Not so long ago I told you all about my first experience with the latest home hair removal device by Philips, the Philips Lumea. I'm no stranger to home hair removal, having previously used The Tria and the No!No! and I was curious to see how this would measure up against its competitors. I've now used it for four sessions (spaced two weeks apart) and the results are pretty positive.
First off, let's talk about hair, the coarse rough hair that grows in the underarm nook and has caused Julia Roberts a moment of extreme embarrassment. I'm not the hairiest lady in the world, but since starting treatment with the Lumea I'm now shaving once every week or so- and this isn't full on lathering it up, just a quick flick with a dry Bic.
The hair has got a lot finer overall and the regrowth is very minimal, with a few cheeky hairs poking out, but no hemp style mat.
I was really impressed with the actual device, as it's very comfortable to hold, and the large head covers a large area very quickly. It can be a little painful though, so you do have to get used to the different settings, as though they say you can pick your own, I've always been of the mind that higher levels get better results.
The cost of the Lumea can seem prohibitive initially, but when you weight up the initial outlay of £399 against in salon treatments (on average around £60-£90 a leg, times 6 treatments) then you see you're actually getting a great deal. They don't advise people to share the device (hygiene) but as you can buy replacement heads online, I reckon this would be a great purchase to team up with a friend for.
Overall I'm very impressed, I have had serious hair reduction and the experience is quick and mostly painless.
Related: Long term product trial: Philips Lumea IPL home hair removal treatment