LOOKING for longer-lasting smoothness when it comes to hair removal? Don't miss our tried and tested pick of the best IPL hair removal machines.
IPL – or intense pulsed light – works quite simply by using the heat of the light to destroy hair follicles, which in turn helps to slow down and reduce hair growth.
While laser treatments were once only accessible at specialist salons, home laser hair removal has become incredibly popular in recent years, saving hours of travel and costly appointments – perfect whether you want to achieve ultra-smooth legs, or try on smaller areas like the upper lip.
Another benefit of home laser hair removal is avoiding the dreaded razor rash or ingrown hairs that can come as a result of shaving and waxing.
Having your very own home IPL device doesn't have to be overly expensive, either: the models we tested start at £240, which although still an upfront investment, will definitely save you money in the long run.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
Read on for our verdict on six of the best IPL hair removal machines to shop in 2024.
Best IPL hair removal machines at a glance:
- Best overall IPL hair removal machine: Philips Lumea BRI958/00 9000 Series Cordless IPL
- Best budget IPL hair removal machine: SmoothSkin Bare+ IPL Hair Removal Device
- Best facial hair removal device: Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 5
- Best IPL hair removal device for legs: Sensica Sensilight Pro
- Best IPL hair removal device for arms: Silk'n Infinity Fast
Philips Lumea IPL 9900 Series
Philips Lumea IPL 9900 Series, £499
Pros: Fast results, fewer treatments, cordless and plugs into mains, suitable for most skin tones and hair colours, 4 different attachments to be more precise, SmartSkin sensor makes it comfortable to use, travel pouch, not harmful to skin, compatible app
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 5/5
The Philips Lumea is one of the most popular and well-rated devices, and it's easy to see why.
This one requires half as many treatments as other brands to see results, which is ideal if you're a little lazy or forgetful.
You start by doing a treatment once every two weeks for the first four sessions to see significant hair reduction. By your third session, you should see up to 92% hair reduction. As someone who is currently at that point in the process, I can confirm that this is the case.
After the fourth round, you only need to repeat the treatment eight more times — once every four weeks. How low maintenance is that?
To get the best results, you have to be consistent and can't forget treatment days. To save you from marking your calendar, Philips has designed a Lumea IPL app to note down treatment dates and send you a notification when it's treatment day.
We've put shampoos and conditioners to the test to help your hair glimmer
I found this particularly useful for keeping track of which areas of my body to treat on different days.
And if you're someone who travels a lot, you've got no excuses either. The device comes with a pouch for easy storage and packing away, and it works both cordless and plugged into mains.
When I first opened the product packaging, I was a little overwhelmed by all the different components – but it was really easy once I knew what everything was.
The device comes with four attachments for different parts of your body, so you can use it on your body, face, bikini line and underarms. The body attachment is obviously bigger than the face attachment, so you can get through larger parts of your body more quickly.
Philips claims that covering both lower legs will take around 8.5 minutes. After timing it, as a 5'10 slow first timer, it did indeed take under 10 minutes. And covering the upper lip takes minutes.
The curved design also helps follow the contours of your body, meaning that no hair is left behind in every pesky nook and cranny - so no more patchy shaves. Rejoice!
I know what you're wondering, though: does it hurt? For me, the answer is no, not really. The device features a SmartSkin sensor, which selects the most comfortable of five different setting options for your skin tone. It's a little more uncomfortable on your bikini line, upper lip and areas where your skin is more sensitive, but it's definitely not painful.
If safety is a concern, don't worry. The Philips Lumea only flashes when it is in full contact with the skin and the integrated UV filter makes sure that only your hairs are targeted — not the skin.
Even though this device is a little pricey, I'd say it's 100% worth the investment. I'm feeling much more confident in the lead-up to summer and already having to shave far less often.
If you're not fussed about having the latest version and want to save some cash, go for the Philips Lumea IPL Hair Removal 8000 Series which is currently £378.99 (down from £449.99) on Amazon.
Treatment areas: Body, face bikini and underarm, Corded or cordless: Both
Silk'n Infinity Fast
Silk'n Infinity Fast, £350
Pros: Fast results, SmartSkin sensor makes it comfortable to use, not harmful to skin, compatible app, compact size and carry case
Cons: Not cordless, only one attachment, so you can't change the head size for different areas of the body
Rating: 5/5
If compact is what you want, go for the Silk'n Infinity Fast IPL machine. It's smaller in size than most IPL machines and comes with a cute little carry case, making it easier to transport and store. Plus, it's a little more affordable than a lot of the other options on the market.
Like the Philips Lumea, the device will give you up to 92 per cent complete hair removal thanks to its unique combination of optical light energy and galvanic energy to slow down hair regrowth for good.
