Solawave Review 2023: The Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand Tackles Acne and Fine Lines

By Jennifer Hussein

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Microcurrents, LED lights, cryotherapy — when it comes to skin tech that's now attainable at home, the limit does not exist. There are so many options to choose from, but one device that's currently on the lips (err, skin) of every TikTok beauty creator is the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand.

For context, the hashtag #solawavewand has over 1.4 million views on the app and is flooded with thousands of skin-care enthusiasts across the globe shouting its acne-clearing, sag-reducing powers from their phones. So, what's all the hubbub over this slender tool? Well, it combines the powers of soothing heat, contour-defining galvanic current technology, and acne-targeting LED lights to overall enhance the look of your complexion — seems too good to be true, especially for its under-$200 price tag, right?

Well, you're wrong. As one of the biggest skin-care skeptics to exist, I put Solawave's most popular product to the test and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Radiant Renewal Wand lives up to its hype and then some.

This impressive device seemed to become the biggest thing in skin care overnight, but why? Well, its combination of four different skin-improving technologies is definitely enough to catch people's eyes. As stated earlier, this pocket-size tool utilizes spa-level tech including LED light therapy, vibration-powered facial massages, and soothing warmth to tackle a multitude of skin concerns. The Radiant Renewal Wand fuses these tech specs into one little gadget to target dullness, fine lines, puffiness, acne, you name it.

Fun fact: Solawave's Radiant Renewal Wand is an upgraded version of its original wand. The brand decided to elevate its already-popular device after it received feedback from consumers asking to make the device more user-friendly. The latest specs of the wand 2.0 include the addition of an on/off button, two additional LED lights for improved efficacy, 180-degree head rotation, and magnetic charging.

But what really makes the Radiant Renewal Wand stand out from its predecessor is the inclusion of galvanic current technology. According to the brand, this is an alternative to microcurrents and is supposedly faster-acting, helps open pores, and encourages product absorption — but we'll get deeper into this in just a second.

What doesn't the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand do? Consider this teensy facial tool your Swiss Army knife of skin-care devices. After all, it's definitely the size of one. Though it is small, its ability to minimize puffiness and enhance the look of contours arguably outperforms some of its bigger (and pricier) counterparts.

Chances are, you're probably most familiar with LED light therapy for skin care. But, in case you need a refresher on its benefits, Erum Ilyas, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has you covered. "Red LED light has been studied with medical-grade devices for use on the skin because it actually has the ability to penetrate the skin deeply and it is believed to work by activating signaling pathways between cells," she says. "There are studies evaluating and showing red LED benefits when used as a medical-grade device — but not at-home products — for acne, wound healing, hair regrowth, and diminishing signs of aging."

As mentioned before, this device also swaps microcurrent technology with galvanic current technology. Like microcurrents, galvanic current technology utilizes low-voltage electricity to manipulate the muscles for a more lifted, sculpted appearance (albeit, like most microcurrent and electricity-reliant devices, temporarily). But what makes galvanic current different is its direct electrical current, rather than microcurrent technology's alternating currents, in theory making it a better option for loosening pore-clogging debris and promoting product absorption. Research published in a 2008 edition of Naturopathic Physical Medicine also reports that galvanic current assists with lymphatic drainage, easing inflammation and tissue healing.

Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein using the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand.

I'll be honest: I haven't spent much time with the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand, but so far I've been loving it. I've been using the wand every other morning for approximately two weeks. My first day using the device was pretty seamless, considering that the instructions are pretty simple. All you have to do is let it charge for two hours before turning it on for the first time, apply any serum or treatment of your choosing on your skin, turn it on, and gently run the device in sweeping motions across a section of your face until its three-minute timer alerts you to move to the next section. It's worth noting that you should use an oil-free serum with conductive ingredients like hyaluronic acid and aloe vera in order to get the best results from the wand (my elixir of choice is the First Aid Beauty Bounce-Boosting Serum).

For a more visual step-by-step tutorial, you can watch the brand's instructional video here.

By Gabi Thorne

By Kara Nesvig

By Gabi Thorne

One Solawave treatment can last as brief as three minutes and can be spread out to three times a week at a minimum, but since I'm targeting multiple areas of my face and am willing to pump up the ante to expedite my results, I use the device every other day for Solwave's max recommendation of 30 minutes per day, three minutes per section (which the brand does not recommend starting with). On each section I target, including my cheeks, undereyes, forehead, and neck, I utilize Solawave's detailed usage instructions, which are broken down below:

Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein before and two weeks after using the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand.

By Gabi Thorne

By Kara Nesvig

By Gabi Thorne

I've just started noticing a clearer, more radiant complexion. Usually, I have a few blackheads and minimal post-acne hyperpigmentation on my hairline, the perimeter of my face, and on my nose. But it seems like the red LED lights must be working their tone-evening abilities because those pesky spots have noticeably toned down (pun intended).

While the sculpting results are minimal so far, I have been noticing a subtle lift to my jowls. However, the most noticeable and instant effect I noticed was how the combination of its warm, soothing lights and vibrations made my eyes look way less puffy than usual. Usually, I have swollen, red eyes from the moment I wake up until I go to bed, but this inflammation-calming tool has been my tried-and-true trick for reducing morning puffiness.

I think it's pretty fair to say that there are quite a few pros to the Radiant Renewal Wand, the biggest one being its ability to target multiple skin concerns at once. Yes, its skin-enhancing properties are the biggest reason to grab this device, but it also gets brownie points for its travel-friendly compactness and relatively affordable price tag.

Though I have personally seen benefits from using this device, Dr. Ilyas does question this tiny device's overall efficacy in a three-minute treatment. "It is difficult to say if the red LED light aspect could achieve any measurable results simply because even medical-grade devices require much more time than this," she says. "As a product that is relatively cheaper than the rest, I think it is reasonable to try but difficult to say how effective it is in the long run."

It's also worth noting that if you use this device in 30-minute sessions like I do, the battery life is pretty short. The run time is about an hour, so I've gotten only two uses per charge. Considering that it takes two hours to charge the battery and that I chronically neglect all of my devices the moment they die, this was a speed bump in my testing.

Solawave's famous LED light therapy wand costs $169, which we think is quite a steal. Sure, any price tag that hits triple digits seems expensive, but in comparison to pricier skin-care tools like the NuFace Trinity+ microcurrent device (which currently costs $395) or the Allure Readers' Choice Award-winning TheraFace Pro facial massager (another tool just under $400), Solawave's device is more affordable.

Want to try the Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand's contour-enhancing powers for yourself? You're in luck because this nifty skin-care device is $169 at ulta.com, nordstrom.com, and solawave.com.

By Gabi Thorne

By Kara Nesvig

By Gabi Thorne

Read more about the Allure staff's favorite skin-care products:

Now, watch actress Anna Kendrick try nine things she's never done before:

Don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.