summaries in our own words. Luma Index hasn't tested this mask.

The Guardian (The Filter)

UK · 28 Oct 2026 · tested

Lightweight
Presets controlled from an app

Tester saw silicone peel away from the central battery pack after about a week
Full preset set and accidental-damage cover reported as paid monthly extras; app shows ads that cannot be skipped

About this review

Listed under 'The rest of the test', not among the picks. Quotes £719 full price; reports £9.99/month for accidental-damage cover and £4.99/month for the full preset suite at the time of testing (June 2026). Read by Luma Index from the full article text supplied by the site owner (version updated 28 Oct 2026; by Sarah Matthews). Article carries an affiliate disclosure.

Read the article ↗

Women's Health UK

UK · 30 Oct 2026 · tested

Best LED mask for consistent use

Easy to wear while doing other things
Several light modes
Reviewer had used it for 18 months and reported more radiant skin

Best used with the app

About this review

Lists eight modes. Price quoted: £719 at Lookfantastic and foreo.com, £503 at Amazon. Does not mention the paid app tiers the Guardian reported. Roundup by Florence Reeves-White, Jessica O'Donnell and Hattie Parish; each mask tested for at least a month. Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

Harper's Bazaar UK

UK · 16 Sept 2026 · tested

Best for comfort

Lighter and more comfortable than most; large eye window lets you move around
Range of wavelengths and app presets

Little coverage around the eyes
More fuss to get going than other masks

About this review

Gives the LED count as both 634 and 600, and the price as £739 at foreo.com. Roundup by Roberta Schroeder; the Bazaar beauty team says each mask was used daily for at least a month. Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

The Times (Luxx)

UK · 29 Aug 2026 · testing not stated

The anti-ageing LED mask

Lightweight and wireless with an open eye area
Eight light settings via the app

About this review

Price quoted £449; one link points to the FAQ 201 page. Roundup by Rosie Davenport and Farah Thorndycraft; says picks are 'informed by expert editorial opinion' but doesn't describe hands-on testing. Its quoted expert, Dr Hany Abi Ghosn, has a skincare partnership with Omnilux (disclosed in the article). Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

British GQ

UK · 16 Jan 2026 · tested

Featured (no category)

Lightweight and comfortable; no marks on the skin
Eight colours with app presets

Costs more than most

About this review

Tested by Josephine Judd. Price quoted £719 (£539.25 at Lookfantastic). Men's grooming roundup by Adrian Clark, Jessie Atkinson and Daphne Bugler; each mask tried by a team member for at least the brand's suggested period. Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

ELLE UK

UK · 7 May 2026 · tested

Best for varied treatment modes

Eight colours from 600 LEDs

About this review

Calls it rigid (Foreo: flexible silicone) and shows £179 at foreo.com, which looks like an error. Roundup by Amelia Bell and Clare Stephenson; over 15 masks tested for at least a month by the ELLE UK beauty team. Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

Men's Health (US)

US · 30 Oct 2026 · tested

Easiest to clean LED face mask

Ultra-thin and flexible; light and comfortable
Cleaning spray and storage pouch included
No heat felt during sessions

Hard to use without the app
Split at the nose bridge left one tester unsure that area was treated
Among the most expensive

About this review

Lists 15-minute sessions. Price quoted $799. US men's grooming guide by Sean Zucker, reviewed by Christian Gollayan; masks picked with dermatologists, then each used for at least a month by Men's Health writers and editors. Article carries an affiliate disclosure; prices in US dollars. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

The Guardian (The Filter)

UK · 31 Jul 2026 · tested

Mentioned (negative experience)

Started to fall apart after a week
Many presets locked behind a paid subscription in the 'free' app

About this review

Same writer as the Guardian roundup card; this is where the app-subscription report on this record comes from. Refers to a '£700+' Foreo mask, linking to the FAQ 202 at John Lewis. Feature by Sarah Matthews (31 Jul 2026), 'Skincare staple or expensive gimmick: do you really need a light therapy device?', with dermatologist Dr Derrick Phillips and facialist Justine Masters. Not a roundup: it refers back to her tests for the Guardian's best-masks guide. Article carries an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

The Sun

UK · 10 Feb 2026 · tested

Featured (no category)

Eight light settings with guided treatments
Very comfortable; full horizontal eye slot
Tester saw better texture and brightness after a couple of weeks

Very expensive

About this review

Rated 9/10. Lists 600 LEDs, matching Foreo. Repeats Foreo's claims of 10,000 face scans and a 100% fit rate (brand claims). Price quoted £719 at Lookfantastic. Roundup by Sophie Bates and the Sun Shopping team; individual testers, test length varies by mask; each mask rated out of 10. Carries the line 'recommendations… informed by expert editorial opinion' and an affiliate disclosure. Text supplied by the site owner.

