Nobody enjoys the hassle of laser hair removal. Using razors every day or booking salon wax treatments every couple of weeks is absolutely not fun. It is also time-consuming and downright boring. That hair just keeps on coming back. Thankfully there is a better solution. Using IPL and similar devices is the best laser hair removal option available in our current times. After a few weeks, you can be almost completely hair-free, save for a top-up treatment every month or two.
Personal IPL and laser machines enable you to enjoy the benefits of these beauty treatments in the comfort and privacy of your own home, but which should you choose? In this review, we take a look at the best IPL laser hair removal products on the market to help you decide.
Our Favourite Laser Hair Removal Machines Compared
What Is IPL Hair Removal?
IPL stands for ‘Intense Pulsed Light’ – a type of hair removal technology which involves using focused ray energy on the skin to reduce hair growth. It is an incredibly effective and popular method that targets the hair follicles directly.
These machines create hundreds of broad-spectrum light wavelengths which make their way through fibre optic tubes to a handheld device. This is then used to accurately focus the light onto the area of skin to be processed.
These light wavelengths target the pigmentation in the hairs. They heat up the hair follicles to a level which damages their cellular structure, thus decreasing further hair growth. Because the surrounding skin is left undamaged, intense pulsed light is considered a highly-targeted solution to hair removal.
Laser hair removal treatments provide a concentrated beam of light which can be directed deep down into the pores to destroy the follicle.
Both beauty treatments are very effective, but laser treatments offer more specific hair removal.
What Are the Benefits of Laser & IPL Hair Removal Machines?
Laser and IPL hair removal products are great ways to achieve long-term hair reduction. The technology is very safe and is used by thousands of men and women every year to achieve smooth skin. Most machines can reduce hair growth by as much as 80%.
Using laser and IPL hair removal machines will save you all the time, hassle and expense normally associated with hair removal. By choosing this type of beauty method, you will no longer need to worry about booking wax treatments, cutting yourself while using an electric shaver or stocking up on hair removal creams.
These devices pose very few potential side effects, and most of them are very minor. In the event that you do experience any side effects, they will have usually disappeared within a couple of days.
Furthermore, unlike waxing and epilation, there is no risk of painful ingrown hairs or razor burns with intense pulsed light and laser treatments.
How to Use Laser & IPL Hair Removal Devices
Laser hair removal devicesmost cases
Shaving the area to be treated
This may seem counterproductive, but it enables the light waves to reach the pores containing the hair follicles. If you skip this step and opt-out of shaving before use, the hairs can block the light waves and thus render the procedure less effective.
Do not wax or epilate prior to using a laser or IPL device
This is because some hair needs to remain beneath the skin in order for the beauty regime to work.
Once you have shaved, you will need to choose the correct setting according to the area of the body you want to treat. Most intense pulsed light and laser machines will have a range of intensity options you can choose from, with lower settings for sensitive areas.
Most devices will offer two different usage modes called “Stamp & Flash” and “Slide & Flash”, or similar names
Using the stamp mode, you place the machine onto the skin, push a button to activate the flash and then move it along to the area and repeat. This is best for more precise areas, such as the upper lip.
The slide mode usually requires you to hold the button down, while slowly ‘sliding’ the machine over the area you want to treat. During slide mode, the device will flash continually at regular intervals, making it a much quicker option when you want to treat your legs.
Laser and IPL hair removal treatments are not suitable for everyone
Most men and women can use it. It is effective on dark hair but it will not be effective on red, grey, light blonde or white hair. Also, if you have very dark skin, the light waves are heavily attracted to the melanin pigmentation and can cause skin blisters, burns and scarring. Luckily, most home laser devices now have integrated safety sensors which will prevent them from working on skin which is too dark.
Now that we understand what laser and IPL hair removal are, and its benefits, we are going to jump into some of the best IPL and laser hair removal reviews. In this section, we look at some of the best laser hair removal machines on the market, to see how they compare.
1. Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 (Editor’s Choice)
Featuring 3 uniquely shaped head attachments, the Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 is a top choice for men and women who wish to remove hair from many different areas. Studies have shown an impressive 92% reduction in hair growth from as few as 3 treatments with this product.
Features
Boasting five power settings, this device also features a special built-in sensor that identifies which is the best setting for your skin tone. Catchily named the ‘SmartSkin Sensor’, this technology protects people from harming themselves by using the product incorrectly.
You are able to manually set the intensity if you have light or dark skin, but you will not be allowed to set it higher than suggested. This type of feature enables greater flexibility to bring the intensity mode down, especially if you want to work on painful sensitive areas.
Either way, if a users’ skin is too dark, it will lock itself and not emit any damaging flashes. However, some users have reported that the SmartSkin Sensor sometimes locks the device for no fathomable reason.
The Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 is wonderfully easy to use. After you have completed the initial 4 treatments, you should only need to have sessions around once a month to maintain your results.
By far, one of our favourite features is the ability to use this device both corded and cordless. The cord can conveniently be stored inside the handle. A cordless option gives you supreme freedom of movement to reach difficult places easily, once you remove and store away the cord that is. The corded alternative is super-convenient for those occasions when you are in a hurry and forgot to charge up the battery.
When it comes to design, the Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 is a beauty to look at. It showcases a gun-like shape, almost like something from a sci-fi movie, but is also beautifully tapered with delicately rounded edges. The head attachment is a glamorous deep golden colour, while the casing is a crisp white.
The design is ergonomically sound and it is easy to hold with a secure grip. The trigger button is positioned in exactly the right place, so you do not need to overstretch your finger to touch and reach it. However, with regard to weight, it can feel a bit heavy.
The extra attachments are intelligently curved to match the areas of the body they are likely to be used. The facial attachment has a 2 cm window, which is perfect for small, precise lip treatments. The bikini attachment is 3 cm, while the main body attachment is a generous 4.1 cm2.
Pros:
- Can achieve a 92% reduction in hair growth with only 3 sessions
- SmartSkin Sensor tailors the intensity to how light or dark your skin is
- Includes three intelligently shaped heads
- Ergonomic design
- Can be used corded or cordless
Cons:
- SmartSkin Sensor technology sometimes locks incorrectly
- Feels rather heavy
- Storing the cord in the handle can be awkward
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The Braun Silk Expert BDgold head
Features
The lifespan of the cartridges in this product is on a level with market leaders. The Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5009 also offers 300,000 flashes – which is capable of lasting men and women 15 years of full-body treatments. Amazingly, if you only plan to use the device on your legs, you could get as many as 35 years of use.
This model is also corded, so it must be plugged into the mains at all times during use. Some people may find this makes treating some areas more difficult as you are tethered to the wall. Laser machine users who have more experience may find this less of an inconvenience. On a positive note, it does eliminate the need to keep the unit charged-up.
In line with its 5001 sister device, the 5009 model also boasts the unique ‘SensoAdapt’ skin sensor. Using this technology, hair removal effectiveness will always be at the optimum level, no matter which part of your person you are targeting.
The highly sensitive skin sensor will constantly adjust the intensity as the light window is moved over the skin surface. There is little room for error here, as the sensor runs a skin tone check 80 times per second. Users can keep track of the fluctuating power level, by watching the white power indicator lights dance up and down during the process.
This indicator bar will not function at all if the device doesn’t adequately touch the skin. In this case, it will not flash. If the lights glow red, the receiving skin tone is too dark and it will also refuse to work.
The treatment window measures 3 cm2, which is smaller than other models. However, with only 1 to 2 seconds between flashes in glide mode, it can still deal with bigger skin areas fairly quickly.
As an added accessory, you will also receive a SkinSpa Sonic Exfoliator with this product. The rotating brush is designed to gently whisk away dead skin and hairs, leaving you feeling super-soft.
