When it comes to skincare gadgets, I must admit that I am very much a newby. Whilst many people swear by their Clarisonics, Microdermabrasion and Light Therapy devices, I'm still hanging out with my enormous stack of fresh flannels and a shelf full of oils, balms and serums. To be honest, gadgets frighten me a little, and I think this is in part due to having acneic skin for the better part of 25 years. There is always an underlying fear of something causing a reaction. A bad reaction, typically an outbreak of cystic acne, can take literally months for my skin to recover from, not to mention the emotional effects that accompany it. Of course, this can happen with any new skincare product, the development of food allergies, and certainly hormonal changes and fluctuations.
I was contacted some months ago and asked if I would review
Homedics Newa, an at-home skin rejuvenation device.
Newa is a non-invasive device that uses radio-frequency energy waves to deliver controlled heat to the lower layers of the skin, thus inducing a mild wound healing response. Part of this natural healing response is the formation of new collagen and elastin, which strengthens and plumps the skin from within, visibly reducing wrinkles and fines lines.
Newa state that their
3DEEP technology acts on the the dermis, the lower layers of the skin, rather than the epidermis, the upper layers, tightening existing collagen fibres and stimulating your skin's own ability to produce new collagen.
" Newa, brought to you by Homedics, is powered by the same 3DEEP technology, proven effective by leading dermatologists and used in professional clinics both here in Australia and around the world. During treatment the 3DEEP technology penetrates controlled energy deep into the the skin tissue, stimulating the natural production of new, healthier collagen. The Newa treatment , which can be used on all skin colours and types, brings the power of medical aesthetic treatment to the home, previously only available to individuals at a physician or dermatologist clinic".
The
Newa kit contains the lightweight, compact device, power supply, instructions, both written and provided on a DVD, and the
Newa Activator Gel, which optimises the the delivery of heat beneath the skins surface, and also contains hydrating and plumping ingredients, which contribute to the initial plumping and firmness that is noticeable even after the first treatment. And yes, plumpness and firming were certainly noticeable after my first treatment.
I am currently in what
Newa call the "Boosting Phase" of the treatment, where you are required to use the
Newa once a day for at least 5 days in the week, for a period of 4 weeks. The face is divided into 6 treatment areas, and each particular area is treated for 4 mins.
Newa has a built-in timer, and the device will vibrate and then stop when the 4 mins has lapsed.
In effect, you are looking at 24 minutes of treatment time, and a few minutes to set up and pack away, rinse your face and apply your skincare....it comes to around 30 minutes to complete the process for me. It is definitely something to factor into your day, you need to allocate the time for it and make a commitment. I have chosen to do my treatments in the evenings, as I generally have a little more time once my children are tucked up in bed.
Setting up for the treatment is quick and easy. Plug it in, apply your Activator gel in two thick stripes, completely covering the electrodes, as is described in the manufacturers instructions. There are two settings on the device, 1 and 2. Setting 1 is a little more gentle, setting 2 is a little stronger. I started on setting 2, and have continued on setting 2 throughout my boosting phase. On a clean, dry face I smooth the activator gel that I initially applied to the device, evenly over the first treatment area. Press the blue start button, and start moving the device in circular motions over the skin. I can start to feel the warmth coming from the device immediatley . It sometimes takes 10-20 seconds for the blue light to change to green and start flashing, which indicates to you that the device is now delivering energy into the skin, and has reached the optimal temperature. Newa describe the sensation as a "warm massage" and I would agree with that. It is not lukewarm... you can definitely feel the warmth. On the areas of skin around my orbital bone, it actually would feel quite hot at times. If it does start to feel a little too warm for your comfort, Newa recommend to increase the size of your circular motions on the skin for a short while, respectively, if you can feel less warmth, make your circular motions smaller. It is not unpleasant or uncomfortable for me, and I find it quite relaxing to do before bed.
Once I have completed the 4 min cycle, and the Newa buzzes and gives me a fright (nervous nelly I am!). I then apply another 2 strips of activator gel over the electrodes, and move on to the next section of my face, repeating the process until all six sections have been treated.
It is undoubtably my preference to do my Newa treatments in my bathroom, in front of the mirror. I like to see exactly what I am doing, and I think when you are first starting your treatments it is the best place to do it. I have read some reviews of people that will do their treatments whilst watching TV, however, that's just not for me. If it works for you, go right ahead! Now that I am in my fourth week of treatment, I am very used to setting up and using Newa, and I find it very simple. I think you need the first week to get used to the device, and become familiar with the whole process.
