I’m judging your favorite wellness products (and you).
I cannot go 3 scrolls on TikTok without seeing some 20-something fully immersing themselves
in a silly plastic mask that emits red light therapy. You might be thinking? “Ok… and what’s
wrong with that?” You are being ripped off, that's what’s wrong. I didn’t want to, but you have
left me no choice but to name-drop; I don't know how no one has caught Dr Dennis Gross by
now. For those who live offline, Dr Dennis Gross is a highly respected New York dermatologist
who, on the heels of his success, founded his brand Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare back in 2000, and
not too long ago, Shiseido acquired Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare in late 2023 for a whopping $450
million, according to Jones Day. At this point, you are either bored of me and/or wondering
when and how I’m going to land this plane, but please be patient and stay with me( I'm building
my skincare RICO case). In the midst of a global pandemic, Dennis Gross released the popular
DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro LED mask around late 2020. I would consider him a red light
pioneer, and some might consider him “ahead of his time” because, merely 5 years later, red
light therapy starts to earn its stripes in the world of over-the-counter skincare. But here is the
part where I don't see anyone up in arms, D.D.G. launched its LED mask in 2020 and then
barely changed the hardware for 6 years, yet maintained “best-seller” status through a marketing
engine that outpaced product innovation. Shark’s CryoGlow, which has been on the market since
February 2025, has been reported to deliver a very high irradiance of 128 mW/cm², while the
DDG DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro LED mask offers an abysmal irradiance of ~60 mW/cm².
To further prove my point, as stated in Marketing by Management, by Philip Kotler and Kevin
Lane Keller, “Companies must always move forward, innovating products and services, staying
in touch with customer needs, and seeking new advantages rather than relying on past strengths.
“ Dr. Dennis Gross has mastered the art of marketing (kind of)! They rest on their laurels of
being the first in the game and using every marketer's favorite words, “ FDA-cleared" and”
medical-grade”, while someone like us can see right through it. Id like to revisit my point on how
I can’t go a couple scrolls on TikTok without out seeing some using this led face mask its all
apart of a big marketing plan, they contract your favorite influencers to be posting schedule to
simulate “organic trend” (It’s working) and hit those key words that are easy to digest such as
“red light therapy” “wrinkles visibly gone in X uses” “only 3 minutes a day”. I rest my case and
believe that in this situation, Marketing innovation can outpace product innovation.