9 times out of 10, that “miracle” skincare product isn’t going to change your skin
I don’t say that to be a debbie-downer. I speak from experience. When it comes to trying the so-called latest and greatest in skincare, I’ve been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt…and almost every time, I discover I’ve been duped.
That’s why last month when my roommate tried to convince me to try a viral TikTok skincare product she’d been obsessing over: a razor-sized red light therapy wand from Solawave that claims to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and blemishes (to name just a few things), I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
But somehow, after her relentless insistence that I was dead wrong (and after sending me a dozen articles about famous makeup artists who use the wand on their A-list clients), she convinced me to try it out with her. I figured, with their 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s not like I had anything to lose.
If it seems like you’ve been seeing Solawave everywhere, it’s because you have.
Founded in 2020, Solawave is best known for their 7x award-winning Advanced Skincare Wand, which sold out 9 times in two years after taking over Hollywood and blowing up on TikTok.
A few months ago, they released their Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand—a more powerful version of the bestselling original—and it’s already won a 2023 Women’s Health Beauty Award. The upgraded wand harnesses the power of decades of skincare research, combining the rejuvenating benefits of red light therapy, galvanic current, therapeutic warmth, and vibrating facial massage into a compact wand with a 3-minute treatment time.
Or, at least that’s what the internet says.
Now, here’s where I had my doubts…
I know red light therapy is all the rage in skincare today—I’ve even done a few sessions with my esthetician. I know it works, and I even know how it works: low-wavelength red light is able to penetrate deep into the skin and stimulate collagen production, which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and blemishes. But it’s not the red light that’s the problem.
From my experience, a red light therapy session with an esthetician requires some serious hardware and involves about 20 minutes of consistent exposure. So it was hard to believe that the Solawave wand could deliver noticeable results in three minutes a day.
That said, I don’t have the time and I definitely don’t have the money for weekly facial appointments—so I was attracted to the idea of a $189 wand kit that could potentially do the same thing.
Time to give this baby a spin
First off, let me tell you, this thing is teeny-tiny. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being punk’d. But hey, props to Solawave for making it USB-rechargeable and travel-friendly (it even comes with a little travel case). They recommend using it 3-5x per week, so they better make it convenient.
Surprisingly, it’s sturdier than it looks, and the rotating head is perfect for squeezing into those hard-to-reach spots—like under the eyes.
As for how to use it, the instruction card says to cleanse and dry your skin and apply a serum (I went for their Skin Therapy Activating Serum with hyaluronic acid for the full experience, although any non oil-based serum works). Then, you just press the on button and start sweeping the wand outward on your face in long strokes.
NGL, I was kiiinda vibing with it.
Literally. The vibrating head feels like a gentle massage, and after about 15 seconds or so, the wand warms up and feels really soothing on your face. Almost instantly, my tiny NYC apartment bathroom was turned into a private spa.
I don’t like to admit when I’m wrong, especially to my roommate. And although I was beyond impressed by how the wand feels, I still didn’t think I was wrong about it actually working. So, I decided to do a bit more research.
Of course, Solawave’s website had all the tea. Apparently, the warmth and vibration help your skin chillax, which helps to reduce the appearance of inflammation, redness, and puffiness. Meanwhile, the galvanic current helps to promote the absorption of skincare products (aka, helping me getting the most benefits out of the Augustinus Bader cream I spent way too much money on).
*Spongebob narrator voice* 3 weeks later…
My roomie was adamant that I use the wand every day initially, to help kick-start my magic transformation. And after about three weeks, I was stunned when I actually started to see changes in my skin.
I’ve always been self-conscious about the acne scarring on my chin, but recently I’ve started to notice some fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead too, so those are the two things I was most interested in to begin with. And while I’m not gonna say it looks like I got work done, I can confidently say that the fine lines have smoothed and the scarring on my chin is visibly lighter.
The most surprising result, though, was how snatched my jawline looked after three weeks. I didn’t realize how sculpted it looked until my mom came to visit and pointed it out…and that woman doesn’t do compliments.
Solawave has me eating my words.
Shockingly, my roommate was right about Solawave, and I’ll never hear the end of it. Suffice to say, I was happy enough with the results I saw in the first few weeks to keep the wand. I’m excited to see what other benefits I’ll see over time.
This super-powered skincare wand is my new favorite part of my skincare routine. I’d almost go so far as to say that even if it didn’t work, the experience of using the wand is soothing enough to keep it. But thankfully, it works wonders. So, all you fellow skeptics out there, take a leap of faith and give Solawave a shot. The best part? If you don’t see results, just return it, no harm done.
It’s time to let your skin glow and your doubts go. If you want to take a risk-free chance at transforming your skin (and pampering yourself with a soothing at-home facial), I couldn’t recommend Solawave more.