- What Is a Microcurrent Skin Care Device?
- Quick Summary of NuFace vs SolaWave Wand
- The Bottom Line
Beauty professionals have been using microcurrent facials for a while now. These procedures can reduce signs of aging and make your skin look healthier in just a few treatments. This technology used to be accessible through a spa only, but you can now purchase microcurrent devices for use at home.
While they are a bit of an investment, microcurrent devices seem like they are worth their weight in gold when you consider what you can achieve with your skin from the comfort of your own home. Because this is a substantial investment for a lot of people, I want to take a look at two different microcurrent devices that are quite popular right now. This includes the SolaWave and NuFace devices.
What Is a Microcurrent Skin Care Device?
A microcurrent skin care device utilizes very low level electrical impulses to stimulate the various muscles in your face. It’s a lot like working out your body. Stimulating those muscles will lead to them become more toned and tight. This process can also stimulate the production of different compounds in the body that lead to healthy and smooth skin. Working at a cellular level, you can achieve younger looking skin with just a few minutes of application each day.
Claimed Benefits
There are a few different brands of microcurrent devices on the market. Each one markets certain benefits that you can achieve with regular use of their product. Of course, results will vary from person to person. The amount of time it takes to see results may also vary.
Could Improve Skin Hydration
When you apply microcurrent to the surface level of your skin, this can result in the production of adenosine triphosphate. This compound allows for better moisture retention in your skin. These procedures also increase elastin and collagen production which helps to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Hydrated skin tends to look healthier and plumper than skin which is dry and flaky.
May Smooth Out Wrinkles
Once you hit the age of 30, your body starts to produce less collagen each year. This reduced collagen production is what leads to fine lines and wrinkles developing. Microcurrent devices can stimulate production of collagen, stimulate your facial muscles and make wrinkles appear far less prominent. Just make sure that you’re keeping up with your treatments so you can maintain this youthful glow and prevent new wrinkles from forming.
Could Blur Fine Lines around Eyes, Lips and Forehead
Fine lines are some of the first signs of aging that often appear on the face. It’s common to see them pop up around your eyes, lips and forehead. This is due to the muscles in your face weakening over time. Your skin will start to sag, but a microcurrent device can help make these muscles stronger. You can also increase hydration, which plumps the skin and makes it look smoother.
May Help Promote Youthful Skin
With regular use of a microcurrent device, the muscles in your face will get bigger. You end up looking much younger because of this result. The larger muscles make the skin tighten up. This reduces fine lines, wrinkles and much more. You’ll notice that you have more defined features to your face after a number of weeks.
Quick Treatment: Only 3-5 Minutes Per Day
The great thing about microcurrent devices is that they don’t require a lot of time out of your day. It takes just three to five minutes each day for application. The goal is to keep up with a consistent routine so you see results faster and can maintain those results. Though we’re often busy, we can spare five minutes per day for self care.
Quick Summary of NuFace vs SolaWave Wand
| Vs. | NuFace | SolaWave |
|---|---|---|
| Light Therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Cordless | Yes | Yes |
| Use on Face, Eyes, Chin, Cheeks, Forehead | Yes | Yes |
| Therapeutic Warmth | Yes | Yes |
| Facial Massage | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Starting at $159 | Starting at $119 |
| Average Customer Rating | 4.7/5 (Over 1,000 reviews) | 4.9/5 (Over 1,000 reviews) |
| Best price: | Official website | Official website ($15 off here) |
Overview of SolaWave
The unique SolaWave wand provides a few different technologies that you can use to improve the quality of your skin. It offers red light therapy, microcurrent technology, therapeutic warming and even facial massage. This device can reach deep down into the tissue of your face and neck using very low voltage power. You can use these different techniques to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, hydrate and much more. You can even heal breakouts.
The process of using the SolaWave wand is very comfortable and calming. The warming feature increases blood flow to your face, opens your pores and allows you to relax. The microcurrent feature is totally painless, but there is a lot that will be going on underneath the surface of your skin. From stimulation of new skin cells to increased collagen production, you can look like a new person in just a few weeks.
SolaWave has a very low-profile design that resembles a razor for shaving your legs. It has a rotating head that moves 90 degrees so you can reach all of the different crevices and angles of your face and neck. It’s charged quickly using the USB port on the device, and an automatic shutoff feature ensures you’re not over-applying anything.
Pros
- Achieve impressive results from the comfort of your own home
- Very affordable compared to what you would pay for professional treatments
- Includes four different technologies in one product
- The one-touch on / off feature is convenient for ease of use
- You can use this wand with your own products or the products sold by SolaWave
Cons
- This is a substantial investment, but it’s still more affordable than heading to a professional for the same technology
- You have to keep the product in motion, changing where it is applied
Cost and Where to Buy
The SolaWave wand costs just under $150. It can be purchased on the SolaWave website at https://solawave.co/. The company also sells products that you can use with your wand to potentially increase the results you achieve.
Overview of NuFace
The NuFace microcurrent beauty device has the potential to tone, lift and improve the contours of your face by targeting your facial muscles with each treatment. You can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines in just five minutes. It comes with different attachments that provide alternative therapies, such as red light therapy, Effective Lip & Eye and Wrinkle Reducer. The design of this device is a little different from other beauty wands. It allows you to target larger areas of your face and body with the comfortable handheld unit.