Once all areas have been treated, I clean and pack away the device, rinse all the gel off my face, and continue on with my evening skincare products. I have only noticed a slight pinkness, or flush to the skin during treatment, and it typically has faded with 10-20 mins for me. My skin feels really lovely immediately following the treatment. It feels smooth and plump, and looks fresh and radiant. Not unlike how your skin might feel after a facial at a salon. On the few occasions that I have done my treatment in the morning, I have continued on applying my morning skincare and makeup straight away, with no residual redness or flush visible on my skin. In fact, my makeup applies beautifully, and I have often thought that a Newa treatment would be a lovely skin prep before a big event.
It is with some trepidation ( aka I'm completely terrified and having palpitations ), that I publish photographs of my naked face on the internet, but I believe them to be most helpful with this type of review. All photographs were taken by me, not a stitch of makeup on, and no editing. Please try to look past my awful pigmentation, and let it be a good advertisement for using sunscreen every day! Part of my pigmentation is related to my four pregnancies, and the remainder is sun damage. You may be in your early 20's or 30's and reading this... let me tell you, the damage done by the sun emerges as time marches on. You may not see it now, but look in the mirror when you are 40, and you will, unless you start protecting your skin with a Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen now.
It terms of signs of ageing on my face, my areas of concern are around my eyes, smile lines (nasolabial folds), some loss of firmness in the lower section of my face and under my chin, and of course my forehead and frown lines (my worry lines). Newa is not designed to treat the forehead region, only from the edge of the orbital bone, upper and lower cheeks down to the jaw and under the chin.
In a few short months I will be 41 years old.
I have, without a doubt, had noticeable improvements in my skin since starting my Newa treatments. I hope that you will be able to see the improvement that I have seen, in the photographs below. I have tried, wherever possible, to keep my facial expressions similar in each of the photos, and to take my photos in similar lighting. There is no trickery here...
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Prior to commencing treament.
(oh dear...they say a large forehead is a sign of intelligence?)
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Prior to commencing treatment
( someone pour me a wine!) |
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Pior to commencing treatment.
( should have put my brows on...) |
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Left - Prior to commencing trial
Right - 3 weeks into boosting phase with Newa. |
Hopefully you can see the improvement in the skin around my eyes, the side of my mouth, and a general improvement in skin tone and texture. I feel that my skin looks refreshed and plump.
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Left - Prior to commencing trial
Right - Week 2 Newa boosting phase, taken immediately after treatment. |
I added this photograph on the right to show you my skin immediately following a treatment session. It has a slight pink flush only. You might also be able to see that skin around the side of my mouth and the apple of my cheek is looking generally firmer and more plump than the photo on the left.
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Left - Week 1 Newa boosting phase.
Right - Week 3 Newa boosting phase and feeling fresh. |
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Left Week 2 Newa Boosting Phase
Right - Week 3 Newa Boosting Phase |
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Left Prior to Treatment
Right - Week 3 Newa Boosting Phase |
I can certainly see a big difference in this photograph above. The upper cheek, lower cheek and jawline look firmer, my skin looks plump, and the fine lines around my mouth and under my eyes are noticeably reduced. I'm very pleasantly surprised after just three weeks!
Following the 4 week boosting phase, it is recommended that you continue your treatments twice a week in order to see the best results, and that the skin will continue to gradually improve for up to six months following the treatment.
I shall be posting updates over the coming weeks and months! My next post will be in 2-3 weeks time, and I shall measure Newa's claims against my results for the initial boosting period. Perhaps their biggest claim is a reduction in wrinkles by up to 45% after 12 weeks.
Newa retails for $499 AUD. It is an investment in both time and money, and I am hoping to do my very best to help you decide if it might be something for you. I always find it challenging trying to decide how to spend my money... let's face it, there are pots of moisturiser on the market that are asking you to pay the same price as Newa, if not more. I think it is also important to be mindful that it is very unlikely that one single product, or one single device will ever completely and magically transform ageing skin on its own. It takes a village loves!!
It is worth mentioning that I have changed a few things about my skincare routine over the last 2 months ( prior to starting the trial ) I have reduced my use of exfoliating acids ( I think I was overworking my skin ), simplified my skincare routine a little, and have very slowly been introducing a mild retinol serum over the last few months. I have maintained this routine throughout the trial without any changes.
For more information visit the Homedics website
here.
Newa is available in leading retailers including Myer, Shaver Shop and Harvey Norman.
I hope this has been helpful! Do look out for my next post, hopefully I will have some more great results to share! Please leave a comment, or any questions below, and please don't be mean about my skin...I am only human you know.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Blessings,
Lou xo
Disclaimer: I cannot compare the cost or effectiveness of Newa against in-salon procedures, as I have never had an in-salon treatment of this kind. These posts and reviews are not sponsored by the company, nor do I have any affiliation with any companies mentioned. As with any type of skincare device or product, individual results may vary, and my results may well be different to yours. Read/watch all literature and information provided with the device for your own safety. Newa was kindly provided by the company Kids Business for the purpose of trial and review.
