GlowLift^™ Infinity vs Solawave Wand: How the Two Compare

The Solawave wand is built around red light, while our GlowLift™ Infinity face sculpting device is built around EMS and warm-to-cold contrast. Pick the Solawave wand for red light and smoother-looking skin, and GlowLift™ for a more defined-looking contour and a de-puffed look.

Disclosure: Radiant makes GlowLift™ Infinity. We used only brand-published facts, FDA records and peer-reviewed research, accessed October 28, 2026, and did not test the devices side by side.

What is the Solawave wand?

The Solawave wand, sold as the 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal® Skincare Wand, is a handheld at-home device that combines 630 nm red light, therapeutic warmth, galvanic current and facial massage vibration. Solawave suggests 3 minutes per facial zone, 12 minutes per session, three to five times a week, glided over a water-based serum or gel (Solawave, 2026).

The wand vibrates every 3 minutes to signal the next zone and switches itself off after 12 minutes (Solawave instruction manual).

At the time of writing, the wand cost $169 on solawave.co ($189 with serum). The smaller 2-in-1 Skincare Mini ($119) has red and near-infrared light (630 and 830 nm) plus warmth, without galvanic current or massage (Solawave Mini, 2026).

Solawave vs GlowLift™: how do the specs compare?

Side by side, the Solawave wand leads with red light therapy, galvanic current and a longer return window that also covers used devices. GlowLift™ Infinity leads with a cold mode, EMS and a gua sha edge, in a shorter session at a lower price. Both carry a 1-year warranty and are listed as FDA-cleared.

Feature	GlowLift™ Infinity	Solawave 4-in-1 Skincare Wand
Light	LED accent only (red, blue or purple by mode); not light therapy	Red light therapy at 630 nm, 14 LEDs, 49.5–60.5 mW/cm² maximum (Solawave manual)
Warmth and cold	Warm mode at 43 °C (109 °F), then cold mode at 10 °C (50 °F) (contrast therapy)	Therapeutic warmth up to 42 °C (107.6 °F); no cold mode listed
Electrical function	EMS (electrical muscle stimulation)	Galvanic current; the FDA summary describes microcurrent stimulation
FDA status	FDA-cleared	FDA-cleared, 510(k) K232863 (FDA)
Price at time of writing (Oct 28, 2026)	See the current price on the GlowLift™ Infinity page	$169 on solawave.co ($189 with serum)
Returns	30 days from delivery; opened devices accepted if clean, working and complete; buyer pays return shipping (Radiant refund policy)	60 days from receipt, even if used; one free US return label; solawave.co orders only (Solawave refund policy)

Prices change, so check each brand's page before you buy.

Is the Solawave wand a microcurrent device?

Solawave calls the wand's electrical function galvanic current and says it supports a hydrated look and helps Solawave's serum absorb. The FDA summary for the cleared wand models describes that function as microcurrent electrical therapy. GlowLift™ Infinity uses neither: its electrical mode is EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), which engages the facial muscles.

Solawave describes galvanic current as "a mild current that interacts with the skin's surface layer." The 510(k) summary lists "microcurrent electrical therapy to deliver skin stimulation" among its mechanisms (FDA 510(k) summary K232863).

If you want microcurrent specifically, GlowLift™ is the wrong tool; our guide to EMS vs microcurrent explains how the currents differ.

Is the Solawave wand FDA-cleared?

Yes: the FDA's device-identification database links a Solawave-branded wand, model HD-15A, to 510(k) K232863, cleared on December 13, 2023, for over-the-counter use. Its FDA category is light-based wrinkle reduction, with a second code for electrical stimulation for aesthetic purposes. GlowLift™ Infinity is FDA-cleared as well.

The FDA's device record names Solawave as the brand (FDA AccessGUDID), and the 2-in-1 Skincare Mini has its own clearance, K250532, dated May 22, 2025 (FDA).

A 510(k) shows the FDA that a device is substantially equivalent to one already legally on the market (FDA, 510(k)). Clearance is not FDA approval, and it does not rank devices against each other.

What do Solawave before-and-after results show?

Solawave bases its results on studies it describes as independent: a consumer perception study and a dermatologist's assessment of 33 people. They used the wand with its serum five times a week for 8 weeks. We found no peer-reviewed trial of the Solawave wand or GlowLift™ Infinity in PubMed, so research covers the techniques only.

What the trials found

• Red light (Solawave). In a sham-controlled split-face trial of 76 people, LED at 633 nm, 830 nm or both ran twice weekly for 4 weeks. Wrinkles fell up to 36% and elasticity rose up to 19% (Lee et al., 2007).
• EMS (GlowLift™). In a 12-week randomized controlled trial of 108 women, 20 minutes of facial EMS a day, five days a week, raised cheek-muscle thickness 18.6% on ultrasound (Kavanagh et al., 2012). Controls showed no rise.

A systematic review of 31 randomized LED trials called the results encouraging but noted small samples, missing blinding or sham groups and varied settings (Jagdeo et al., 2018).

What the studies did not test

• Either finished device: the red light trial used professional LED devices, and the EMS trial a different device in 20-minute sessions.
• Solawave's 33-person study in a peer-reviewed journal: we could not find it, and it paired the wand with Solawave's own serum.