Pros
- FDA-cleared and aesthetician approved
- Can be used with a variety of products, including the NuFace Hydrating Leave-On Gel Activator
- Comfortable to hold and easy to direct along your skin
- There are a few different kits that you can purchase through NuFace which include different attachments and products
Cons
- It’s a slightly bulky unit, though some people might find it easier to hold onto
- It’s much more expensive than other beauty wands that are out there
Cost and Where to Buy
You can visit the NuFace website at https://www.mynuface.com/. The starter kit costs $339. The cost will increase with the more products and accessories you choose to include in your purchase.
Comparing Technology
The SolaWave device uses microcurrent technology for that specific type of treatment option. You can also switch over to the other three technologies that are included in the design of the product. However, they cannot be combined and used at the same time.
The NuFace device produces microcurrents while also delivering red light therapy. You have the potential to achieve more dramatic results this way.
Comparing Effectiveness
Both of these devices produce microcurrents to your skin, which can help you look younger and healthier overall. This is a technology that has been around for a long time, though it was solely used by professionals. It wasn’t until recently that companies decided they were going to come out with their own devices that provided similar results but with added convenience and affordability.
Both the SolaWave and NuFace devices can accomplish much of the same things. They can make your skin look much smoother, reduce the appearance of fine lines and prevent future wrinkles from developing. You’re increasing your collagen production without the need for a supplement. You can hydrate your skin in a way that creams and lotions cannot. It appears that most consumers that have tried one or both of these devices rave about the same results after just a few weeks of treatments.
Comparing Customer Reviews
The SolaWave wand has a rating of 4.9 stars out of five stars. It seems that consumers were very happy with the affordability of this product, especially since it includes various technologies in one device. It’s easy to hold onto, it turns itself on and off when it touches your skin, and you can complete your treatment in just five minutes. Some people were able to reduce the puffiness around their eyes and improve skin texture with just three treatments per week.
The NuFace device has a lot of stellar reviews listed on their website. They have a rating of four stars out of five stars overall. Most people felt this was a convenient product that was durable, easy to use and produced excellent results. It didn’t take very long for people to see results. When using it almost every day, a difference in skin texture and appearance was prevalent after about three weeks or so.
Comparing Value
There is a substantial price difference between the SolaWave wand and the NuFace device. NuFace costs quite a bit more money, but it’s a different style of device. It’s bulkier, sturdier and incorporates two different technologies with each application. You can even use the NuFace on other areas of your body because of its unique design. The additional cost seems worth it if you’re looking for a microcurrent device that you’re going to be able to see great results with ease of use.
The Main Difference between NuFACE and SolaWave
The main difference between NuFace and SolaWave besides the price of the unit is the overall size and functionality of them. NuFace is designed to work on your face, but it’s a larger unit that you can cover a lot more area with. You can also use it on other areas of your body. The SolaWave wand is designed to be very compact and simple to use. You can easily take it on the road with you when you travel, and you’ll have no issues completing your treatments. Otherwise, they both provide effective microcurrent technology to improve the quality of your skin.
Which is Better: SolaWave or NuFace?
If this is the first time you’re purchasing a skincare device of this type, I would stick with the SolaWave device. It’s much more affordable if you’re concerned that you’re not going to get as impressive of results as you would like. At a price point of just over $100, you won’t feel as bad if you neglect your treatments or don’t see results. With a price point of over $300 for the NuFace, you’ll probably want to have used microcurrent technology before either at home or at a spa.
Other Microcurrent Skincare Devices Worth Looking at
You shouldn’t feel like you’re limited with just these two types of skin care devices. There are plenty of other brands out there that deliver the same technology as well as different features.
DermaWand
The DermaWand is very similar to both devices mentioned here. In fact, we compared the DermaWand vs SolaWave and the major difference is that the DermaWand isn’t cordless.
ZIIP
The ZIIP microcurrent device combines their uniquely shaped product with an app that allows you to customize your treatments with different waveform combinations. It’s a unit that works really well to lift and sculpt your face. It’s simple to use thanks to its chunky design and has a high power output.
Foreo Bear
The Foreo Bear utilizes advanced microcurrent technology along with T-sonic pulsations to work out more than 65 different muscles that are in your face and neck. Think of it like a workout for your face. It helps you achieve smoother, toned and firmer skin with just a few fast treatments.
The Bottom Line
If you care about your skin, it’s important that you develop an anti-aging skincare routine early on in your life. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t improve the quality of your skin if you already have fine lines and wrinkles that have developed. These skincare wands that use microcurrent technology are very promising. It’s not a new technology, though the concept of doing these treatments at home is unique. There are quite a few options out there, so think about what you want to achieve. You can then research your different options to choose something that fits into your budget and targets what you want. Both the SolaWave and NuFace devices are great options to consider.
Tips for Success
Ready to start using a microcurrent device from the comfort of your own home? Here are some tips that will help you get started.
Develop a Routine
The people that see the most substantial results from their microcurrent treatments are those that use their device regularly. It’s a good idea to figure out when you want to complete a treatment. Then, set aside that time a few days per week so you stay consistent.
Consider the Products You’re Using
A lot of these devices recommend using certain products to help glide the unit over your face and achieve optimal results. Check to see if the products you have are compatible, or you can purchase the products that go along with the device that you choose.
Start with a Clean Face
Always wash your face before you get started. Clean skin that has just been washed will respond better to the microcurrents that you’re applying as well as any other technology your device produces.
