I tried 3 face rollers that cost $330, $45 and $2 for a week and compared the results

Face rollers have been around in the beauty market for a while now, but I've never really paid attention to it until I saw gorgeous gemstone face rollers start popping up more frequently on my social media feed.

In my quest to find out more about the different types of beauty rollers and their benefits before committing to one that's effective, I put my face on the line (again) to test the different rollers at three different price points, from the most expensive to the cheapest we could find. 

ALSO READ: I didn't wash my face (in the morning) for a week, and I don't intend to anymore

Before delving deeper into the results from the three rollers, here's a little nugget of information about face rollers and the benefits it brings. 

While they may have been wildly adopted by the West in recent years, face rollers made of jade have been in existence for centuries in China, based upon traditional Chinese medicine beliefs. It is said to help drain lymphatic nodes, aid in face lifting and better absorption of serums and moisturisers.

I tried three different face rollers of different price ranges in a week to find out how effective they are, and if price really matters. 

REFA CARAT MASSAGER: $330

One of the most expensive face rollers on the market, Refa is manufactured in Japan and incorporates micro-current technology that sends low-level electrical currents into your skin, which helps to treat saggy skin as well as injuries, hence the hefty price tag.

Thankfully, my colleague owns one so I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg to get it for this article before deciding if I should invest in one.

While it uses micro-current technology, you don't have to worry about charging the beauty device as it runs on solar power. So just be mindful to not cover the small panel on the handle. 

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I found it difficult to hold the massager as the handle is too broad to fit in my hands. I fumbled a couple of times to find the right position without covering the solar panel before easing the rollers on my face.

That aside, the results were pretty prominent and showed almost immediately after rolling for about 15 minutes on one side of the face. Plus point — it can also be used as a massager to get in on the deep tissues elsewhere around your body.

I liked how my skin looked radiant and refreshed as if I'd just stepped out of a facial session and my face appeared smaller as well. So girls, take note if you'd like to achieve that coveted sharp chin.  

AELV JADE FACE ROLLER: $45 

Gemstone face rollers are a tad more affordable and smaller in size, which makes it easier to carry around. I can see myself bringing this with me on holidays as compared to the Refa Carat, even though gemstone rollers are a little more delicate to transport.

Gemstone face rollers are a dime a dozen and can go for as low as $20 or less a pop, but those are likely to be fake. 

I tested a version from Aelv, an online shop specialising in gemstones and crafted jewellery.

On how to tell if you're getting the real deal, Aelv's designer Alverina Wijaya said: "Fake jade won't have the cooling effect, so it's quite easy to tell."

I chose jade out of the other gemstones for its healing properties as it is said to reduce inflammation and under-eye circles, stimulate the lymphatic system and blood circulation and reduce fine wrinkle lines, among many other benefits.

The jade face roller is easy to use — the bigger end for the cheeks, jaw, forehead and the smaller end of the undereye and mouth area.

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In gentle sweeping motions, I started from one side of my face, rolling outwards from the chin and working upwards to the cheek and forehead. Then, I repeated it on the other side. 

Because jade has natural cooling properties, it felt cool to the touch and really relaxed the face. 

DAISO QUICK FACE ROLLER: $2

Just to make this review fair, we decided to throw in a $2 face roller from Daiso to see if it works just as well as its pricier counterparts.

I was a little hopeful and excited to try it. Can you imagine the joy if it works almost as well as the ones mentioned on this list? 

Don't make the same mistake as me and try squeezing your face between the two prongs; even if you wanted to, it'll hurt. Instead, roll both on one side of your face from your chin upwards to your temples. 

I'll be honest, though I was surprised it had the pinching effect, the plasticky feeling didn't relax the face at all; if anything, it made my skin look redder and angrier than before.

Though, to be fair, there was a slight tingling sensation after using the roller, like how your muscles feel after a workout. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

WORTH IT?

While this short one-week experiment may not give the most accurate results, in this short time I learnt that you should not skimp on facial rollers if you're thinking of getting one.

If you have the means to own both the Refa Carat Massager and jade roller, I'd say go for it! I'd use the Refa before bedtime to soothe the face muscles and the jade roller in the morning to awaken the skin. 

I stopped using the rollers for a day just to see if there was a difference, and my face felt like it didn't fully absorb the moisturiser from my nightly routine as it felt slightly drier in the morning.

Maybe my skin had become too pampered and spoilt from this experiment, oops.

melissagoh@asiaone.com