Beauty Accessories Review: Happy Skin Co Classic IPL Laser Hair Remover Handset

If you are seeking a hair free summer, without the need to make multiple salon visits before travelling, this nifty laser could be just what you are looking for.

• What Is It: A home use IPL laser hair removing device.

• Why buy: It is easy to use, it has years of life, and it will reduce hair on any body part.

• The Details: The Happy Skin Co IPL Laser Hair Removal Handset costs rrp $299, available from www.happyskinco.com.

Road Test

For decades women have used various methods to get rid of unwanted body hair, from shaving with razors to depilatory creams, but in more recent years, salon-only treatments upped the ante in the hair-free stakes, with IPL becoming somewhat of an industry standard. IPL, which stands for stands for intense pulsed light, works by emitting light energy which is absorbed by the melanin in the hair, and then turns to heat destroying the hair cells. The result? With each session of IPL fewer hairs grow back until eventually the area should be permanently hair free. The plus side of IPL was being ultimately hair-free, which was especially wonderful if you were planning a beach holiday, or you travel frequently. And the only downsides were needing to make multiple salon visits, to catch and kill all hairs at the right time of their growing cycle, and it could be a bit ouchy. It also tends to work better on women with fair skin and dark hair. Today, however, IPL has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and today for convenience there’s an at-home device you can use which saves on salon visits and money - the Happy Skin Co’s Classic IPL Laser Hair Remover Handset. I had the hair on my legs removed by way of salon IPL treatments many years ago, however, I found that in a few places stubborn, sparse hair would grow back. I also still had fine hair on my arms, which was perfect for road testing. The device is easy to use, although you should do a safety test first on the area you’re planning to zap to make sure you don’t have any adverse reactions. If all is well 24 hours later you are good to go. 

A few things to note. The Happy Skin Co says that it takes about four or five weeks to notice a difference in hair density and growth, and about 10-12 weeks for the hair to be completely gone. To achieve this you’ll need to use the handset once a week. It  also has five settings of intensity, so you can adjust how much you really want to zap your hair follicles, and lower the intensity on any sensitive areas. You can't laser over tattoos, or on dark skin, and you should stay clear of any moles. Before you start you need to shave the area you’re treating and remove any fake tan. Next, plug the device in, set your intensity level, and wait for a few moments. The handset has a sensor which tells you when it's pressed against your skin and a light will blink; you then press the button and there’s a flash. I did my skin test at maximum strength with no adverse effects so I went for it. There was no pain, just a tiny pinch with each flash, although some areas were a tad more sensitive than others, and it took about 20 minutes to treat all the areas I desired. The results were surprisingly quick. I usually feel hairs coming through after shaving within a few days, but it was probably four or five days after my first session, and they were definitely more sparse. After a month the results became even more noticeable; the hair which remained was finer and lighter, and growing back slower with each session. 

UltimateTravelMagazine.com Loves 

• The handset treats any body part in minutes.
• It uses clinical grade technology.
• The handset is suitable for even sensitive skin, but always do a skin test first.