CurrentBody Series 3 vs Maysama AURA: Which LED Mask Is Right for You?
If you've been here a while, you know I've been talking about red and near-infrared light for years, and I've tried more masks than I could shake a stick at. The two that have impressed me most are also two of the newest: the CurrentBody Series 3 and the Maysama AURA. One has six colors and an app. The other keeps it focused, and does it beautifully.
In this post, I'm putting them side-by-side, to help you work out which one suits your skin and your routine. You can find links and exclusive discount details at the bottom of this post.
If you want to skp to the video, you'll find it here 😊 https://youtu.be/tbp9AEWOE1o?si=uPsqNiLuuxfrSDo8
The quick answer
Both masks are built on the two most-researched wavelengths for skin aging (red ~633nm and near-infrared ~830nm), and both are FDA cleared for wrinkle reduction.
Choose the CurrentBody Series 3 if you have several concerns to target and you love building your own treatments in an app.
Choose the Maysama AURA if anti-aging is your main goal and you want a quick, comfortable, press-and-go routine.
Already have a mask with red and near-infrared? You already have the core of the science. Use it consistently.
Why red and near-infrared?
Let's start with the part that matters most: the light itself. For skin aging, two wavelengths have the deepest research behind them: red light at around 633 nanometers and near-infrared at around 830. Red works in the upper layers of your skin. Near-infrared travels deeper, into the dermis, where your fibroblasts make collagen.
The study I come back to again and again is Lee and colleagues (2007). Seventy-six people with facial wrinkles had one side of the face treated with 633nm, 830nm, both together, or a sham light, twice a week for four weeks. The treated sides saw wrinkles reduce by up to 36% and elasticity improve by up to 19%, and skin biopsies showed more collagen and elastic fibers. That's not just a nicer photo. That's what was happening under the skin. Then in 2014, Wunsch and Matuschka ran a controlled trial with 136 volunteers using red and near-infrared light, and measured significant improvements in complexion, in how skin felt, and in collagen density on ultrasound.
Both masks share the core pair
Here's the good news: both masks are built on that exact pair. Series 3 uses 633nm and 830nm. AURA uses 630nm and 830nm. That three-nanometer difference is the same red band, and it makes no practical difference. Both masks are also FDA cleared for wrinkle reduction. Cleared means the FDA has allowed a device to be sold as similar to one already on the market. It isn't the same as "approved," and no home LED mask is. So on the thing that matters most, these two are level. Everything else is about what's built around that core, and how it fits into your life.
What about the other colors?
Series 3 goes further with color. Alongside red and near-infrared, it adds deep near-infrared (1072nm), yellow (590nm), green (532nm) and blue (415nm), and with CurrentBody's app you can choose which color each LED shows across your face. If you love to experiment, that's genuinely exciting.
My take on the extra colors:
Blue is useful for breakouts, which is why you see it in acne devices.
Yellow has some early evidence for redness.
Green and deep near-infrared have much less research behind them so far.
None of that makes them bad. It just means the evidence is strongest, by a long way, for red and near-infrared.
Prone to pigmentation? Blue light can nudge your pigment cells to make more melanin, particularly in deeper skin tones. On Series 3 you can simply switch it off. And whatever mask you use, if blue light is involved, cover your eyes. AURA keeps it simple: red, near-infrared, or both. Nothing to switch off, because the blue was never there.
Pulsed or continuous?
AURA's default mode pulses the light in tiny bursts, more than a thousand times a second, so fast you can't see it. You can also switch pulsing off and run it continuously. Series 3 runs continuously.
Is pulsing better? The research is still early, but it's truly exciting. A 2009 study by Barolet and colleagues used pulsed red light and saw more collagen production in lab-grown skin.
I sat down with Bev, Maysama's founder, for a long conversation about exactly this, and it's a fascinating watch: https://youtu.be/DLf_6xKvOoE?si=qafQxdhWUe-xEzWB. For me, the early research is compelling enough that I want to try it, on top of the tried and true red and near-infrared wavelengths. And if you'd rather keep it classic, AURA runs continuously too.
