Over the past few months I’ve tried out a range of skincare devices to find out what could help get my skin back in order after a setback. Now, after getting a chance to use them, I’m sharing the best and worst skincare devices in my collection.

Lightstim for Acne

I was dealing with a serious bout of cystic acne at the start of quarantine and had seen great reviews about this device. I bought it from Sephora during the spring VIB sale so fortunately I was able to get this at a discounted price.

• How it works/what it does:
  • Lightstim is an LED light therapy device that emits multiple waves of blue and red light, which is known to be effective for targeting acne.
  • The Lightstim for acne primarily uses blue light, which is known to kill bacteria and reduce activity in your oil glands, both of which can cause acne.
• Pros:
  • This works. Like truly it works. It is the sole device on this list that I have decided to continue using consistently.
  • Non invasive/abrasive. You really shouldn’t see or expect any irritation or burning because it is only a light and not an active ingredient.
  • Many dermatologists and estheticians recommend this product because it is actually a high grade technology similar to what they would use in office.
  • Easy portability. This device is relatively small and it comes with a travel pouch.
• Cons:
  • Price. It’s more expensive that any of the other items on this list. However, I truly believe the Lightstim for acne is worth the money if you are looking for ways to curb cystic acne.
  • Time. It can be a tedious process to hold this device in one spot for three minutes (the device beeps and tells you when three minutes is up). It’s usually a 15-20 minute commitment to use this product because I normally treat 3-4 areas in a night. But once again I think it’s worth it. I normally throw on some Netflix show to keep myself entertained during my at home LED treatment.

High Frequency LED

I had heard that similar to LED light therapy, high frequency therapy worked on cystic acne. I decided to give this a try as well.

• How it works/what it does:
  • High frequency devices are usually tools with a glass node filled with argon gas. When you apply the node to the skin it supposedly generates oxygen that kills bacteria. In this way it helps target your acne.
  • This article gives a pretty good run down of how to use it.
• Pros:
  • Price. For a device that supposedly works similarly to LED light therapy, it is typically more affordable than those devices.
  • Flexibility. The device comes with 4 different nodes based on areas you want to target. You can use the spot node on one pimple, or you can use the wider mushroom node to sweep the node all over your face.
• Cons:
  • Effectiveness. While Lightstim is fairly similar in effectiveness to what you would get from a dermatologist or esthetician, I’m not convinced that this Amazon device was giving me the same level of efficacy. For that reason I opted to stick to my Lightstim for Acne instead of this.
  • Maintenance/storage. Because this comes with a lot of glass nodes, it is more difficult to store appropriately without just keeping the box. The box, however, is rather large, so it requires a bit of storage space.

Facial Steamer

When I was desperate to give myself some sort of an at home facial, I purchased this steamer.

• How it works/what it does 
  • Fairly simple. Facial steamers make it easy to unclog the oil and dirt in your pores. It can also make your skin more receptive to ingredients in masks, so I use it then too.
• Pros
  • Price. I think this steamer was sold at an accessible price.
  • Easy use. A steamer is pretty straightforward to use. Fill with water and turn it on.
• Cons
  • The canister for the water seems rather small and required me to get up and refill it up multiple times in the process of one spa night.
  • Extraction tools. This steamer comes with extraction tools that really should only be used by a licensed skincare professional. I highly advise against conduction your own “extraction” (if you’re not licensed it’s not an extraction, you’re just popping pimples) at home.
  • I can’t say that there are many, if any, cons to owning a steamer in general. Just be sure that you are not steaming too often, as too much of a good thing can become bad for your skin in this case.

Microsonic Scrubber

I saw this in a video of an esthetician’s at home spa facial routine, which led me to try it.

• How it works/what it does
  • Micro/ultrasonic scrubbers use high frequency sound waves to vibrate dirt and oil out of your pores. Essentially this is some variation of an extraction device that works best after you’ve used a steamer to loosen the dirt in your pores.
• Pros:
  • Unfortunately I don’t see too many pros to owning this device.
• Cons:
  • Varying effectiveness. There are a lot of knock offs or scrubbers that are not that effective. I think this is one of those products that I’d only rely on through a visit to an esthetician.
  • Irritation. I think this product makes it easy to disrupt or pop pimples that should be left alone, which would result in spreading bacteria. It can also be fairly uncomfortable. Overall I don’t think this product is worth it and I no longer use it.

Bottom Line

Out of the items on this list, I’d say my favorites are the Lightstim for Acne and the facial steamer. For any skincare device that requires direct contact to your skin, it is incredibly important to make sure that they are sanitized between uses. What in you opinion are the best and worst skincare devices?

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

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