The treatment schedule isn't too hectic, either. The initial process involves doing a treatment every two weeks for six weeks straight, and then you'll need to do some maintenance.
It's easy to keep track of your treatment plan with the Silk'n app, too. Just pair your device with the app using Bluetooth, tap the area of the body you're looking to treat, and then fill in details about your skin tone and hair colour, the number of treatments so far, and the treatment date.
The app will then ask you questions about your skin to determine a suitable energy level for the first session, before giving you instructions on how to do it.
I'm currently on treatment four and already starting to see hair grow back slower and sparser, and will update this article after I've finished the entire schedule. As of now though, I'm really impressed and enjoying using this device.
This IPL machine is very easy to use, once you know how. The instruction manual is quite hefty, but it's important to read it before use so that you understand the difference between pulsing and gliding.
To put it simply: for smaller areas, you'll probably want to "pulse" the machine, which means continually pressing the button while you zap the hairs in a line. "Gliding" — pressing and holding down the pulse button and sliding across the skin at a consistent speed — is better for larger areas.
Treatment areas: Face, underarms, body, bikini line Corded or cordless: Corded
READ MORE:
- Best razors for women
- Best natural fake tans
- Best fake tan for faces
- Best sun creams
- Best SPF for faces
SmoothSkin Bare+ IPL Hair Removal Device
Smoothskin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device, £249
Pros: Smart tech tailors intensity level to your skin, unlimited flashes for long-term use, cheaper than others, compact
Cons: Not cordless, design doesn't include different attachments
Rating: 4/5
The SmoothSkin Bare works quickly and is the ideal device to remove unwanted facial hair in seconds, including stray hairs on the upper lips, jawline, and sideburns.
It also works on other parts of the body, too, with 100 flashes per minute for a quick overall result (it claims to treat your whole body in 10 minutes).
It's suitable for use on your entire body, including the legs, bikini line, underarms and facial hair.
Plus, it even checks your skin tone before each flash and only activates if it's safe to do so – meaning you have ultimate peace of mind before you embark on your pain-free, hair-free treatment session.
Treatment areas: Body, face bikini and underarm, Corded or cordless: Corded
Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 5
Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 5 PL5137, £610 £349.99
Pros: Precision head for sensitive areas, adapts to skin tone, pouch and razor included, 3 intensity modes, compact
Cons: Not cordless
Rating: 4/5
Ideal for both men and women, this IPL hair removal machine can result in permanent hair reduction in as little as four weeks.
The device can treat both of your legs in less than five minutes and has even been rigorously tested by the Skin Health Alliance to ensure the technology used is safe.
Braun's IPL is suitable for chest hair, the back, arms, underarms, stomach, legs and face – while the precision head is great for delicate, sensitive areas like the upper lip and around the jaw.
It adapts automatically to your skin tone while you use it, and is effective on light to medium skin tones, with hair ranging from natural blonde to dark brown or black.
For just under £350, you'll get the device, a super cute white and gold travel or storage pouch, and a Venus razor for those stubborn hairs that are determined to stick around for the party a little longer.
Treatment areas: legs, arms, chest, back, face, underarms and even the pubic areas, Corded or cordless: Corded
Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser
Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X - Fuchsia, £400
Pros: Cordless, same diode laser technology preferred by professional salons, delivers 'up to 4X more hair-eliminating energy than most IPL devices', 5 energy levels
Cons: Can be slightly painful due to extra power, treatment window is small so can be more time-consuming than others
Rating: 4/5
First of all, how cute is the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X?!
Tria's hairdryer-like design is cordless and easy to use, helping to remove up to 70 per cent of unwanted hair in just two treatments over three months.
After around two to three months, Tria claims that hair growth will appear lighter and much finer, with some hair follicles deactivated for little regrowth!
This one has a dermatologist's seal of approval, as well as the FDA's, and is suitable for most hair and skin types.
An interactive LED display helps guide users through each treatment, making hair removal simple and fuss-free. Banish those razors for good!
Plus, this fuchsia cutie also comes in a green colourway to match your style or bathroom décor.
Treatment areas: Body, face bikini and underarms, Corded or cordless: Cordless
Sensica Sensilight Pro with RPL Technology
Sensica Sensilight Pro with RPL Technology For Permanent Hair Reduction - Bronze, £365.99
Pros: Cordless, automatic skin tone sensor, 6 intensity levels, includes precision tip, up to 600 flashes between charges, energy recommendation button, large treatment window
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
This cordless, at-home RPL device is a well-rated choice from Sensica. It uses FDA-cleared Reactive Pulsed Light technology, which combines IPL with an automatic skin tone and contact sensor to react to your skin tone and its condition.