This is a nice touch, but some women were unimpressed with the battery life of the exfoliator. In our opinion, additional smaller attachments would have been better welcomed, to help target precision areas on the face and bikini line.
Pros:
- Sleek and lightweight design
- 300,000 flashes over its lifetime
- ‘SensoAdapt’ skin sensor technology
- Built-in safety features
- Free Sonic Exfoliator
Cons:
- Corded
- Treatment window is rather small
- Battery life of included exfoliator can be disappointing
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3. Veme for Men and Women (All Gender Choice)
Looking for a durable IPL hair removal device? This model by Veme comes with 500,000 flashes, enough to last for years and years of routine maintenance hair removal.
Features
It has two switchable flash modes. The single flashes setting offers extra precision that’s ideal for your face, underarm and bikini areas, while the continuous mode is for larger areas, such as your legs and stomach.
Thanks to its five adjustable energy intensity levels, you can easily adjust this device to suit the area you are using it on and your skin’s sensitivity. This makes it a good choice if you are new to IPL hair removal, as you can select the lowest setting for a start. The smart LCD display panel allows you to see the current settings, while the large 4.5cm flash window makes hair removal more efficient.
On the downside, this unit is not suitable for all skin tones, especially darker shades. Also, if you have light coloured hair, it may not be recommended for you either. Hence, you should double-check before purchasing. Moreover, it does tend to heat up very quickly. So, it can take a while to get larger areas hair-free, as you’ll need to take frequent breaks to cool it down.
Nonetheless, it’s a great little device that will help you to remove body hair and reduce or eliminate regrowth.
Pros:
- Dual flash modes
- Five energy intensity levels
- 4.5 cm flash window
- 500,000 flash lifespan
- Smart LCD display
Cons:
- Not suitable for all skin tones
- Cannot be used on all hair shades
- The device heats up quickly
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Fast and very safe, this Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 3 hair removal device is extremely easy to use.
Features
It comes complete with a storage pouch and Venus razor, so you’ll be ready to get started. A great choice for first time IPL hair removal users, this model features Braun’s SensoAdapt technology that continuously and automatically adapts the device to your skin tone for safer and more effective hair removal.
Thanks to its three intensity levels including a gentle setting for beginners, you won’t have to worry about using it for the first time. The Silk Expert is also extremely efficient and fast, taking just nine minutes to do both legs on the lowest setting. The precision head gives you extra control and is especially useful to use on your face and underarm areas. The whole unit is compact and lightweight, making it easy to move into position.
Also, like most others, it is not suitable for certain skin tones and hair shades, so be sure to check carefully before you buy. Lastly, this particular model takes three times as long to reach a level of permanent hair reduction. However, it is gentle on the skin, rapid, and straightforward to use.
5. Fezax Wholebody Treatment (Best Value)
If you are looking for an extremely efficient IPL hair removal device, this version by Fezax is sure to be on top of your list. Complete with a razor and sunglasses, you’ll have everything you need to get started. With an impressive 999,999 flashes, this model is sure to last you much longer than most other devices.
Features
Aside from its outstanding product lifespan, this unit also features five energy intensity modes. Beginners and those of you with sensitive skin can start with level one, then build up to a maximum of five once you are more confident and if your skin tolerates the treatment well. Use the manual mode for precision hair removal or the auto mode for large areas. Also, it’s easy to set and check on the mode and intensity, thanks to the bright, user-friendly LCD display panel.
While using this IPL device will give most users a noticeable reduction in body hair regrowth from eight weeks, you will need to use it frequently for the first few weeks. Furthermore, it is not suitable for all skin tones and hair shades, so do check first. Finally, the main issue is the length of the power cord, although you could always use an extension.
On the whole, it is a great product that is easy to use and gives long-lasting results.
