I'm 55 years old, and while I'm happy to spend an embarrassing amount of time — and money — trying to ensure I have healthy skin, I'm still very much in the non-invasive camp. No needles. No surgery. No dramatic interventions. Yet. But if there's a device I can use at home that promises better skin, of course I'm interested. Very interested.

And when I say interested, I mean I've used LED masks, microcurrent, microneedling, radiofrequency, and more beauty gadgets than I care to admit. So when MimiSilk asked if I'd like to try their Iris 1450 laser, obviously I said yes.

I was immediately drawn in because this device isn't trying to do everything. The claims are actually pretty specific: better skin texture, smoother skin, reduced fine lines, improved skin quality over time. For anyone wondering what a fractional laser actually is, think of it as creating lots of tiny treatment zones in the skin — your skin repairs those areas, and in the process, builds healthier skin over time.

At 55, I'm not chasing perfection. I'm much more interested in whether my skin can become a little smoother, a little firmer, a little more resilient. Those small improvements add up. So I agreed to test the device for eight weeks and see what actually happened — not what the company says should happen.

How I Tested It

Before we get into results, let me tell you exactly how I used it. The recommended protocol is two months on, followed by one month off — according to MimiSilk, that month off is when a lot of the collagen remodelling and rebuilding actually takes place. For this review, I used the device every other day for eight weeks. I was pretty consistent, although I did miss a few sessions while travelling — ironically, I even packed the device and still managed to skip a couple of treatments. To make up for those missed sessions, I extended the test by another week.

I also stopped using all my other devices during the testing period, because I wanted to isolate the results as much as possible. My skincare routine stayed pretty much the same — no major changes, no new products, no sneaky additions. Just the laser.

It has three levels, and you definitely want to start on level one. Here's the cool part: it has five treatment zones — the forehead, the orbital bone, the cheeks, the upper lip, and the chin — and the device delivers optimised treatment for each area. I've never seen anything like this before, and it's all contained on the device itself. No app needed.

One thing you should know is that you definitely feel it. Compared to something like the Dermrays Revive, this isn't a passive experience. It's a bit prickly, and it definitely feels like a more intensive treatment. I started on level one and stayed there for nearly five weeks, because I needed to build up to it and was curious if I'd still see results at that level. Then I moved up to level two, though I continued using level one around the eyes and lips, because those areas are sensitive. In the final week, I tested level three, and oddly enough, I actually found it less prickly than level two. Don't ask me to explain that, because I can't.

If you have sensitive skin, the sensation could be a bit much. I'm personally fine with it and can go all the way to three, but you don't have to. I asked MimiSilk if you'd still see results if you never progressed beyond level one, and they told me yes — I believe them. So if you're considering this device, don't feel like you have to race to the highest setting. I used all five treatment zones throughout the trial, exactly as instructed.

What It Was Actually Like to Use

Despite the prickliness, I found the device surprisingly easy to stick with. One thing I appreciated immediately is that you use it on completely clean, dry skin — no gels, no conductive serums, no worrying about products drying out halfway through a treatment, and no sticky cleanup afterwards. I love that.

On level one, treatments only took about five minutes. As I moved up through the levels, treatment times increased too, and by level three I was closer to ten minutes — still very manageable. I also found myself looking forward to the treatments, and that's important, because the best skincare device in the world won't do much if it sits in a drawer.

After the Treatment

What happened after treatment depended a lot on the level I was using. On the lowest setting, I experienced very little redness, but my skin definitely felt dry afterwards. As I moved to the higher settings, particularly level three, I noticed more redness and sensitivity — nothing dramatic, nothing that stopped me using the device, but enough that I quickly realised recovery is an important part of the process.

