Posted by Equipo Anelle Skin
on May 13, 2026
In short: near-infrared light is the part of the light that begins just after red. It is invisible, does not heat like a sauna, and reaches deeper into the skin than visible colors. In the Glow Mask, it works at 850 nm, always alongside 660 nm red light, in Tighten mode. Here is what it is, what the research says, and how to use it at home without overdoing it.
Anelle Skin Glow Mask
- Red 660 nm + infrared 850 nm
- Battery-powered: cordless and hands-free
- 5, 10, or 15-minute sessions
Tighten, red 660 + infrared 850 nm
When talking about LED phototherapy, red light gets almost all the attention. It is the most studied and the best known. But there is another wavelength that works without you seeing it: near-infrared. Understanding what makes it different helps you use your mask with more purpose.
What is near-infrared light
Light is organized by its wavelength, which is measured in nanometers (nm). The human eye sees more or less from 380 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red). Just after begins near-infrared, which in the spectrum reaches up to about 1,400 nm.
We do not see it. That is why, when you use Tighten mode, you only perceive the red part: the infrared is also turned on, but your eye does not detect it. Devices for home use usually work at 830 or 850 nm, two very close values. The Glow Mask uses 850 nm, always combined with 660 nm red light.
Calm525 nm
Brighten590 nm
Rejuvenate660 nm
Tighten660 + 850 nm
Visible light380 to 700 nmNear-infraredfrom 700 nm
Near and far infrared: they are not the same
It is the most common confusion. The two words sound the same, but they talk about different things: one is light and the other is heat.
Near-infrared
- What it is
- Invisible light, just after red
- Where it is
- LED masks like the Glow Mask, in Tighten mode
- How it feels
- Not like a heat source
Far infrared
- What it is
- Radiant heat
- Where it is
- Infrared saunas and heat lamps
- How it feels
- Like heat on the skin
If you notice some temperature during a session, it comes from the LEDs themselves when operating, not from the infrared wavelength itself.
How far each light reaches in the skin
The greater the wavelength, the deeper the light reaches in the skin. Green and amber stay near the surface, red reaches further, and near-infrared is the one that advances the most. It is not a difference of centimeters, but of millimeters.
EpidermisDermisHypodermis
That is why it makes sense that the Glow Mask combines red and infrared in the same mode: each works at a different depth during the same session, without you having to choose.
What infrared light is used for on the face
In Tighten mode, the combination of 660 nm red and 850 nm infrared promotes a firmer appearance and helps visually soften expression lines. It is the mode designed for those seeking firmness and skin with a smoother appearance.
And what does the research say? Most studies on near-infrared in the skin combine it with red light. In a trial with 136 people, Wunsch and Matuschka (2014) observed improvements in the appearance and feel of the skin after 30 sessions of combined red and infrared light. They used 633 and 830 nm, not exactly the wavelengths of the Glow Mask, and each study works with different powers and protocols. The review by Kim and Calderhead (2011) points in the same direction: the combination of red and infrared gives better results than each one separately.
Our honest take: near-infrared is one more tool within a routine, not a miracle. It works with consistency, at your pace, and each skin responds in its own way. It is not a medical treatment nor does it replace your dermatologist.
If you want to see what each color does separately, we explain it in the complete LED phototherapy guide.
How to use near-infrared in your routine
Tighten mode is used just like the rest: clean and dry skin, without applying active ingredients that sensitize the skin right before, and your serum or cream after. The important thing is to start gently and increase little by little.
- Before startingSensitivity test: 5 minutes on the inside of the forearm.
- Week 15-minute sessions, 3 or 4 times.
- AfterIncrease to 10 or 15 minutes depending on how your skin responds.
- AlwaysAt most 4 sessions a week, with rest days.
- 15'L
- M
- 15'X
- J
- 15'V
- S
- 15'D
How long does each session last depending on your goal? You have it in how long to use the LED mask. And before your first session, review the most common mistakes and contraindications.
Your routine in 10 seconds
What do you want to care for?
One more tool, not a miracle. What makes the difference is consistency and listening to your skin.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I only see red light in Tighten mode?
Because the 850 nm infrared is not visible to the naked eye. The 660 nm red is, and in Tighten they always go together.
Does near-infrared light heat the skin?
Not the way a sauna or a heat lamp does, which use far infrared. The near-infrared of an LED mask is light, not heat.
Can I use only infrared, without red light?
In the Glow Mask, no: the 850 nm infrared always goes combined with the 660 nm red in Tighten mode. It is also the combination that is most repeated in studies.
Infrared or red: which one do I choose?
If you are looking for a firmer appearance and to visually soften expression lines, Tighten (red plus infrared). If you are looking above all for skin with a smoother and smoother appearance, Rejuvenate (660 nm red). You can alternate them within your 4 weekly sessions.
How long do you have to use it to notice something?
It depends on each skin. What we do know is that consistency matters more than duration: short and regular sessions, at most 4 a week, for several weeks.
References
- Wunsch, A. and Matuschka, K. (2014). A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 32(2), 93-100. PubMed
- Avci, P. et al. (2013). Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 32(1), 41-52. PubMed
- Kim, W.S. and Calderhead, R.G. (2011). Is light-emitting diode phototherapy (LED-LLLT) really effective? Laser Therapy, 20(3), 205-215. PubMed
