An Honest Loop Earplugs Review: Are They The New Wellness Accessory in the UK?
When you go on Pinterest and type in “wellness girlie”, you’re likely to be greeted with pictures of vision boards of what it means to be “that girl”, whoever she is. Her starter pack typically includes cute workout sets from Lululemon, a pastel yoga mat, green juice, Adidas Sambas, and the classic Apple Airpod Maxes. Those huge silver-grey headphones might be plastered across Pinterest & Instagram, but there’s some new competition on the cards for Apple, and not in the type you might expect either. Loop Earplugs (yes, earplugs, not earphones) have become ultra popular across the wellness girlies in the know over the past year.
Now, we never thought we’d say this (ever), but designer earplugs are officially this summer’s hottest accessory. Gen Z are splurging up to £60 on a pair – that’s a whopping 12 times more expensive than the classic foam earplugs that retail for around £5 for TEN pairs. Why? In pursuit of hearing longevity, aka, protecting their hearing health at all costs. Say goodbye to those unflattering neon foam plugs sold in bulk—Loop Earplugs’ sleek silicone models are taking over, and for good reason.
Often mistaken for stylish inner-ear jewellery, Loop Earplugs are all the rage on TikTok and Instagram right now. These chic earplugs are becoming a wellness essential, offering practical benefits for everything from enhancing sound experiences during breath work & meditation to providing relief from the sensory overload of bustling city life (aka, the central line at 8.30am on a Monday, also known as hell on earth). In this article, we’ll break down the different models and their uses, and we’ll give our unfiltered DL on whether Loop Earplugs are worth the hype.
What Exactly Are Loop Earplugs?
Founded in Belgium in 2016 by friends Maarten Bodewes and Dimitri O, the original Experience plugs were designed to limit decibel intake (e.g. loud sound) without compromising sound quality at their gigs and festivals. Today, the brand offers five different types of ear plugs aimed at helping people “live life at their volume”: Quiet, Engage, Experience, Switch, and Kinetic.
Loop Earplugs really hit their stride during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2023 – their revenue tripled thanks to the Swifies – they needed a way to belt out their favourite songs without damaging their hearing in the process, and Loop Earplugs were the answer. They’ve already sold 8 million sets globally and their impressive growth earned them a spot on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024. And that’s not all—they clinched the No. 1 spot in the Design category for “designing ear protection people want to wear.” Aka, not only are they great for our hearing longevity, but they’re cute AF too.
So, now that we’ve caught you up on Loop Earplugs’ humble Belgian beginnings, it’s time to give the lowdown on the different model earbuds available & the best one for you so you can *officially* enter your earplug era.
Quiet
Best for: Sleep, commuting, & getting into your flow state
Unlike traditional foam plugs that expand to block sound, these Loop Earplugs feature advanced noise reduction technology (Think AirPod Max style, but waaay more discreet). Simply pop them in your ear to eliminate distracting noises.
The Loop Quiet plugs completely filter out ambient sounds like loud street noises, so they’re perfect for when you’re feeling overstimulated after a busy day at work and want to shut the world out. These are Loop Earplugs’ most sound-reducing model, so this is your go-to for the strongest noise cancellation.
Engage
Best for: Brunches, dinner dates, workout classes, social situations
These particular Loop Earplugs are designed to discreetly enhance your daily interactions by reducing noise that comes from your environment. Picture this: you’re having coffee with your bestie after taking your fitness class together, but can’t seem to hear her clearly over the chatter and background music. Once you pop in the Loop Engage Earplugs, it’s as if you’re the only two in the busy cafe.
The Engage plugs filter out background noise to help create clearer and more focused conversations. They are created to allow you to hear your coffee-catch up loud and clear without outside distractions and maintain speech clarity, while minimising the often uncomfortable sensation of blocked ears.
Experience
Best for: Partying, listening to live events, watching live sports
Loop Experience earplugs are best for settings where crystal clear sound quality is super important, like live music (aka, The Eras Tour), festivals, nightclubs, and sports events. They have the standard noise reduction and noise cancelling features of the other Loop Earplug models BUT heighten the experience by keeping things ear-friendly.