This device has six different energy levels to allow you to personalise the treatment experience, and reviewers describe it as 'easy to use', say it 'charges quickly' and gives 'great results'.
It's ideal for use across the whole body. Included is a precision tip that's suitable for sensitive or delicate and tricky-to-shave areas, giving fuss-free, long-lasting results.
Treatment areas: legs, arms, chest, back, face, underarms and even the pubic areas, Corded or cordless: Cordless
Where to buy IPL hair removal machines in the UK
IPL hair removal machines are available to buy from many specialist brands and are also stocked by many retailers on the high street and online – so the good news is, you won't have to hunt around too much.
We had the chance to try out several models in our reviews above, which you can read for a more in-depth look at pros, cons and performance. However, if you're after a quick rundown of places to shop, we recommend the following:
- Philips
- Cult Beauty
- OnBuy
- Amazon
- Boots
- Argos
- John Lewis
- Currys
How much do IPL hair removal machines cost?
On average, quality IPL machines tend to set you back around £150-£400. However, there are also cheaper options starting from around £50, which still have good reviews too.
You can find plenty below the £100 mark, but they just might not be equipped with the smart, protective technology that comes with the pricier machines.
In our round-up above, we really rated the Philips Lumea BRI958/00 9000 Series Cordless IPL which is priced at £539.99 – making it the most expensive of our picks, but definitely worth the investment in our opinion.
The cheapest meanwhile, was the SmoothSkin Bare+ IPL Hair Removal Device, which is available for £240.99 via OnBuy and performed very well in our testing.
What's the best facial hair removal machine?
The best facial hair removal machine for you depends on your needs and your price budget. If you're prepared to splurge, the best and most high-tech IPL machines to remove hair on your face are Philips Lumea BRI958/00 9000 Series Cordless IPL and the Silk'n Infinity Fast.
However, if you're only using the device to remove hair from your face, you may want to spend a little less money and opt for a cheaper machine like the SmoothSkin Bare+ IPL Hair Removal Device.
Do home IPL machines work?
Yes, they really do.
How? IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light technology. The laser removal targets melanin; the hair’s pigment in your follicles.
The melanin helps the hair absorb the light from the flashes, stimulating it to go into its resting phase. This leaves you with smooth, hair-free skin.
You’ll start seeing results pretty quickly, although you'll need several treatments for long-lasting results.
Do bear in mind that you will see better results if you have dark hair and fair skin as opposed to darker skin or blonde hair.
Does IPL hair removal work permanently?
Although IPL will permanently reduce the amount of hair on your body, it is unlikely to result in the removal of all hair.
It works effectively on a wide range of hair colours and skin tones, apart from very dark tones.
It is also unsuitable for those who suffer from a skin condition.
Are all IPL machines the same?
As you can tell from the broad range of prices, IPL machines aren't all the same. Some give you results quicker than others, and some require fewer treatments. In the majority of cases, you get what you pay for.
Most at-home IPL machines take about three months of consistent use to give you effects, but there are some which require less than that.
They also differ in size and weight, and many people prefer using those which are more compact and lightweight.
The amount of time it takes for full body treatment takes between 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your device.
Are IPL machines worth it?
If you love having a smooth, hairless body, then IPL machines are worth your time and money.
Undergoing the hassle of shaving is bad enough, and then there's the horror of waxing – does anyone enjoy that?
According to reviews, users report results of less hair within the first three months – although they're best for people wanting to reduce their hair growth, not get rid of it entirely.
Another plus side of IPL machines is that they can help with lightening dark areas on your skin, as well as providing anti-ageing qualities such as massively dulling the appearance of scars.
Are IPL machines safe?
It's important to do your research before purchasing an IPL machine, particularly as on darker skin tones, they can cause scarring or hyper-pigmentation which is discolouration.
Unlike salon laser hair removal, at-home IPL devices spread heat across multiple areas which does not target the hair follicles enough to permanently destroy them. That can leave the fine hair that grows back slightly stubborn when it comes to hair removal treatments.
Of course, there is also the risk of missing out on patches and giving yourself an uneven finish (it can be tricky to master), but in terms of general health and safety, you can rely on well-known brands to give you a full rundown.
What is the best home IPL hair remover?
Well, to find the best IPL hair removers, you've come to the right place. All of the bad boys on our list boast great reviews and are from trusted brands.
You can rely on household names like Panasonic, Braun and Philips to offer good quality, smart machines.
We crowned Philips Lumea BRI958/00 9000 Series Cordless IPL as the 'best overall IPL hair removal machine', while the Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 5 got the honour of 'best facial hair removal device'.
