Way back in May I started a course of IPL home treatments using both the Boots Smooth Skin by iPulse and the Philips Lumea. In one sense I am really just reviewing IPL as a hair removal method (and I can now authoritatively say IPL is *amazing*) and most of the questions I’ve been asked about IPL have not been device specific.

To prevent you having the tedious job of clicking through all the old posts, I will re-post all that I have found so far. (If you just want to read my final verdict, scroll down to the bottom.)

So let’s start with some basics about the devices I’ve been using…

Philips Lumea

They say: “Philips Lumea IPL hair removal system uses gentle pulses of light to stimulate the hair root into a resting phase. Hair sheds naturally and regrowth is inhibited. Once hair removal has been achieved after 6-12 treatments, repeating this treatment every two weeks for the underarms, bikini area, arms and stomach and every four weeks for legs will keep your skin smooth everyday.Philips Lumea has been developed in close co-operation with leading dermatologists for a safe, effective and gentle application on underarms, bikini area, legs, arms and stomach. Philips Lumea works effectively on (naturally) dark-blond, brown and black hair. Philips Lumea is NOT effective for (naturally) red, grey and light blond hair. Philips Lumea is NOT suitable for very dark skin (skin type VI)”

I say: “It looks like a futuristic hairdryer. I like it.”

Price: RRP is £400. Currently available on Amazon for £399. Prefer Advanatage Card points? It’s available from Boots for £399.99. (These prices are correct as of 27/08/2011, they have risen since first posting in May)

Official Website: http://www.philips.co.uk/c/lumea-shaving/171060/cat/

Any support?: Great community support on Facebook here. (And further support on the official site).

Number of settings: 5

Strongest setting: 6.5 joules.

Size of treatment window: 3cm²

Pause between zaps: 3 seconds

Gel required?: Nope.

Cordless?: Yes

Charging time?: 1 hour.

Okay for the boys?: No.

Okay for the face?: No.

Claims to be permanent?: No. (See description above)

Lamp lifetime: 50,000 flashes. Then the whole thing needs to be replaced. (Around 5 years of zapping full leg, bikini and underarms)

Buy Philips Lumea.

Boots Smooth Skin by iPulse

They say: “Boots Smooth Skin gives permanent hair reduction in just 6-12 weeks, it is an easy to use hair removal solution at home. For use on body and face, it is great value when compared with everyday and salon hair removal. Not to be used if you have a parent or grandparent who is naturally dark skinned, for example of Indian, Pakistani, Black Caribbean, Black African or Bangladeshi ethnic origin, even if your skin tone is fair, medium or dark on the Skin Tone chart. Darker skin tones absorb too much light during the treatment which may cause serious skin injury.”

I say: “Impressed by the use of the word ‘permanent’ in all the marketing shiz.”

Price: RRP is £331.90. Currently available from Boots here.

Official Website: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smooth-Skin/

Any support?: Yep. Active community here on Facebook and here on Twitter.

Number of settings: 3

Strongest setting: 10 joules

Size of treatment window: 3cm²

Pause between zaps: 6 seconds

Gel required?: Yes. (First bottle included, further bottles RRP at £3.05 and are available from Boots)

Cordless?: No.

Charging time?: Not applicable as corded. Plug in and go.

Okay for the boys?: Yes.

Okay for the face?: Yes.

Claims to be permanent?: Yes.

Lamp liftime: 10,000 flashes. Then you need to replace the handset (not entire unit). Handsets alone currently retail for £163.40.

Buy Boots Smooth Skin by iPulse

Since I started my own IPL ‘journey’, iPulse have released the ‘Smooth Skin PLUS‘ and Philips have released a new Lumea model. My experiences do NOT relate to these products, I have never tried either.

After four sessions with both of the devices I was trialing, I posted these Q&As…

Q. Does it hurt? It must hurt! Did you cry?

A. It doesn’t hurt. I use the most powerful settings on both devices and neither of them are painful. For the bikini line and underarms you’re more inclined to get it over and done with, but it really isn’t ‘painful’. At most it feels like being flicked by an annoying younger sibling. I don’t find zapping my legs painful at all. It’s worth noting that it’s going to hurt (and potentially do quite a lot of damage) if you shouldn’t be using IPL in the first place. Without wanting to sound like your overbearing Dad/headmaster/local MP, this is not a hair removal process for everyone. If you have the right skintone, hair colour and follow the instructions then you should be a-ok.

Q: Do you have to grow your hair to use IPL?

