It’s one of the pricier models on the market but the Philips Lumea IPL 9000 series comes with a range of detachable heads designed for the face and body, and for precision – so you can focus on different areas, as needed. It’s also a larger device than some others but can be neatly stored at home in the quilted carry bag that’s included as part of the set. Despite being sizeable, the device is not heavy and can be handled with ease. It also works both corded and cordless, so you can use it whichever way is easier for you. We tried both and found that the flashes were faster (therefore making the hair removal treatment more efficient) when corded but that the cordless was ideal for those harder-to-reach areas.
As newbies to at-home IPL and laser hair removal, we really enjoyed the skin tone sensor feature, as it helped recommend the best intensity (out of the five available) based on skin tone. It only took a few sessions before we saw lighter and sparser hairs growing back. We also found the Lumea app handy for reminding us about our treatment schedule. This IPL device offers 300,000 energy flashes, as well as five intensity settings to help you zap away unwanted hair – and keep it away.
The device comes with three different head-width options – so you can cater to whichever part of the body you’re attending to – as well as a razor and pair of sunglasses for eye protection (something which, surprisingly, not many of these brands include). We really liked that this device was suitable for removing unwanted body hair from pretty much all areas, being deemed suitable for the face, underarms, arms, bikini line, legs, torso, back and chest (for men only).
The design has come a long way since the first version was advertised to us all those years ago, as has its performance (we were able to see the difference after just two uses). However, we did experience a bit of discomfort while using this IPL device, but we wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s painful. We also noticed a slight smell of the hair follicle being “burned off” but this was relatively mild and did not last long.
CurrentBody is on a mission to source and harness clinically proven breakthrough technologies and provide them via at-home devices for the everyday consumer. With a viral LED face mask and many other cult-appreciated devices on the market, it’s no surprise the brand has now developed its own laser hair-removal device. With each treatment session taking just 15 minutes, the first thing we noticed was the stylish nature of the appliance, and there was very little fuss as we got to grips with using the device. What’s special about this device is the 810nm laser diode. This bores deep into the hair follicle, aiming to permanently disable the growth function. Even after the first few uses of this device, we immediately noticed less regrowth and thinner hair in between sessions.
While the device was, of course, not completely painless, we were easily able to conduct this concentrated treatment while watching our favourite Netflix show, with little distraction. CurrentBody also claims its hair removal device can reduce issues such as ingrown hairs and strawberry legs (when pores become blocked) – and we must say the overall appearance of our legs was smoother after continued use. This device only loses half a point for being the priciest option we tested.
There is much more to this electronic device than its striking design (although, we are quite obsessed with its emerald green colour). This particular brand harnesses an innovative sapphire freezing technology, which aims to ensure zero pain when removing unwanted hair and protect the skin from any potential light damage. This was especially useful for more intimate areas and our underarms, where we typically felt more sensitivity in general.
The device features a flat head (to ensure maximum contact is made with the skin when removing unwanted hair), as well as two different modes to effectively target the hair follicles. With the brand claiming the device will reduce hair by 90 per cent in just four weeks, we did notice a significant thinning during regrowth. Our hair also grew back in patches, meaning the IPL was certainly successfully targeting particular parts of our body. It took less than 15 minutes to zap our whole body, plus the five different energy levels (suitable across the board for face, underarms, bikini line and legs) made it an easy task.
We really benefited from the two treatment modes, as this allowed for a more personalised hair removal experience, thanks to the continuous mode (for gliding over your skin, particularly when treating larger areas, like our legs) and the single mode (better for stamping smaller, more targeted treatment zones). We were also thrilled to see safety glasses included in the box, as well as a razor for prepping.
