Setting the spacing
Microcurrent can sting when the contacts sit too close together. We tested the spacing on real scalps until it felt gentle.
Case Study · Scalp Care Device
Getting Scalp Care Through the Hair, Wet or Dry
The scalp is curved, covered in hair and often wet, so most beauty devices never reach it.
Most beauty devices are built for the face. Its skin is open, fairly flat and usually dry. The scalp is the opposite. It is curved, uneven and covered in hair, and people care for it in the shower.
The challenge
Why scalp care rarely reaches the scalp
A scalp device had to solve four problems at once:
- Reach. Light and microcurrent had to get through the hair to the skin.
- Comfort. Microcurrent can sting, and the head is sensitive.
- Water. It had to work on wet hair, right after washing.
- Size. It had to stay small enough for one hand and a bathroom shelf.
The client
A beauty brand that pairs devices with skincare
MIRAE is a Taiwanese beauty brand that sells skincare and beauty devices side by side. Its range includes serums, masks, facial cleansers and light masks. Scalp care was its next step: a device that works together with its own scalp serums.
The opportunity
A salon scalp treatment, in your own shower
Professional scalp care usually means a salon visit. MIRAE wanted that treatment at home, as part of a normal hair-washing routine. We were asked to design the device that would make it possible.
The brief set three goals:
- Three treatments in one. Red light, microcurrent and massage vibration.
- Wet or dry. Use it straight after washing, or on dry hair.
- Made for the serum. A routine built around MIRAE's own scalp care.
Key successes
- Made microcurrent comfortable on the scalp, tested and refined over multiple user trials
- Shaped 12 soft silicone tentacles that follow the head and let the device stand on its own
- Placed four metal probes inside a ring of red LEDs, at the center of the tentacles
- Combined red light, microcurrent and massage vibration, up to 7,000 times per minute
- Sealed the body to IPX5, so it works on wet or dry hair
Behind the design
Designing like an octopus
We started with what beauty device users value most: a compact device that is easy to use. The form followed from the problem. To reach the scalp, the device needed something that could part the hair and follow the head.
The answer was a set of soft silicone tentacles, like the limbs of an octopus. Twelve of them follow the curves of the head and give a hand-massage feel. They also let the device stand on its own between uses.
At the center, four metal probes sit inside a ring of red LEDs, so light and microcurrent work on the same spot. We also used the design to build trust. The red light glows visibly between the tentacles, so users can see where it reaches.
Validation
Round after round
Each prototype went to users. Their feedback shaped the next round, over multiple iterations, until the results were convincing.
Balancing the specification
Our R&D team worked with several suppliers to verify the internal components. Together with MIRAE, we balanced the target specification against what the components could deliver.
Engineered for production
Sealed to IPX5
The whole body is sealed to IPX5, so it handles wet hair and splashes in the shower.
USB‑C charging
It charges with a standard USB-C cable, while staying sealed against water.
One button
A long press turns it on or off. A short press steps through three intensity levels.
Three zones, a few minutes
Users move across the hairline, the sides and the back of the head, for three to five minutes in total.
Project timeline
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User insight
Studied what beauty device users value most
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Concept and form
Developed the octopus form, 12 tentacles and the probe-and-light center
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Comfort testing
Tested microcurrent spacing and comfort on real scalps
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Red light and components
Verified components with suppliers and balanced the light specification
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Launch
MIRAE launched the device in Taiwan
In market
A salon ritual people use at home
MIRAE launched the device in Taiwan through its own online store. It is also sold on major retailers, including momo, PChome, ETMall and PX Mart's online store.
MIRAE sells it together with its scalp serums and shampoo, as a complete at-home scalp routine.