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Name one hair removal device or technique my facial hair has resisted. Electrolysis, electric shocks hair by hair: painful and pointless. Professional laser treatments: expensive and pointless. Wax, chemicals, epilators, threading, a weird spring with handles: pointless. Each treatment just made my hair stronger, a mutated strain resistant to removal. So when I got the chance to try IPL (infrared pulse laser, sometimes called at-home laser hair removal), I wasn’t optimistic. But after the struggle, I was really surprised.
I tested two devices, the Ulike Air 10 ($299, regularly $399) and RoseSkinCo’s Lumi ($161 with code LABORDAY). I used the Ulike in my left armpit and on the side of my face, the Lumi on the right. Out of the box, the Ulike Air was noticeably bulkier, the size of an old corded phone with a two-part cord. It came with foldable sunglasses to protect your eyes (I learned the flashes are pretty bright) and a tiny disposable razor (shaving before IPL is a must). The Lumi was much more compact, about the size and weight of an orange, with no extras in the box.
Both devices work on the same scientific principle. IPL uses a specific wavelength of light that damages hair follicles, causing them to produce finer hair (or none at all). However, this technology has limitations: Because the light wave must be absorbed by the hair and reflected by the skin (so as not to damage it), it only works on hair and skin tones with high contrast—essentially, light skin and dark hair. Darker skin could absorb too much heat and burn; lighter hair might not absorb enough light to be effective. And because the optimal wavelength is tinted red, the device is also ineffective on red hair.
The ULike has four modes: fast, normal, high, and SHR (super hair removal). The Lumi has six levels of progressively stronger power. Both recommend eventually using the highest level you can tolerate, but then slowly working your way up. I tested the Lumi on level 4 and felt absolutely nothing, so much so that I was worried it wasn’t working. The ULike has built-in cooling to counteract any errant heat, so no matter which mode I used, I just felt very, very cold. After making sure my skin wasn’t reacting (you can expect a slightly bumpy texture with an IPL treatment), I cranked both devices up to maximum for the rest of the test—I knew my facial hair would require the big guns.
Both devices have built-in safety precautions: the devices won’t activate unless they’re fully in contact with the skin, presumably so you don’t accidentally blind a pet or your partner. That said, I’d recommend not using them in the presence of others—the spillover flash is still pretty bright.
I used the devices every other day (okay, sometimes every third day) for about eight weeks—it takes at least six weeks to see results, so it’s a long shot. Treating my entire face and underarms only took about ten minutes, even when I switched devices halfway through. I didn’t feel any pain at any point, but if I didn’t put in the necessary effort while shaving, I could sometimes feel heat and smell that unmistakable smell of burnt hair. As with so many things, consistency is rewarded—even after you’ve achieved your desired level of hair removal, both brands recommend slowing down the pace of treatment, but not stopping, to maintain results.
After six weeks, I’m shocked to see a noticeable difference. My armpits have changed the most – the hair is growing back soft and sparse, meaning I can extend the time between shaves (and it itches less when it does grow back).
My facial hair has weakened, but not disappeared. When I first started, the time between facial hair removals was best measured in hours – if I bleached, shaved or plucked my hair in the morning, I wanted to make sure I touched it up quickly before heading out to an evening event. Like I said, mutated hair. After the IPL treatment, there were whole days where I didn’t do anything to my hair at all (even though those weren’t days I planned to leave the house). The effects weren’t just on my hair; because the hair that grows back is softer and less dense, my skin is smoother and less irritated by the constant cycle of growth and removal.
When comparing my science experiments, the ULike was more effective than the Lumi: the hair on the left side of my face grows slower and sparser than the right. The larger size and higher price are noticeable in the results, but I would recommend the Lumi for travel or anyone with limited hand mobility – the more compact size was much easier to manage and I think you would get comparable results over time.
Buy from ULike, $299
Buy from RoseSkinCo, $161
I will continue with ULike and plan to expand the treatment areas to my legs, arms and bikini area (wish me luck and flexibility!).
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