Because I have to stay away from any acne-treating creams due to skin allergies, it’s a rarity that I get to review acne products.
But when I was learning about the FOREO Espada, I figured that I’d be the perfect guinea pig, because it’s cream-free, and therefore my skin probably wouldn’t freak out.
When the Espada arrived at my door I said to myself “My skin is in a pretty good place right now, so I’ll put this in my “to review” pile and re-visit it in a couple weeks, when I get a zit”. Nope – I broke out THE NEXT DAY. That’s what happens when I get cocky, I suppose.
The FOREO Espada ($199 CAD) clears and heals acne blemishes by utilizing 415 nanometers of LED blue-light to penetrate below skin’s surface, deep within the follicles to quickly and non-invasively eliminate acne-causing bacteria at the source. Simultaneously pore-opening “T-Sonic” pulsations open pores for additional blue light penetration, increasing effectiveness. Bloss microcirculation is facilitated to promote skin renewal and speed healing. The Espada comes with a charging cord, and is available in blue, magenta, and pink.
So how do you use it? You press the power button, and aim the clear end at the blemish.
You’ll see a red “X” mark that targets in on the blemish as it gets closer to the skin. Once it touches the skin the vibrations begin (and the vibrations will stop if the Espada is not touching the skin). It vibrates progressively faster as it sits on the skin, and after 30 seconds you will get a few short vibrations to let you know that the treatment is done. From there you can move onto another blemish, or turn the Espada off.
I tested the Espada on two different kinds of blemishes, and I should mention that during the test period I made sure to not touch the blemish (I tend to never leave blemishes alone) or use any facial cleansing products.
The first blemish was a smaller cystic blemish, meaning that it was deep underneath the skin, which I caught as it was starting to form. I used the Espada twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening). After four days, the blemish started diminishing.
The second blemish I tried the Espada on was easily the biggest zit I’ve ever sported. Unfortunately it was right on my jawline, so I couldn’t do a before & after photo. Without being too vivid, this zit was gigantic. It was red, filled with fluid, got bigger with each day (before treatment), and was sooooo painful – it would hurt when I would lie down to go to sleep. I was using the Espada on it three times per day for about four days when the zit finally started to shrink. While the Espada did not heal it completely (I still have a slight bump with some redness, about a week and a half later), it kept the zit from rising to the surface and turning that gross yellow-green colour. After day four, the fluid started to disappear, which made the zit shrink and not hurt anymore.
At this point I’m not sure if the blemishes healing in the way they did were a result of the Espada itself or a result of me just leaving the blemish alone and not poking at it every day. But I’ll definitely continue to use it.
You can find the FOREO Espada at Murale in Canada, starting September 2017.
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