There are many models with different pricing- how to choose a hair removal machine that will be effective and inexpensive? Follow our guide.
Photo epilation is fundamentally different from all other methods of dealing with hair in places where it is not needed. The fact that we still use conventional mechanical devices is only a consequence of the high cost of all other types of devices. Why is photo epilation better than traditional plucking?
- It is painless. No pain, even in the most delicate areas.
- Doesn’t irritate. After regular hair removal, it often appears.
- Long-lasting effect. Re-processing is required much later.
However, there are drawbacks, but to understand them, you need to get acquainted with the operation principle of such devices.
How does a hair removal machine work?
If the usual one removes hairs by grabbing them with tweezers, then the “photo” does it using pulses of light. A unique lamp creates flashes that heat the dark pigment melanin and disrupt the hair root’s nutrition. After a while, the follicle collapses, and the hair stops growing. Of course, not forever – only for a bit. But this time is quite long – depending on individual characteristics, re-processing may be required no earlier than six months (and sometimes several years). To obtain this effect, several sessions of photo epilation are needed.
Of course, photo epilators (hair removal machine) have not only pluses but also minuses. The flashes target the dark pigment.
If you have light or gray hair, the photo epilator is unlikely to cope with the task since there is not much melanin.
It is the same with the skin color: dark, burns, and pigmented formations may appear. These are the main contraindications.
How to choose the right hair removal machine?
There are a few key points to consider when choosing an epilator (hair removal machine).
Lamp resource
This is the main “working element” of this type of epilator. Unlike household lamps, the resource is measured not in hours of operation but the number of flashes. High-quality lamps are designed for several hundred thousand flashes. Accordingly, the higher this figure, the longer your equipment will last. For example: it takes about 150 flashes to treat legs, about 1000 for the whole body. A lamp can cost up to 50% of the cost of the epilator itself.
Flash output
The more powerful the flash, the more actively the hair roots will be destroyed. In this case, power is measured in joules per square centimeter. Lamps that provide flashes of 4 J / cm² and above are considered a good indicator. Advanced models usually have power control. If your skin is too light, high flash output can be uncomfortable. It is okay if the photo epilator has a sensor for detecting skin tone: it will automatically set the required (safe) power.
Processing area
If you need to epilate a large part of your body, a photo epilator with a large treatment area will do the fastest in one flash. Usually, it is 4 to 7 cm². But when working with a face and some other parts, a nuance may arise: here, on the contrary, a compact head is more convenient. The ideal solution is a device with an additional attachment, specifically for facial epilation.
Applicability
Any device can handle body epilation. For areas on the face, as we just noted, a special attachment and modes are needed. Specify in the description whether the model you like is suitable for working with a face.
Food type
A network powers the overwhelming majority of photo epilators. And only a few – from the mains and battery. It is unlikely that you will carry out the procedure on the beach or in the deep taiga, so it is fundamentally not so important whether the device has a battery.
Home photo epilator (hair removal machine): The Best Models
If we make a rating of photo epilators for the home, we would include these models in it. It isn’t easy to compare them with each other, because each is good in its price range.
Beurer IPL5500
- Lamp resource – 200,000 pulses
- Processing area – 3.1 cm 2
- Number of modes – 3
- Power supply – from the network
One of the most affordable on the market and in our rating of photo epilators 2020. The package is as simple as possible (there is not even a storage case). The lamp life is relatively small, but this does not mean that the device will have to be thrown away after a year. But there is a skin tone sensor. Besides, this device can process the body (legs, arms, bikini area) and the face.
In our opinion, it is a fully justified investment of money for those who have never tried photo epilation. In stores, the IPL5500 can be found in two different colors: white and red.
Philips BRI860 Lumea Essential
- Lamp resource – 200,000 pulses
- Processing area – 4 cm 2
- Number of modes – 5
- Power supply – from the network
An inexpensive model from Philips, which nevertheless has all the necessary functions. There is also a skin tone sensor here. The lamp is designed for guaranteed 200,000 impulses. The treatment area is slightly larger than that of the Beurer (4 cm 2 ), and there are as many as five intensity modes.
Based on user reviews, it takes about 15 minutes to process one zone. BRI860 Lumea Essential is suitable for both body and face – a complete photo epilator for a relatively small amount.
Braun PL3111 Silk-expert IPL Pro 3
- Lamp resource – 300,000 pulses
- Number of modes – 3
- Power supply – from the network
Why pay more if there are cheaper photo epilators, you ask? Devices of this class are distinguished by more ergonomic design, rich equipment, and advanced functions. For example, this epilator comes with a storage case, a dedicated face attachment, and a razor machine. The lamp resource is 300,000 flashes. According to the manufacturer’s assurances, it will be enough for procedures for 16 years.
The PL3111 Silk-expert IPL Pro 3, of course, has a skin tone sensor that allows you to adjust the intensity of the flashes. Also, there are 2 modes: “slide” for processing large areas and “spot” for small and sensitive areas. It is a pity that the processing area is not specified.
Philips BRI950 Lumea Essential
- Lamp resource – 250,000 pulses
- Processing area – 4.1 cm 2
- Number of modes – 5
- Power supply – from mains and battery
And what can older models costing over $400 do? For example, work not only from the mains, but also from the battery. It can also be synchronized with a smartphone via the app, which will control the schedule of procedures for the optimal effect.
The device has a handle; this facilitates the processing. The manufacturer notes that, on average, it takes 8.5 minutes to epilate the legs. There is also a skin tone sensor, and a security system works on its basis: if the skin area is too dark, the flashes are blocked to exclude the possibility of burns. Storage case included.
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