At the beginning of the trial, I used my Medicube Super Cica Daily Quick Mask for five to eight minutes after treatment. On level two, I added my Calecim Professional Serum before the mask, because it's specifically designed to support recovery and post-procedure skin. More recently, I've started using MimiSilk's own PDRN Collagen Face Mask — a cooling hydrogel mask designed specifically for post-treatment skin. It comes in two pieces, which makes it really easy to fit properly, and it stays put. What's really interesting is that it goes completely transparent once the product has absorbed into the skin. It leaves my skin feeling calm, hydrated, and comfortable afterwards, which was especially welcome on the days I used the Iris on level three and my skin was particularly red and parched. Then I move on to my normal hydrating skincare — that's become my preferred recovery routine.

So... Did It Work?

Now for the part you've probably been waiting for: the before and after photos. Before I share them, a few things worth noting. I am not a professional photographer, but I've done my best to keep the conditions the same — lighting, poses, smiles, all of it. My photos are never doctored or retouched. My goal is honest results.

At 55, I'm not expecting miracles from any skincare device. What I'm looking for are improvements — even small ones — in texture, in firmness, in overall skin quality. The kind of changes that make your skin look healthier overall. And here's the funny thing: I almost never see positive changes in the mirror. A new wrinkle, a little extra sagging, I'll spot those immediately. Positive changes are usually much harder to see. Which is exactly why this device caught my attention.

About six weeks in, I started noticing something around my jawline — the area I obsess over most, my jowls. I felt like they looked a little tighter, a little more defined, in the mirror. And for the first time during this experiment, I found myself thinking: hang on, is something actually changing here? So I was genuinely excited to look at these photos properly for the first time.

Front, smiling: My first reaction was, honestly, wow. I look fresher. No single wrinkle disappeared, nothing dramatic happened, but comparing the photos side by side, I see lots of small improvements. When I smile, the changes are a little easier to see — the under-eye area looks less crepey, the skin around the eyes appears a little smoother. But what really stands out is the overall quality of my skin. It looks more refined, more even, smoother overall.

Slight right, smiling: The skin looks smoother, particularly on the forehead — there's less texture. Less crepey-ness under the eyes too, and even the marionette lines and the area just underneath look less dimply. These are subtle changes, but I'm seeing them.

Slight left: You can definitely see the smoothness under my eyes here, less crepey. And this is what excited me even before I saw the photos: the jowls. This is the area I tend to focus on most, because it's the part of my face that bothers me the most as I get older. I'm not claiming this device gave me a new jawline, but I do think the transition from jaw to neck looks a little tighter and more defined. That's saying something.

I'm sure some of you are looking at these photos thinking, what is she talking about, I can't see the difference. Perhaps you're right. But I can see the difference, and that's what matters to me. That's what makes me excited to keep using this.

If these are the results after only eight weeks, I'm genuinely excited to see what happens over the next year. So you can bet this has a permanent place in my routine. My hope is that using this regularly, alongside LED light therapy, microcurrent, and microneedling, will continue to keep me out of the clinics. Once my four-week rest period is over, Iris is coming right back in — I'll use her three times a week, vary my treatments, and decide the level based on how my skin is feeling and how much time I have. It's totally customisable, and I'm confident it delivers results even at level one.

It's perfect for travel too, comes with its own carrying case, and charges on the go. I do have a discount code, which I'll link below, and the masks are 50% off right now, so it's a good time to grab those as well — it's a box of 24 and will last ages.

So what do you think? Is the MimiSilk Iris for you? Would you give it a try?

↠ MIMISILK - Iris 1450nm Advanced Skin Renewing Device: https://go.shopmy.us/p-62654485 *use Mary120 for $120

↠ MEDICUBE | Cica Daily Soothing Mask: https://go.shopmy.us/p-62654618

↠ CALECIM | Professional Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-62654660 (use code: OBSESSED for 15% off)

↠ MIMISILK | PDRN Collagen Face Mask | 4d Hyaluronic Acid & Collagen Hydrogel Technology: https://go.shopmy.us/p-62654783

8 Weeks With the MimiSilk Iris 1450: My Honest Before and After

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