With a seemingly never-ending number of beauty products on the market, it’s not always easy to keep up with all the new options out there. Between tools like red light therapy devices and anti-aging products like wrinkle creams, there’s something for almost everyone. But if you’re looking to make those products go the distance and work more effectively, then Droplette may be a new addition to look into.
Ahead, we break down Droplette, a skincare microinfuser that delivers serums in a micro-mist form, which the brand (founded by two MIT-trained Ph.D. scientists, Madhavi Gavini and Rathi Srinivas) claims results in skincare products being absorbed deeper into your skin. Read on for Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab scientists’ take on how Droplette works, if Droplette is worth it, how often you should use it and more.
What is Droplette?
The vividly-colored tool is more than just a pretty addition to your bathroom vanity. This small, handheld device mists your face with active ingredients, using “advanced fluid physics to ‘inject’ active ingredients deep into the skin through a powerful yet gentle micro-mist,” explains Gavini, Founder and CEO of Droplette. The ingredients are “intended to get into (not just onto) the skin,” she notes. The brand claims it’s a substitute for injectables.
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How does Droplette work?
Droplette is made up of two main components, a piezo and a pump. A piezo is “a fine mesh that transforms liquid serums into tiny drops,” explains Gavini. The pump then acts to propel the drops. Think of it like a Nespresso: you insert your desired serum capsule into the device, then the piezo and pump go to work, resulting in the device propelling a fine mist. Droplette creates “particles that are 100 times smaller than the width of a single hair to allow for deep infusion beyond the skin barrier,” Gavini says. The brand claims this mist can be absorbed up to 20 cell layers deep into your skin.
When buying a Droplette, in addition to the $299 price tag for the actual device, you can choose capsules to customize your experience. Currently, the brand offers the following capsule subscriptions, delivered every 28 days (with the option to cancel at any time):
- Collagen Hydrofiller containing 10% collagen capsules ($79 for a 30-pack and $39 for a 12-pack)
- Retinol Renewer containing 0.15% retinol capsules ($79 for a 30-pack and $39 for a 12-pack)
- Glycolic Illuminator containing 8% glycolic acid capsules ($79 for a 30-pack and $39 for a 12-pack)
- Tranexamic Eraser containing 5% tranexamic capsules ($110 for a 30-pack and $60 for a 14-pack)
- 17-Volt Lip Plumper containing collagen and hyaluronic acid capsules ($60 for a 28-pack)
- Growth Factors derived from stem cells and containing ingredients like amino acids, advanced peptides and collagen ($380 for a 28-pack)
- Three combination prescriptive regimens
How often should you use Droplette?
Droplette is meant to be a part of your daily skincare routine, just as any face wash, moisturizer or sunscreen would be. It can be used between cleansing and moisturizing “to replace any serum, mask or essence step,” says Gavini. She generally recommends using it once a day, though some capsules can be used as intensive treatments, such as the Growth Factors or 17-Volt Lip Plumper options.
How long does it take for Droplette to work?
While results may vary depending on your capsule selection, “collagen, retinol, glycolic and tranexamic acid users see noticeable results between two and four weeks after beginning a Droplette routine,” Gavini shares.
However, by using the Droplette app, users can supercharge their devices for more instantaneous results. When the device is set to the Lip Plumper Mode, the 17-Volt Lip Plumper capsules “are proven to increase lip volume and surface area by 40% after a single usage,” reports Gavini, though this claim hasn’t been substantiated by the GH Beauty Lab.
Is Droplette worth it?
Though Droplette is pricey, it’s worth taking a look into. As a medical-turned-cosmetic handheld device, clinical trials have been completed by a third party and all protocols reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board, with all trials including at least 40 subjects across a broad range of skin tones and ethnicities. In the Radiant Detox Regimen trial, Droplette reports that 100% of subjects had an improvement in skin elasticity and skin hydration.
“The GH Beauty Lab was impressed with Droplette’s ability to generate and propel fine and steady aerosol mist from a fluid formula,” says GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann. “In our test, we found the device easy to use, though some found it a ‘bit bulky’ to hold.” Note that “the Lab noticed that the serum could escape from its capsule and trickle down the aerosol-expelling port, an issue the company is addressing,” she adds. “Some reported that the fine mist could find its way into their mouth, so we recommend keeping both your mouth and eyes closed during application.”
Another tip: the capsules are not individually labeled, so keep them in their original packaging to avoid confusion if you use multiple formulas, Wizemann advises. GH Beauty Lab Executive Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D., also suggests avoiding breathing in the surrounding air during the application, “so it’s less likely for the product to be inhaled.”
The Droplette device.
Catharine (she/her) is the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and Prevention, working closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to write science-backed beauty content. She was previously an assistant beauty editor at Group Nine Media and returned to Hearst in 2022 after having held editorial internships at Harper’s Bazaar and CR Fashion Book. Catharine received a B.A. in journalism from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
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