Omnilux vs Solawave (or Solawave vs Omnilux): which one fits your goal

Mask vs mask: output, time and terms

Solawave states the higher output, 65 mW/cm² against Omnilux's "about 30 mW/cm²". Neither brand says at what distance, and no independent reading of either mask turned up. Output alone doesn't settle it, because the sessions differ. Multiply each brand's figure by its session and Omnilux delivers about 18 J/cm² in 10 minutes, Solawave about 11.7 J/cm² in 3. Those are the brands' numbers, so read the gap as rough. Solawave also fits more LEDs, 320 against 132 by the brands' counts, spread over four wavelengths instead of two. The LED count is already inside each brand's mW/cm² figure, so it adds nothing to the dose math.

The terms split the other way. Omnilux covers the mask for 2 years and gives 30 days to return it, minus a $15 fee (Omnilux returns policy). Solawave gives 60 days and 1 year (limited). Prices are $395 and $399, a $4 gap.

Mask vs wand

Solawave's best-known device isn't a mask. The 4-in-1 wand ($169) has its own clearance, K232863, and works one zone at a time: 3 min per zone, up to 12 min (auto-off); 3-5 times a week. It also runs galvanic current, and its manual says to put Solawave's serum on each zone first, so plan on buying serum. It's the only device on this page with an independent reading. Alex Fergus measured 8 to 10.1 mW/cm² with a spectrometer (lighttherapyinsiders.com), against 55 mW/cm² in its 510(k). He didn't give the distance. Omnilux has no independent reading at all, so you can't say whether its figure holds up either.

The wand also loses points on reliability: 55 of 104 Amazon reviews that mention it are negative. If you want a wand, the cleared Mini costs $50 less. More on both in the Solawave review and on red light wands.

Who makes them

Omnilux's clearance, K191629, was filed in 2019 by Ismart Marketing Services for a device called "faceLITE", and The Beauty Tech Group Ltd holds the FDA listing for "Omnilux contour". Solawave's mask clearance, K252983, was filed in 2025 by Shenzhen Goodwind Technology Development, a Chinese manufacturer; most of Solawave's other devices were filed by Shenzhen Kaiyan. The older Wrinkle Retreat, without "Pro", was listed under K221775, a clearance filed by Light Tree Ventures Europe B.V. that masks from several other brands also cite. Neither fact tells you about build quality. It tells you who answered the FDA's questions.

Claims check

In January 2025, the National Advertising Division recommended that Solawave stop several results claims for its wand, including "smooth fine lines" and before-and-after photos (NAD case #7206). Solawave said it disagreed but would comply. The decision and a 2023 lawsuit are covered in the Solawave review. A search on October 7, 2026 found no comparable NAD decision on Omnilux.

The research behind each

Omnilux's pair of wavelengths has the longer paper trail, though not for this mask. A 2005 study of the Omnilux 633 and 830 nm system followed 31 people with no control group: by week 12, "52% of subjects showed a 25%-50% improvement in photoaging scores". It used clinic doses of 126 J/cm² at 633 nm and 66 J/cm² at 830 nm, far above the roughly 18 J/cm² a Contour session gives on Omnilux's own figure. A 2007 sham-controlled trial of the same wavelengths in 76 people measured wrinkle reductions of up to 36% after four weeks of twice-weekly sessions.

I found no published trial of a Solawave mask. Its clearance shows the mask is like devices already sold, which isn't the same as a trial. What the studies do and don't show is on red light therapy benefits; see also our medical disclaimer.

For acne, for men, for the neck

• Acne. Omnilux Clear ($395) uses 415 and 633 nm and has its own clearance for mild to moderate acne on the face, K210948. Solawave's Bye Acne ($69) is a spot tool listed under K203271, a clearance for a Kaiyan handheld named "Aduro light therapy Handheld".
• Men. Omnilux Men ($395) is the Contour with 1072 nm added; the 510(k) it's listed under mentions only 630 and 830 nm. Solawave has no men's version.
• Neck. Omnilux Contour Neck & Décolleté ($395) is cleared under K242382. Solawave's Neck & Chest Pro ($349) is listed with the FDA with no 510(k) and no published output.

What owners say

The reviews sit in different places. Omnilux's are only on its own site: 4.55 out of 5 from 2,244 ratings on omniluxled.com, the brand's own site. Solawave's mask has 4.4 out of 5 from 101 ratings on amazon.com. Owners there like the 3 min session most; on Solawave's own site, fit is the main complaint. A brand's own page and Amazon aren't comparable, so don't read the ratings side by side.

Reddit is less kind to both. An August 2026 thread titled "Omnilux did absolutely nothing for me after 2 months" (r/redlighttherapy) drew replies like "It takes much longer than that of consistent use to see results." A July 2026 thread on Solawave (r/redlighttherapy) got: "Months of consistent use with both the old and new version and no noticeable results."