A: No, the opposite. You need to be closely shaven. (Which I see as a good thing, walking around all hairy pre-wax is gaggy).

Q. How long does it take to zap an area?

A. It takes me about 10 minutes to do bikini and underarms (together). Speedy. Nifty. Unfortunately, it take me 2 effing hours to do my legs…and that’s only knee to ankle. The treatment windows are (relatively) tiny so large surface areas take a decent chunk of time to complete. Honestly, I have never wanted to lose weight from my calves so much in my life, simply because I’d have less surface area and less bloody IPLing to do.

Q. How often do you need to zap an area?

A. Philips Lumea recommend not zapping more than once a fortnight (they say you’re wasting your time if you do it more frequently) whereas iPulse recommend zapping once a week during the ‘treatment phase’ (this is where you’re still removing the hair, before getting to a ‘maintenance stage’). I’m using the iPulse on my legs and the Lumea on my underarms and bikini, so I’m treating legs once a week and underarms/bikini once a fortnight.

Q: Why are you using the iPulse on your legs and the Lumea on underarms/bikini?

A: iPulse go more crazy with the ‘permanent’ angle in their marketing, and the bulb is more powerful at the highest setting so it is stronger. My legs bother me a lot, they really do, so I decided to tackle them with might and strength…hence the iPulse choice. Once your fuzz-free with the Lumea, you’re supposed to maintain it by fortnightly sessions…I can bear that on my underarms and bikini as it’s so quick to do, but I don’t think I could bear it on my legs. ALSO, for all I know massive 70s bushes will come back in fashion, so I don’t want to go too crazy with a laser down there. And I might get cast in a hippy movie where I need hairy armpits, you never know.

Q: Do you need any extra bits? Or just the IPL device itself?

A: You need a gel to use with the iPulse (your first bottle comes with it and further bottles are cheap from Boots) and no matter which device you use you’ll need something like a white eyeliner to cover any moles from dangerous zaps and to draw grid lines on your legs so you know where you have and haven’t treated. You’ll see why you need the white eyeliner once you start! It’s pretty impossible to keep track of where you’ve treated if you don’t draw all over yourself.

Q: Is it boring?

A: Okay I admit that nobody asks me this, but it seems that nobody considers how boring a legs session is. I had no idea how boring it would be. I feel it is my duty to let you know that lasering your legs will BORE YOU TO TEARS. I dread my leg sessions, simply because it’s so bloody dull to sit there zapping teeny squares of skin. AND it can be mighty fiddly as you try to contort and do the backs of your legs. Always do it in front of the telly. Telly will keep you sane.

Q: Are you seeing results?

A: Yes. I’m the most cynical person in the world and never expected results so quickly, but the boredom of treatments is definitely worth it. I still have lots to do but there are areas where the hair has gone patchy and pathetic, so it’s definitely working. One of my biggest bugbears was how even if I’d shaved that day you could see my disgusting black hair under the skin, that’s really going now so I’m thrilled to pieces. And I feel smoother in general, smoother than normal post-shave smoothness.

Q: At this stage, would you recommend it?

A: 100% yes. I’d highly recommend IPL and I’d highly recommend both devices.

Q: At this stage, is one of the devices proving to be a favourite over the other?

A: I prefer the Lumea because it is cordless, easier to hold and has a shorter delay between flashes. That being said, the iPulse boasts longer results so that’s a real consideration. For a fair comparison, I will at some point do a legs session with the Lumea to see how long that takes. But my final review of the two will have to come when we’re further down the line with results!

SO WHAT IS THE BLOODY VERDICT?

Well we have a clear winner when it comes to results and it’s the Boots Smooth Skin by iPulse. I was so impressed with the hair removal that I actually got very lazy with my treatments and never finished the course…so now a couple of months later I need to re-start again, but I was STUNNED by how effective it was. It has made a huge difference to my ‘summer confidence’ and it’s pretty amazing to be able to throw on a dress and not even think about shaving legs. My July summer holiday was *so* different to any holiday I’ve ever been on before, I barely even thought about a razor. Which also meant less hacking away at tanned legs with a blade! Longer tans FTW.

The Lumea easily won on ease of use, but really it’s all about results and longevity innit? In an ideal world I’d want to use the Philips Lumea but it would be as efficient as the Smooth Skin.

Can the two be combined to make the perfect product?! That would be amazing. But, for now, my recommendation goes to the Smooth Skin. And as it’s the cheaper product of the two as well, that ain’t too shabby!