Pros:
- Great value: 999,999 flashes
- Five intensity levels
- Two flash modes
- LCD display
- Includes razor and sunglasses
Cons:
- Fairly short cord
- Not suitable for all light hair shades and dark skin
- Need to use frequently for the first few weeks
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6. Braun Silk-Expert 5 BD 5001
One of the newer kids on the block, Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5001 utilises high-quality technology to bring you permanent hair reduction in only 4 treatments.
Features
The effectiveness of this one depends upon matching the correct intensity mode with the receiving skin tone. Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5001 understands this. It features a unique ‘SensoAdapt’ skin sensor which reads how dark or light your skin is every 80 seconds. This smart sensor means that the intensity can be continuously adjusted as you move it, thus providing maximum effect.
As it is moved over the skin, the power level indicator on the side of the device fluctuates to let you know it is adapting accordingly. Not only does this type of feature ensure the best results, but it also keeps you safe and can remove the guesswork from matching your skin against a colour chart.
The Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5001 is incredibly quick and easy to use. Even large areas of skin can be treated in a very short time. For example, a regime for your arm or leg can be effectively completed in as little as 8 minutes.
If you are concerned about the lifespan of the cartridges, you really needn’t be. Offering a mind-blowing 300,000 flashes, it is unlikely you will be replacing them any time over the next 15 years.
For those men and women who have a low pain threshold, the Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5001 offers two ‘gentle’ modes in addition to the normal mode. These settings work by lowering the energy level of the ray, giving beginners a tamer option when starting on those painful sensitive areas.
This one is corded, which may pose an inconvenience for some people. On the other hand, this means you do not need to worry about remembering to keep it charged-up.
Super-fast treatment times are supported by a convenient ‘glide’ mode. This mode triggers a flash every 1-2 seconds as the device is swept over the skin, making sure there is little chance of missed areas.
With regard to the design, the Braun Silk Expert 5 BD 5001 is geared towards women customers with its sleek and feminine facade. Featuring an elegantly curved white casing and a shimmering rose gold head, this product has a truly chic feel. The sweeping shape makes it comfortable to hold. It is also not too heavy. So, overall, it is well-balanced in your hand.
There are no additional head attachments, so this may be a little difficult to use on smaller areas. However, a Gillette Venus razor is included for prepping the skin, which is quite convenient.
Pros:
- ‘SensoAdapt’ skin sensor technology constantly adjusts to how light or dark your skin is
- 300,000 flashes which can provide 15 years’ use
- Very quick and easy to use
- Compact and attractive design
- Razor is included
Cons:
- Some users may find corded design difficult
- Lack of attachments
- May be difficult to use on smaller areas
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7. Philips Lumea SC2009/00
Featuring a sleek, hair dryer-like design, this high-end product looks impressively futuristic right out of the box. Using laser technology, this machine will flash away your hair woes in no time. In as little as 4 treatments (over 8 weeks) you will experience an incredible reduction in hair growth. Best of all, after this initial phase, simply reuse once every 4 to 6 weeks to maintain wonderfully smooth results.
Features
There are 5 levels of intensity and two treatment modes to choose from. The instruction manual provided includes a handy table that helps you determine which setting is suitable for you. This ensures you will get the best results without risking skin irritation or reducing its effectiveness.
No matter which mode you choose, the cordless design of the Philips Lumea SC2009/00 makes using this product a breeze. When you treat those hard-to-reach areas, there’s no need to worry about getting tangled up in the cord or accidentally pulling the plug out of the wall. This feature is especially useful when contorting yourself to reach the backs of your legs, for example.
Manoeuvrability is further enhanced by the comfortable and easy to hold design. The Philips Lumea SC2009/00 feels sturdy and durable, though a little heavy. There is no hint of cheap or flimsy material with this product. The ergonomic design also fits perfectly in your hand, limiting potential fatigue when treating large areas.
You will undoubtedly enjoy many years of use with the Philips Lumea SC2009/00. It offers a staggering 250,000 flashes in its lifetime. This is much more than even the hairiest individual is likely to need.