Read all of it, and any before-and-after photo, including ours, with that in mind.

Is GlowLift™ Infinity a good Solawave alternative?

For some goals, yes. GlowLift™ Infinity is a fair Solawave alternative if you want a more defined-looking jawline, a de-puffed morning look and a shorter routine at a lower price. If red light therapy is why you are shopping, it is the wrong swap, because the LED in GlowLift™ only marks each mode.

Your main goal	Better fit	Why
Red light for the look of fine lines	Solawave wand	630 nm red light is its core technology
Defined-looking jawline and cheekbones	GlowLift™ Infinity	EMS plus a gua sha edge in one upward glide
Morning puffiness	GlowLift™ Infinity	Cold mode for a refreshed, de-puffed look
Hands-free, full-face red light	An LED mask	Neither handheld device covers the whole face at once

The trade-offs

• GlowLift™ Infinity: no red light therapy and no galvanic or microcurrent mode, a 30-day return window with return shipping on you, and not waterproof.
• Solawave wand: no cold mode and no EMS, a higher price, a longer 12-minute session and a recommended serum that adds to the cost.

For full-face red light, our LumaCloud Pro™ LED light therapy mask pairs 660 nm red and 850 nm near-infrared light with amber and blue in hands-free 15-minute sessions. Our guide on whether red light therapy works covers the evidence.

How much time does each routine take each week?

At Solawave's suggested 12 minutes, three to five times a week, the wand takes 36 to 60 minutes a week. A GlowLift™ Infinity session of five to seven minutes, five to seven times a week, comes to about 25 to 49 minutes. Both devices glide over a serum.

Our GlowLift™ routine runs warm first, cold straight after and EMS last.

1. Cleanse, then apply a serum. In the morning, our Radiant C-F Glow Drops vitamin C + ferulic serum gives an easy glide and a brighter-looking finish.
2. Warm the skin for 2–3 minutes. In warm mode, glide GlowLift™ upward along the jawline, cheekbones and neck.
3. Switch to cold for 1–2 minutes. Sweep outward over the cheeks and under the eyes for a de-puffed look.
4. Finish with EMS for 2–3 minutes. On Level 1, follow your contours upward and outward, away from the eyelids.
5. Moisturize and protect. Add broad-spectrum sunscreen in the daytime.

Do not use an EMS device if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other active electronic implant, or on broken, irritated or infected skin. If you have epilepsy or a diagnosed skin condition, check with your doctor first.

Who should not use either device?

Both brands rule out use during pregnancy, with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, and on broken or irritated skin. Solawave also excludes anyone under 18, people prone to seizures or light sensitivity, and anyone taking medicine that makes skin sensitive to light. A board-certified dermatologist is the better first step for any diagnosed skin condition.

Solawave's manual also rules out use on or very near the eyes and over the thyroid. With GlowLift™, keep EMS off the eyelids and never use it over a skin malignancy.

See a dermatologist before buying either device if you notice a new or changing spot, sudden or one-sided sagging, or an active rosacea flare. Questions about GlowLift™? Use our contact form.

The bottom line

Choose the Solawave wand for 630 nm red light, galvanic current and a 60-day trial. Choose GlowLift™ Infinity, our five-to-seven-minute warm, cold and EMS ritual, for a more defined-looking contour and a de-puffed look. Neither has a peer-reviewed trial, so expect gradual change with steady use.

Still deciding? Browse our at-home skincare and beauty devices or see how GlowLift™ compares with the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro.

Sources

1. Solawave. 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal® Skincare Wand with Red Light Therapy, product page: technologies, LED count, treatment time, in the box, warranty, price, 8-week consumer and dermatologist study note. solawave.co. Accessed October 28, 2026.
2. Solawave. Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand instruction manual (linked from the Solawave help center): device specifications, contraindications, warnings, treatment protocol, limited warranty. help.solawave.co. Accessed October 28, 2026.
3. Solawave. Radiant Renewal® 2-in-1 Skincare Mini, product page. solawave.co. Accessed October 28, 2026.
4. Solawave. Refund policy. solawave.co. Accessed October 28, 2026.
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K232863, Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand (HD-15, HD-15A), decision date December 13, 2023. accessdata.fda.gov · 510(k) summary. Accessed October 28, 2026.
6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. AccessGUDID device record: Solawave, model HD-15A, premarket submission K232863. accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed October 28, 2026.
7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K250532, Solawave 2-in-1 Skincare Mini, decision date May 22, 2025. accessdata.fda.gov. Accessed October 28, 2026.
8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Premarket Notification 510(k). fda.gov. Accessed October 28, 2026.
9. Lee SY, Park KH, Choi JW, et al. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and split-face clinical study on LED phototherapy for skin rejuvenation. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2007;88(1):51–67. PubMed 17566756 · doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2007.04.008
10. Jagdeo J, Austin E, Mamalis A, Wong C, Ho D, Siegel DM. Light-emitting diodes in dermatology: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Lasers Surg Med. 2018;50(6):613–628. PubMed 29356026 · doi:10.1002/lsm.22791
11. Kavanagh S, Newell J, Hennessy M, Sadick N. Use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device for facial muscle toning: a randomized, controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2012;11(4):261–266. PubMed 23174048 · doi:10.1111/jocd.12007