Q+A with Esthetician & NuFACE Co-Founder Tera Peterson

Tera Peterson is a California-based esthetician and co-founder of NuFACE, a skincare device brand that truly is a pioneer of modern-day skincare. Co-founded alongside Tera's mother and sister, NuFACE came to be after a lifetime of exposure to the skincare world, a deep understanding of clients' needs from observing their in-appointment treatments, and the desire to revolutionize and amplify the effects of the non-invasive facelifts that clients were receiving in their appointments by bringing the technology home. Keep reading to learn more about Tera's journey in aesthetics and what makes NuFACE so special.

Q: First and foremost, we’d love to hear about your time in the skincare space. What inspired you to become an esthetician, how did you get started, and how did you get to where you are today?

My mom specialized in microcurrent facials and had built a client-base working at the Golden Door Spa. I remember as a teenager, my mom would pack her clunky microcurrent machine as she made house calls to celebrity clients in Hollywood—which she would occasionally let me tag along for! I was always in awe of how she was able to transform clients’ faces, but it didn’t click until years later that we could put the power of microcurrent into the hands of women everywhere and give them the gorgeous skin they’ve always dreamed of. Once I was able to see that vision, I focused on making it a reality.

Q: NuFACE was launched by you, your mother Carol, and your sister Kim with the knowledge that your mother’s clients had a need for more frequent microcurrent treatments than they were receiving in-spa. Can you expand upon this learning and talk about what exactly was happening in-spa that inspired you all to create this device?

I grew up in the skincare industry because of my Mom, Carol Cole, who was an esthetician at the Golden Door Spa and is the original creator of the first NuFACE® Device. She was always educating me on how to take care of my skin—ingrained in me from a young age. As we started NuFACE, it was important for me to gain more background in the beauty and wellness industry. In 2002, I returned to school to further my knowledge of the beauty industry, to master aesthetics from the inside out! I received my license in aesthetics working as a licensed esthetician for several years specializing in professional microcurrent technology, the “non-invasive facial-lift.” We soon recognized our clients’ need for more frequent microcurrent treatments, so in 2005 we launched NuFACE for our clients to use at-home in between their professional microcurrent facials. A combination of my family background, in-depth aesthetics training, and passion for marketing has supported the growth of NuFACE from inception to now.

Q: What are some ways you’ve seen the skincare space — and the skincare device space specifically — change since launching NuFACE in 2005?

Since launching in 2005, we’ve had to adapt to tremendous growth. We take pride in the health of our technology and the formulations of skincare products. Our original device was a huge innovation for the skincare world. We’ve had a long journey getting our technology FDA-cleared and we’ve done countless clinicals to make sure the microcurrent is safe for the client, but also works wonders. We’ve also evolved our design a lot since the very beginning. We’ve created devices from our Trinity® which allows clients to customize an advanced treatment, to the FIX® which can erase fine lines in 3 minutes and easily fits in any makeup bag. All our microcurrent technology has come a long way for sure! NuFACE was one of the pioneers in the device space and continues to be the leader. We have also seen other cool devices enter the space which reinforces how technology needs to be in every skincare routine to truly deliver pro-level results.

Q: What do you love the most about what you do?

Even 16 years later, I still love watching clients experience stunning results with our devices and the impact NuFACE has on their lives! In fact, it continues to inspire me every day. Through clinical results we established credibility among our multi-generational clients who provided testimonials and their own before and after images, showcasing their instant and long-term results. Educating our clients through social activations such as our IG Lives, masterclasses, and Virtual House Calls has been a pivotal form of communication—we like to consider ourselves “your personal esthetician always on-call,” so clients can ask questions and get the answers they need. As a co-founder of a family-owned and operated business, our commitment to stay true to our holistic and uplifting approach will always be a part of who we are today and who we will be in the future.

Q: With the increasing popularity of devices, specifically microcurrent, there are still those who have not introduced skincare tools into their routines yet. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the importance of devices and how they can change our skin.

