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The best IPL devices for at-home hair removal
The GHI’s top pick of handheld at-home hair removal machines, tested on 180 women
This article was updated in March to reflect the latest prices and discounts.
If shaving, plucking or waxing just aren’t cutting it when it comes to hair removal, then IPL — aka “intense pulsed light” — may be worth a try this spring. The most advanced hair removal method you can use from the comfort of your own home, it works by stopping the hair cycle in its tracks to prevent regrowth.
Due to their high-tech nature, the best IPL hair removal devices tend to be expensive, but it's worth considering the savings in the long-term — you won’t need to splurge on trips to the salon or new razors, and you'll also be cutting down on environmental waste.
Plus, some of the Good Housekeeping Institute's tried and tested top scorers have great deals on right now, including £90 off winner and £300 off our top pick for sensitive skin by Braun.
The best IPL devices to buy now
To find the top-performing tools, the GHI asked our panel of testers to try a range of market-leaders for three months.
Here are the devices that tackled unwanted body hair with ease. Shop our edit now and scroll down for the full reviews.
How we test IPL devices
Our panel of 180 testers across the UK helped us test a range of at-home IPL hair removal devices for six to 12 weeks.
Testers followed the instructions provided with each device and gave us feedback on how effective they were at removing hair on the legs, underarms, bikini line and upper lip.
They also assessed how easy each device was to use and control, how simple the process was, and how comfortable it felt when removing hair. Finally, testers reported back on when regrowth started to appear.
Here are our favourites for silky smooth skin by summer.
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Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Orla is our Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester and has extensive knowledge of skin and hair composition thanks to her first class bachelor's degree in cosmetic science from the Universy of the Arts London. She also spent time as a Formulation Chemist intern at Amelia Knight Cosmetics.
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