Acne is a common concern that affects around 95% of people aged 11 to 30 experience (according to the NHS) – and if you’re anything like me, when it strikes, you go into overtime with skincare products to speed up its healing, often with counterproductive results.
But instead of reaching for the arsenal of harsh, drying formulas, there is a new category of gadgets emerging to stop blemishes in their tracks, harnessing the power of blue light.
But ZIIP – the brand behind the highly coveted Halo contouring device – takes a different approach. Much like the electrode-fitted gadget in its collection, the latest ZIIP Dot uses its trademarked dual waveform technology – a combination of microcurrent and uniquely nanocurrents to zap zits. The former is selected for its ability to draw out impurities, unclog and combat excess sebum, while the latter is said to encourage healing, calm redness and combat pigmentation and scarring.
Specs
Set-up
Before you begin, you must first apply a few pumps of the clear ZIIP Conductive Gel provided to the area you intend on treating – this could be a zone predisposed to spots like the chin, one specific blemish or the entire face. This formula encourages the gadget to slide across the complexion and is specially formulated to suit oily and blemish-prone skin types.
One press of the power button is all that is required for a quick tap, whereas you must hold down for multiple areas. Place the electrodes on clean, makeup-free skin with the spot in the centre of the doughnut-shaped ring. Rotate it clockwise and anticlockwise and you will immediately notice a tingling sensation – although the intensity of this is not only dependent on the person but I found that in populus blemish areas, it was stronger.
Functionality
Palm-size, it’s a small but mighty gadget. The ZIIP Dot goes through a process of clearing and calming. There is no companion app or tutorial, you turn it clockwise and anticlockwise with treatment times ranging from as little as 90 seconds to six minutes. The longer session combines four minutes of blemish busting - a slightly stinging sensation and two minutes of unobtrusive calm mode.
The first time that I used the ZIIP Dot, I had a new red and painful blemish on my chin. In the shorter treatment time, the device encouraged it to bloom. It was almost miraculous. Similarly, with an under-the-skin white head, it was ready to squeeze nearly instantly. Best use is two to three times a week so I persevered. It certainly didn’t exacerbate the problem or leave long-lasting redness behind.
Always follow with a good cleanse but you can apply makeup immediately afterwards.
The Dot will display an orange light when it needs charging, taking four hours to fully juice up.
Clinical results
The ZIIP Dot was put through its paces in a 12-week clinical study of participants with mild to moderate acne using only the gadget and no other acne-fighting product - and the results were interesting; 44 per cent saw a reduction in acne, 62 per cent noticed a calming of present inflamed spots and 82 per cent attested that there saw fewer breakouts and healthier skin.
Verdict
ZIIP Dot
Acne is a common concern that affects around 95 per cent of people aged 11 to 30 (according to the NHS) — and if you’re anything like me, when it strikes, you go into overdrive using skincare products which claim to speed up its healing, often with counterproductive results.
But instead of reaching for an arsenal of harsh, drying formulas, could it be better to turn to a new category of gadgets to stop blemishes in their tracks?
Enter ZIIP — the brand behind the highly coveted Halo facial contouring device. Much like the other electrode-fitted gadget ZIIP Dot also uses trademarked dual waveform technology – a combination of microcurrent and (uniquely) nanocurrents to zap zits. The former is selected for its ability to draw out impurities, unclog and combat excess sebum, while the latter is said to encourage healing, calm redness and combat pigmentation and scarring.
Before you begin, you must first apply a few pumps of the clear ZIIP Conductive Gel which comes with the device, to the area you intend on treating. This could be a zone predisposed to spots like the chin, one specific blemish or the entire face. The formula encourages the gadget to slide across the complexion and is specially formulated for oily and acne-prone skin types.
The ZIIP Dot is palm-sized. It’s a small but mighty gadget that goes through a process of clearing and calming. There is no companion app or tutorial, you turn it clockwise and anticlockwise with treatment times ranging from as little as 90 seconds to six minutes. One press for the former, long press for the latter. The longer session combines four minutes of blemish busting - a slightly stinging sensation and two minutes of unobtrusive calm mode.
The first time that I used the ZIIP Dot, I had a new red and painful blemish on my chin. In the shorter treatment time, the device encouraged it to bloom for extraction and speedier healing. It was almost miraculous. The recommended frequency is two to three times a week. It certainly didn’t exacerbate the problem or leave long-lasting redness behind.
Buy now £169.99, ZIIP Dot