The Experience model lets you enjoy your favourite live acts, without needing to worry about damaging your hearing while you’re at it.
Switch
Best for: Getting the best of ALL worlds
The OG model (& our personal favourite) – the Switch edition features three levels of manual sound control in one convenient earplug. This means you can switch between Quiet mode, Engage mode, and Experience mode depending on your environment (or who’s sitting next to you at work!). With Loop Switch, you can tailor your sound experience to suit whatever environment you’re in. It’s like having three earplugs in one sleek, stylish package.
Looking for more colour? Go Kinetic
Loop Earplugs also recently released the Kinetic Collection, which blends Y2K aesthetics and the contemporary design Loop is well-known for. Unlike their other models, the Kinetic are made to be seen. This collection is all about movement, energy, and making a bold statement with your earplugs. We’ll be honest, we love the paired back design of the other models for our everyday go to, but the retro vibrancy of the Kinetic models have a nostalgic appeal. They feature all the classic Loop models, in coral, lime and baby blue.
Loop Earplugs for the Wellness Girlies
In the wellness world, Loop Earplugs have become an essential accessory for those who want to enhance their sound experiences during activities like breathwork and meditation. These earplugs are designed not just to protect your hearing (& your sanity!) but to take your overall wellness routine to the next level. Let’s break down how different Loop models can make your wellness practices even more effective and enjoyable.
For those moments where you want to block out the world, whether you’re meditating solo, journalling or just trying to get some clarity in your thoughts – the Loop Quiet earplugs will be your best friend. They help clear out distracting noise, allowing you to focus and reach a state of blissful zen (yes, even during your Central Line commute).
When you’re working with an instructor or hanging out with friends, Loop Engage earplugs are ideal. They help you hear conversations better while keeping your own voice clear (which often isn’t the case for sound cancelling earplugs). This means you can follow guided instructions without missing a beat, respond easily when needed, and stay connected the whole time.
Loop Switch earplugs are perfect if you want to tailor-make your sound experience throughout the day. Because it has three modes, you can conveniently switch it up depending on where you are, what you’re doing and your noise sensitivity. For a meeting, go for the Engage option to dial up the voices in the room. If you’re at a busy work event, select the Experience mode to turn the overall surroundings down a level. Then, on your commute home or when you’re tackling Westfield on a Saturday, switch to the Quiet mode and power through your to-do list. It’s a win-win-win!
So… Are Loop Earplugs Worth It? The DR Verdict
We tested out the Loop Earplugs at the Daily Rituals HQ (ofc) and to put it shortly: yes, we’re obsessed. They’re cute, comfortable, offer impressive noise reduction and are super lightweight & compact. We loved that each pair of loop earplugs came in it’s own compact carry case (think sleek AirPod aesthetics) too, so we could carry everywhere with us.
We tried the Loop earplugs on each of our team members to test out different ear shapes and sizes, and surprisingly, they somehow were the perfect fit on all of us. So, performance + comfort + style? It got a resounding Oui across the board!
One of the standout features is the earplugs’ resemblance to jewellery. & nice jewellery at that too. They’re barely visible from the front, and from the side, they look like earrings, especially amongst our ear stack. Much like how the AirPods became a wellness girlie staple, we predict that the Loop Earplugs will solidify their position as a must-have wellness accessory every “that girl” must have.
Honestly, another thing we all agreed on when it came to Loop Earplugs was that none of us felt “uncool” wearing them in public – rather we all felt it showed how much we care & pride we placed on our health & wellbeing. Plus, only the wellness girlies in the know knew what they were anyway. IYKYK & all. We’re all just out here, protecting our peace!
We will say one thing though – when you need ultimate sound blocking, there are better options available. In those instances though, you probably don’t care so much about the overall look, so you can opt for the traditional earplugs.
So whilst Loop Earplugs won’t be your go to for ultimate sound-blocking, we’re obsessed with them for a stylish, comfortable, and functional option for hearing protection and enhancing your wellness routine. Whether they’re worth it depends on your specific needs and preferences, but many wellness enthusiasts (us included!) now swear by them.