As we age, our body's natural current slowly starts to break down, causing sagging skin, loss of contour, and the appearance of wrinkles. Microcurrent re-energizes your skin’s natural current as it slows with age. This boost of energy travels beyond the surface of the skin to help address signs of aging all the way down to the muscles. For my younger clients, I always recommend the NuFACE® Mini to get started on your microcurrent journey. This petite yet powerful device was designed to give you a simple, 5-Minute Facial-Lift® anytime, anywhere. I don't have favorites, but our NuFACE Trinity® is always my go-to. I love that with Trinity I can switch out attachments and give my skin the pro-level treatment it needs right from home. My go-to is usually an Advanced Facial-Lift with Trinity and our Effective Lip & Eye Attachment in the AM, then a relaxing LED treatment with our Wrinkle Reducer Attachment in the PM (usually from bed!). Our NuFACE FIX® Line Smoothing Device paired with the Line Smoothing Serum is also a great choice for NuFACE newbies. It’s a mascara-sized device that instantly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, lips, and forehead in just 3 minutes. Paired with the FIX Serum to supercharge results, it recharges skin with bursts of energy, while the cutting-edge Smart Peptide System targets the look of expression lines for smoother, younger-looking skin. After a 3-minute treatment, you will see instant results!

Q: What sets NuFACE apart from different devices on the market? What are some of the biggest benefits of use?

First, it’s important to understand what microcurrent is and what it does! Microcurrent is a low-level, positive, and negative current that stimulates down into the facial muscles to lift, tone, and contour. There are different output levels in microcurrent that you should always pay attention to because, like skincare, not all microcurrent is created equal.

NuFACE has the perfect amount of microamps, 330 for Trinity and 400 for PRO, that will strengthen your ATP for optimum results. ATP is the energy within the cells of your body that assists with collagen and elastin production. You never want to put anything on your delicate facial muscles over 600 microamps. Anything over this will deplete your ATP by 50 percent. The more you stimulate your ATP at the optimum level, the faster cells turnover.

Q: Just as skincare has evolved a lot in the last several years, how do you see it evolving in the future?

Everything we do is rooted in skincare and when looking at what skincare means to NuFACE, we’ve been inspired by our current and future clients—in fact, we recently launched NuFACE Microcurrent Skincare with IonPlex™. As we reposition ourselves from a beauty-tech company to a holistic-beauty company, the rollout of our all-new Microcurrent Skincare with IonPlex™ opens the opportunity to bring in a great deal more clients to the brand. We believe so passionately about microcurrent as it’s more of a holistic approach to anti-aging, and a very clean technology; we believe every client in the world can benefit from this energizing technology.

With a lot of different skincare in the marketplace, we wanted our proprietary Microcurrent Skincare to align with who we are as a company. We want to introduce clients to a whole new world of clean, active ingredients, which we have successfully done with our devices and recent skincare launches. Our proprietary blend, IonPlex™ is a precise combination of electrically charged minerals, known as ions (aka electrolytes, which we need for every cellular function), and glacial water. Ions conduct the microcurrent while the glacial water hydrates the skin, preparing the skin for optimal NuFACE microcurrent conductivity—more ions, means better microcurrent results.

We’re so excited about what’s next under our Microcurrent Skincare umbrella—so, stay tuned!

Q: What does your current nighttime skincare routine look like?

My nightly beauty routine starts with a double-cleanse in the shower. Once I am finished, I use the NuFACE Trinity® Device with our Wrinkle Reducer Attachment to target deeper lines and wrinkles, minimize pore size, and increase collagen production. I love this treatment during the night because you can truly do it anywhere; watching a favorite show or in bed with a book. After 20 minutes, I follow up with a NuFACE Super Peptide Booster Serum, undereye cream, moisturizer, and during drier seasons I may top it off with an oil-based serum for added hydration. As a bonus, I always recommend a silk pillowcase to avoid fine lines, plus it feels amazing!

Rapid Fire Round

Q: Worth the splurge:

Biologique Recherche P50.

Q: Favorite drugstore or budget find:

Shea Moisture coconut body wash and lotion — it reminds me of Hawaii.

Q: Latest beauty empty:

Tammy Fender Balm moisturizer.

Q: Recent discovery:

Not skincare related — Philz Coffee Philtered Soul — it’s amazing!

Q: Product you can’t leave home without:

Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen.

Q: Brand you wish more people knew about:

NuFACE.

For more of Tera's favorite products, check out her shop: