Silkn Revit, $99
This is a legacy post from earlier this year that I’ve added a little more meat to and cleaned up some sections for clarity.
Now that I’ve reviewed the microderm-like product that disappointed me, it’s time to talk about the one I dig! I got my Silkn Revit at Costco (who is seriously underrated for beauty finds, by the way) for $65, which is over a third off its retail price. Unfortunately, I can’t find this on Costco.com at the moment; I picked mine up in the warehouse. If I couldn’t find it on sale, I’d look at Nordstrom (what with their famous return policy as insurance against a major issue) or Amazon ($63 on 12/16/17!)
Every blog review I’ve read so far has been little more than a regurgitation of the marketing materials Silkn puts out. Cute…and not useful.
Ergonomics
This device is far simpler than the PMD device I tried recently. There’s a single button that turns on, increases suction, and turns off depending on how many times it is pressed. It is ergonomically-friendly, lightweight, and easy to hold.
Power
This device operates on AC power and must be used while plugged into an outlet. I do not find this terribly inconvenient; I’d rather consistent performance over slight convenience. I use the device at my bathroom sink or at my desk with my vanity mirror.
Turning the Silkn ReVit on merely activates suction – the exfoliating tip does not move. As you glide the device over your skin, the abrasive tips liberate dead skin. The suction then whisks it away down to a filter that you later clean or toss. Suction is gentle and does not leave awkward marks on the skin, but you will see temporary redness.
The device IS dual voltage and can be used outside the US, but you do need an adapter to make it fit the AC plugs elsewhere.
Exfoliating Diamond Tips
Unlike traditional microdermabrasion treatments rendered by an esthetician or medical professional, this does not blast and vacuum up tiny crystals. The tip of the device is abrasive metal; they’re referred to as, “diamond tips,” but I have successfully found precisely ZERO information on what the hell that precisely means.
I am assuming it means the same thing that is meant when referring to diamond drill bits. In this case, these are long-life tips that will not quickly degrade with use. In theory, you should not need to replace them due to wear-and-tear as long as you’re using them as intended.
There are three total tips – a gentler one, a coarser one, and a narrow, precision-tip for use in tight spaces like around your nostrils, etc. I started with the gentle one for the first two uses, but felt my skin can handle more – so I use the coarse one primarily, and the narrow one as-needed (around the contours of my nose, etc). The grit of the narrow tip feels the same as the gentler one.
Usage
Somehow, I managed to not see in the included material how frequently to use the Silkn Revit for best results. Fortunately, I found that Silkn’s recommendation is twice a week, or approximately every four days. For the first month, I used this once per week because I was still in the throes of problem skin. I’ve since advanced to twice per week.
Starting with just-cleaned and dried skin with no product on it, I follow the face guides provided by Silkn. Because my nose and chin are the most annoying in terms of pore visibility, I spend a little extra time on them. Proper usage is painless. Happily, I have yet to harm myself with the device despite being recklessly overzealous with use occasionally.
Because the device is small and there’s only one button, it is easy to hold and use.
Effectiveness
After using the Silkn Revit, my face and decollete is red and warm. Don’t use this in the morning before work or immediately before a special event lest you plan to bust out the very full coverage foundation. The redness subsides within a few hours – it’s just a fresh layer that has been exposed to suction! That newly-exposed skin is new, soft, and smooth.
Personally, I use it before bed then re-cleanse my face and decollete with micellar water and a cotton pad (prepare for your cotton to be disgusting – it’s a thing). After that, I slap on some argan oil and call it an evening.
When I get up in the morning, my skin is amazing – plump and radiant, no dullness. (Everything I hoped that Glamglow Thirstymud would do for me…but without the reaction or $69 price tag for a consumable.) I cleanse again with micellar water, slap on some vitamin C serum, then moisturizer (most often more argan oil) and sunscreen. Using this two days in a row seems like a bad idea and I wouldn’t use another aggressive exfoliant method back-to-back either. I stagger my AHA application two+ days after a Silkn treatment.
It isn’t a miracle worker – you aren’t going to use it for a while, get to where you want, then stop and expect to maintain results. This is a maintenance device – you have to keep using it!
Maintenance
Keeping devices like these clean is key to a long lifespan. After use, I wipe the inside and outside of the tip with an alcohol wipe.
Then, I remove the tip and carefully grab the filter with tweezers. You can throw it away – but I tend to remove the skin from it with compressed air. I usually only do this 2-3 times before replacing the filter with a new one. New filters are sold in packs of 30 and cost $9-10.
The Bottom Line
I am satisfied with, and do recommend, the Silkn Revit microderm device. If you’re looking for a physical exfoliant to help keep your skin in order, this is an effective, easy-to-use device – and although I wouldn’t call it, “cheap,” based on its initial purchase price (at either $69 or $99), it is cost effective over the long term. If you’re comfortable with reusing the filters a couple times, your ongoing cost is even less.