Body hair removal techniques like waxing, shaving, threading, (and apparently sugaring), have been around for a pretty long time. They all, of course, have their pros and cons, but also work better for specific parts of the body.
But if, like me, you’re sick of having to jump in the shower and shave every other day, IPL might be the better option for you.
Different to laser hair removal, “the light that comes out of an IPL device is absorbed by the pigment in the hair, causing a buildup of energy which turns to heat (think of a black T-shirt on a sunny day),” facialist and laser specialist Debbie Thomas tells Harpers Bazaar. “The heat travels down the hair and disables or destroys the cells that make new ones.”
While IPL hair removal is a treatment offered in clinics up and down the country, there are now a plethora of at-home IPL devices advanced enough to compete with the professional options on offer. Here, our fave picks.
The best IPL hair removal devices
If you prefer the convenience – and cost benefits – of removing your hair at home, there are plenty of good options for at-home use, and many can deliver brilliant results. However, they also vary wildly in terms of price, performance and usability, so it pays to do your research beforehand. When choosing a device you should consider:
1. Lifespan: Consider the number of ‘flashes’ your device will emit. The cheapest models on the market may only last you a few years before requiring replacing, but a good IPL device will deliver decades of regular use.
2. The power: Many IPL devices come with varying levels of intensity, meaning you can treat hair on various parts of your body effectively. Some pricier options even come with a smart sensor and auto-adjust to the correct intensity for your skin tone and hair colour on contact.
3. The speed: The speed between each flash can mean the difference between a slow, laborious treatment, or a quick IPL sesh.
4. The treatment heads: The best IPL machines will come with various heads to fit your under-arms, legs, bikini areas and even your upper lip.
The best IPL devices on the market now
1. Under $300
Go Bare IPL Hair Removal Handset
$269 AT THEICONIC
A good staring point, and definitely the cheapest on the market, the Go Bare IPL has seven intensity levels (1-2 for sensitive areas like the face, and 3-7 for areas with coarser hair) and manual and automatic modes to adjust to your needs. The lower intensity settings can also be used to rejuvenate skin, stimulate blood flow and boost collagen production to improve the appearance of your skin too.
Key specifications
Cordless: Yes
Flashes: 600,000 light flashes
Usage: Once a week for 8-12 weeks.
What’s in the box? IPL Hair Removal Device, UV protection sunglasses to protect eyes during usage, Razor for hair removal before IPL application, User Manual
Features: 1 to 7 intensity levels, 2 application modes (manual and auto), LCD screen
2. Under $500 (for now)
Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL
$499 AT SHAVERSHOP
The Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 is the holy grail of IPL with a price to match, going for a solid $1,110 (though, currently on sale). Its SensoAdapt technology adapts the intensity of the flash to your skin tone (because it changes in different parts of the body, of course), while the precision head allows you to easily tackle trickier areas like your face, bikini and underarms. There’s also a glide mode that allows you to quickly work across large areas of your body while the stamp mode offers precision.
Key specifications
Cordless: No
Flashes: 400,000 flashes
Usage: 74% hair reduction after 12 weekly sessions (combined value for bikini, leg, axilla)
What’s in the box? Silk-expert Pro 5, Precision head, Venus Extra Smooth Swirl razor, Soft Pouch
Features: 10 intensity levels, 2 Treatment Modes
3. Under $600
Ulike Sapphire Air+ IPL Hair Removal Device
$515 AT CURRENTBODY
Probably the most compact on the market (fancy an IPL sesh on the go?), the ULIKE Diamond Air+ IPL has continuous or single modes (depending on if you want to glide for speed or stamp for precision), sapphire freezing technology which reduces the heat output and cools the skin, five energy levels, and can be used on the face, bikini line, underarms, legs and arms. It’s also a super sleek design.
Key specifications
Cordless: Yes
Flashes: 650,000
Usage: Use three times a week for 4 weeks, then twice a week for 2 months and top up with one session every 1-3 months
What’s in the box? Ulike Sapphire Air+ IPL Hair Removal Device, Safety Glasses, Razor, AC Power Cable, Adaptor, Anti-counterfeiting Card
Features: 2 modes for targeted treatment, 5 energy levels
4. Under $700
Foreo PEACH™ 2 IPL Hair Removal Device
$649 AT SHAVERSHOP
Clearly the best looking IPL device, but also one of the best: Foreo’s Peach delivers decent results. The larger-than-average window and high-speed flash mean it’ll treat your legs rapidly but you can also access hard-to-get-to areas with its bendable head. It claims twice as much power than other IPL devices, while the vibrational massage and in-built cooling system tempers any sting. It comes with five intensities as well as a precision setting for your face.
Key specifications
Cordless: Yes
Flashes: 500,000
Usage: Permanent hair reduction in just 12 weeks, with visible results after 2 weeks
What’s in the box? PEACH™ 2, Power Cable with 4 Plug Adaptors, Cleaning Cloth, Quick Start Guide
Features: 2 modes, a built-in air cooling system with 360° skin cooling ducts, UV-filtration & smart skin sensor
5. Under $1,000
Philips Series 9000 Lumea Cordless IPL
$999 AT shavershop
Impatient? This cordless device acts fast, with results claiming to be seen in just three weeks. It features the same ‘SmartSkin’ tech as previous Philips models, which recommends the optimum setting for your skin tone, as well as four different attachments for different areas of the body.
Key specifications
Cordless: Yes
Flashes: >450,000
Usage: Every two weeks for the first six weeks, then touch-up where needed
What’s in the box? Storage pouch, four attachment heads
Features: SmartSkin sensor
What is IPL?
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light technology. The hair removal process uses very gentle pulses of light to the hair root. This makes the hair go into its resting phase: the hair you have falls out, and gradually your body grows less hair in that area.
How does it differ from laser?
Put simply, IPL produces a broad bandwith of light wavelengths, whereas laser produces a single band of light – making it more specific to a given target. “The key difference between IPL and Laser is the type of light. Laser light is monochromatic, non-divergent and targets very specific concerns. IPL produces a broadband spectrum of white light, producing a mixture of many different colours. These colours can be controlled using filters,” say the team at Lynton Clinic.
If you want fewer, more targeted treatments, or need major resurfacing, laser may be the better option. IPL is a better option for less downtime and gentler treatment but you will definitely need more sessions.
What are the benefits of IPL?
Unlike waxing and shaving, IPL permanently reduces your hair regrowth. Yes, you still have to keep up with a maintenance treatment about once a year to keep a great result, but the idea is that IPL prevents hair growth at the follicle so you do don’t have to worry about shaving every other day. Other benefits of IPL include permanent prevention of ingrown hairs, and the reduction of redness, blemishes, brown spots and scarring.
How to prep for IPL hair removal
Whether you’re prepping for an in-office treatment or trying IPL hair removal at home, you should take some important precautions. If you have a deep skin tone, check in with a dermatologist or certified practitioner before using an IPL device to ensure that you don’t burn your skin—if you aren’t able to consult with a professional, you should avoid trying an at-home device altogether, as the risk of damaging your skin isn’t worth it.
About two weeks before your in-office procedure or at-home hair removal session, be sure not to lay out in the sun or in a tanning bed — UV light exposure can decrease the contrast between your skin and hair and increase skin sensitivity. You shouldn’t use retinoids or exfoliants in the week before the IPL treatment either, since both can cause irritation, but you should shave before your IPL session to prevent any hair above the skin’s surface from getting burned during the treatment—which could damage the surrounding skin.
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