The built-in lithium battery provides as much as 350 flashes per full charge. So, you can easily take the Philips Lumea SC2009/00 with you on a weekend away, without packing the charger. The first charge is quick too. This product is juiced up and ready to go after only an hour and 40-minute charge.
The main light window attachment for body hair measures 4 cm2, which is great for large areas like the legs or back, but admittedly a little big for use on awkward areas.
However, this is no cause for concern as two additional precision attachments measuring 2 cm2 are included alongside the main device. These are perfect for women to use in their bikini and lip area or for men on their facial hair, but we would ideally have liked to see two different sizes. You can read more about the Philips Lumea in our full review.
Pros:
- Rapid and long-lasting results
- 250,000 flashes in its lifetime
- Cordless and ergonomic design
- Long battery life per charge
- Two extra precision attachments
Cons:
- Expensive
- Feels quite heavy
- Extra attachments are both the same size
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8. Poshions Laser Hair Removal System
One of the more economical options on our list, the Poshions Laser Hair Removal System offers 5 different energy levels and limits light leakage for optimum results. The intensity is manually adjustable by the user. Poshions suggests that those with no experience start at the lowest level before they work on gradually increasing the level, once comfortable.
Features
This device stands out from others in this review by featuring a touch LCD screen. This displays the current settings and can be used to adjust them. There are also 3 buttons: one large main button to operate the flash, a power switch, and a power level adjustment button.
In terms of treatment modes, Poshions Laser Hair Removal System offers single or continuous flash. Single flash mode is recommended for smaller areas such as cheek, armpit and upper lip. Continuous flash is a quicker option for larger areas like the legs and chest. Modes are easy to switch between by holding down the flash button.
Offering 400,000 flashes, the Poshions Laser Hair Removal System is head and shoulders above the competition. Such a lifespan could potentially last men and women for 20 years. The treatment window is a good size at 4.5 cm2.
The biggest negative with this product is the apparent lack of features for safe usage. Unlike the others, this device will flash no matter what skin tone it is placed upon. The intensity choice is also left completely up to you, so some caution is required here to avoid permanent skin damage.
Poshions Laser Hair Removal System is a corded model. The cord is detachable to improve portability and storage, but this may also increase the risk of accidentally disconnecting the device during use.
Poshions is quite specific about the usage frequency for this device. They state that it needs to be used between 6 and 12 times in total to reach the best results. For the first 6 sessions, it should be used once every two weeks. After this stage, this product should be used once per month. Treatment frequency should be reduced to once every 2-3 months after the 12th session.
This may be a little complicated for users with no experience of using laser at-home treatments. It requires keeping a log of treatments, rather than simply using your device when hair begins to show.
If this suggested regime is followed, Poshions say users can achieve 75% less hair growth after 4 weeks and 95% less after 8 weeks.
The Poshions Laser Hair Removal System also comes with a free pair of glasses to help protect your eyes during the process.
Pros:
- 400,000 flashes
- LCD Touch Screen
- 5 power levels
- 5 cm2 treatment window
- Free protective glasses
Cons:
- No features for safe usage
- Only one head attachment
- Corded
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Which is the Best Laser Hair Removal Machine?
Overall, we think the Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 is the best IPL hair removal machine among all the models we have reviewed. Well-designed, attractive and highly-effective – this model left us seriously impressed.
With a choice of three contoured head attachments and five power settings, this model is perfect for effortless whole body hair removal. After just 3 treatments, the Philips Lumea Prestige BRI954/00 has been proven to reduce hair growth by 92%.
The SmartSkin sensor automatically selects the right setting for your skin tone – taking the guesswork out of IPL hair removal. Safety is built-in, too. You can select a lower power level for your skin tone if you wish, but you cannot choose one that’s higher than suggested.
Finally, we love that this beauty tool can be used both corded and cordless for ultimate flexibility. The cord can also be stored within the ergonomic handle – so it’s simple to store or take away on holiday.