Read the article ↗

Safety and regulation

Who shouldn't use it FOREO's list

Consult a physician first if you have a skin condition, serious disease, any medical concern, or are under treatment
Do not use on wound ulceration, trauma or post-operative wounds
Do not use with light-sensitivity, sunburnt or inflamed skin
Do not use skincare with silicones, acids or photosensitive ingredients (vitamin A, retinol/retinoids, AHAs, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin C) with the mask
Stop and consult a physician if discomfort or prolonged redness occurs

Age: 'This product should not be used by children'; no minimum age given

Regulatory status

EU: CE marking (EU DoC): EU DoC DOC_FOREO_2023030904 (FAQ Europe d.o.o., Zagreb), dated 09-Mar-2023: LVD 2014/35/EU, RED 2014/53/EU, EMC 2014/30/EU, RoHS 2011/65/EU — 'eligible to bear the CE mark' Manufacturer-stated
Details
Earlier DoC DOC_FOREO_2023030902 lists the same directives and standards under FOREO AB, Stockholm (src_doc_2023). Declared as a consumer electrical/radio product, not under the Medical Device Regulation.
UK: UKCA Not disclosed
Details
No UKCA wording or UK declaration of conformity found in the manual, product page or FOREO's EC-conformity page. Manual says only 'FOREO declares that this device is in compliance with Directive 2014/53/EU'.
US: FDA 510(k) clearance: K240378 (FAQ™ 201, FAQ™ 202; Foreo, Inc.; decision 19 Apr 2024; Class II; product codes OHS, OLP; 21 CFR 878.4810) Independently verified
Details
Applicant and device name match. Indication: 'intended to use LED light for the treatment of wrinkles and mild to moderate acne.' AccessGUDID entry for FAQ 202 links to K240378. US status only — not a UK approval. US product page is headed 'FDA-CLEARED'; the UK-shipping page drops that line. Whether the UK unit is identical is not confirmed.
UK: MHRA device registration Not yet checked
Details
EU/UK declarations treat it as a consumer appliance, but the US clearance and page wording ('treatment of … acne') sound medical. Classification needs review. MHRA told the BBC on 5 Nov 2025 that 'there are currently no LED face masks currently registered'. Registration can be checked on the MHRA Public Access Registration Database (PARD); not yet checked for this model.

Safety standards declared (11)

EN 60335-1, EN 60335-2-27, EN 62233, EN 300 328, EN 301 489-1, EN 301 489-17, EN IEC 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3, EN IEC 55014-1, EN IEC 55014-2, EN IEC 63000

Household-appliance and radio standards. No IEC 60601 (medical electrical) or IEC 62471 (photobiological safety) listed — ask. Manual also recommends IEC 60950 power supplies.

A conformity mark or US FDA clearance doesn't prove a device works. "Not published" doesn't mean unsafe. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take light-sensitising medicines, ask your GP or pharmacist first.

Ownership and where to buy

Ownership

Company: FAQ GmbH
Warranty: 24 months
Details
Defects in workmanship/materials under Normal Use; excludes cosmetic wear and tear, accident, misuse or neglect; opening the device voids it. Replacement at FOREO's discretion; replacements do not get a new 2-year term. Register via app or foreo.com account; claims made on foreo.com with a video of the fault; shipping costs non-refundable. 3 years in Spain, Portugal, Sweden only.
Returns: 14 days from delivery, unopened only, full refund; opened or used products not accepted ('exceptions for specific countries could be applied')
Details
Global foreo.com policy; no UK-specific returns terms found. Retailer policies differ. Statutory rights also apply.
User manual: Yes
Details
HTML online manual; no PDF linked.

In the box

FAQ™ 202 mask
60 mL FAQ™ Silicone Cleaning Spray
USB charging cable
User manual
Quick start guide

Sources differ: Manual FAQ box list omits the display case that the product page and manual overview describe.

Retailer	Price	Checked	Link
FOREO (UK shipping)	Check price	1 Nov 2026	Visit
Lookfantastic	£503.30	1 Nov 2026	Visit
John Lewis	Check price	30 Apr 2026	Visit

Prices older than 14 days show "Check price". Amazon prices are not stored.

Other places sources disagree

32%/48%/18% results are shown for FAQ 202 on the clinical page but placed under 'FAQ 202 plus' on the product page; identical figures are given for FAQ 211.

Open questions (11)

Facts we still need from FOREO

Irradiance (mW/cm²) per colour and per intensity setting (Low/Medium/High), with measurement distance and method
Wavelength tolerances and LED count per colour; does each of the 600 points emit all colours?
Is any paid FAQ Swiss / FOREO app subscription needed for presets, and at what UK price? Is there a paid accidental-damage plan (reported £9.99/month)?
Can the mask be used fully offline if the app or account is discontinued (unlock requirement)?
UKCA marking / UK declaration of conformity; UK responsible person or importer address
IEC 62471 photobiological safety classification
Full report of the 28-day, 30-woman study: which device (202, 202 plus, 211), protocol, control, investigator
Contraindications: pregnancy, epilepsy, photosensitising medication, eye conditions?
UK RRP on foreo.com in GBP
Is the UK unit identical to the FDA-cleared US unit (K240378)?
Forbes Vetted coverage of this exact model — could not access