Fit, coverage and contact
This is the part people tend to skip, and it's one of the most important: how close the light actually gets to your skin. Light spreads out as it travels, and a little of it bounces off the surface of your skin. So a mask that sits close, and stays put, delivers its dose more consistently than one with gaps around your nose, cheeks or jaw. Researchers who study light dosing point to exactly these small differences as one reason results vary between people.
I have to give CurrentBody credit here. When they launched Series 2 in 2024, it really changed the game: a soft, medical-grade mask that truly contoured to your face. Series 3 uses that same mask shape, and it's a lovely fit.
AURA takes that idea a step further. It's molded in 3D-contoured silicone that follows the shape of the face, and the chin strap adjusts with velcro, so you can snug it to your own face. On Series 3 the chin strap is fixed, so you can't fine-tune it in quite the same way.
What about LED count?
Fit is one half of coverage. The other half is how many light sources are spread across your face. You'll often see Series 3 described as having 750 LEDs. That's 125 lights, each with six tiny chips inside, one for each color. AURA has 155 lights, each with a red and a near-infrared chip.
So for red and near-infrared, the two are much closer than the headline numbers suggest, and AURA actually has more light sources spread across the face. Both are designed to land in the dose range used in the research. Where they differ is how they get there.
Every face is different, so if you can, try one on. On my face, AURA sits closer.
It only works if you use it
A LED mask only works if you use it. In the 2007 study, people had two sessions a week for four weeks, eight sessions in total. In the 2014 study, they had thirty sessions. The results came from consistency. A mask sitting in a drawer does nothing for your skin.
So when I choose a mask, I'm not only asking what's in it. I'm asking: will I actually reach for this, most days, for the foreseeable future? Here's what makes the difference for me:
Time. AURA's default session is six minutes; Series 3 is ten. Four minutes doesn't sound like much, but on a busy morning it can be the difference between doing it and skipping it. Worth considering.
Setup. AURA is press and go: the controls are on the mask, the timer is preset, and it beeps when you're done. Series 3 gives you more control through the app, and you can save your favorite treatment to use again, which is brilliant if you love to customize.
Moving around. AURA's battery is built into the mask, at the temple: nothing to clip on, no cord. I've worn it in my gym kit with no pockets at all. Series 3 has a battery pack on a cord that you clip on or pop in a pocket.
Charging. AURA's battery is swappable and charges by USB-C, so you can keep a spare charged and never miss a session. The series 3 stays charged for 10 plus sessions (easily). Both have great batteries.
Comfort. If a mask is comfortable, you'll wear it. If it pinches or slides, you'll find reasons not to. Both masks are incredibly comfortable.
So think about your own routine. If speed and nothing to clip on matter most to you, AURA has the edge. If you love fine-tuning your treatments, Series 3 rewards that. Either way, the best mask is the one you'll actually use.
Which mask suits you?
Choose the CurrentBody Series 3 if...
You have several concerns you want to target, say breakouts, redness and lines, and you love the idea of building your own treatments in an app. It's a beautifully engineered, versatile mask.
This is my full comparison video on YouTube:
Choose the Maysama AURA if...
Anti-aging is your main goal and you want a quick, comfortable routine you'll stick to. It focuses on the two most-researched wavelengths, it fits closely, and it's genuinely easy to live with.
And remember, if you already have an LED mask with red and infrared light, you likely don't need an upgrade!! It's a bit like my friend Nancy, who drives a 2016 Kia Sportage. She loves that car, and it gets her to where she wants to go safely and comfortably. Aren't we lucky that we all have choices about how we invest our hard-earned money!!
Maysama Aura is 32% with code BBBF (the highest discount available only here!! Everyone and everywhere else is 30%) off https://go.shopmy.us/p-105643708
Currentbody Series 3 20% off with code PENNLED https://go.shopmy.us/p-105649583
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Disclaimer: This post is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided on this blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or skin related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this website should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare/skin professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this website are not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. It is important that you check labels to determine if a product is right for you. Before starting any treatment at home consult a health care or skin care professional to determine if it’s right for you.
