HAPPYSKINCO Ice IPL Hair Removal Handset

Most Helpful Critical Review

Has potential, but not a life-changing product (yet)

Let me start by saying that I have some of the thickest, worst leg hair of any woman I know. It's been a huge problem for me my entire life. It has dictated what I wear and how I feel, and so I've been waiting for a solution that's better than shaving or waxing for pretty much as long as I can remem...ber. In addition to the hair being thick and stubborn, the skin on my legs is extremely sensitive. I have keratosis pelaris, and the "strawberry legs" look is always present. Not only is it ugly, but it's also painful, and extremely itchy. I've come to believe that there is no hair removal process that will 100% rid me of these problems. But I do think that this product can at least help. I've been using it for about 2 months now. I have to confess that I haven't been super consistent with it, but that's only because you must shave prior to use. For all the reasons listed above, shaving is time consuming and difficult for me. The box says that you need about 4 weeks to begin noticing results, and 12 weeks for virtually complete removal. This is assuming that you use the product once per week. I haven't been quite as diligent as that, but I've done it at least every other week 4 times now. The only thing that I have definitively noticed so far is slowed hair growth. The hair on my legs comes back more slowly than it used to, but I still can't go days without shaving like many other women I know. I have also noticed the lessening of my ingrown hairs as a whole. This alone is a pretty nice benefit. But my hair is still coming back, and to me it doesn't look thinner or less likely to keep returning. However, because I spent the money, because it's painless, and because I have noticed the slowed regrowth and decrease in ingrowns, I do believe that it could work overtime. I just think that I may have slower results than the typical person using this product. A person who has regular to fine leg hair probably will have noticed results by this point, but since I have abnormally hairy legs, I think it's why my results are so slow. That being said, here are some things that you should probably consider before buying this product. 1. You must shave prior to every session. Since most people buying this product likely hate shaving, I figured this was worth mentioning. It's a bit annoying having to do the thing you hate doing just to use the product that is supposed to remove that chore from your routine. 2. You cannot put any lotion oil or other soothing aftershave products on your skin after shaving until after you have used the device. For someone like me with sensitive skin this is a bit problematic. My legs hurt and itch after I shave, no matter how expensive of a razor or sensitive of a shaving cream I use. Having to wait the approximately hour and a half it takes to do a session on my legs before I can put anything on my skin is a big hassle. 3. Be very careful when you shave in preparation for using the device. It is true that the device is not painful. Even on its highest setting, I don't notice pain unless I try to do many flashes back-to-back without any pauses in between. The ice cooling effect is especially useful to prevent pain and try and make these sessions more comfortable. However, no amount of ice cooling will protect you if you use the device over a razor burn bump, a shaving knick, or a cut. These hurt. A lot. So it matters that you shave carefully prior to your session, with a quality razor and a new blade. 4. It takes a long time, not just to see results over a matter of weeks, but each individual session is extremely time consuming. It estimates on the Box that a session takes 15 minutes. I'm sorry, but this is the only outright lie in their advertising claims. The window that flashes light on the device is very small the tip of the device is wider than the window itself and even the tip isn't very big so to put the window over every part of your skin that needs the hair removed will take an extremely long time especially because you can't Flash back-to-back with no pauses. Not only because it's painful to do so, but because the device will hesitate and wait until it has cooled down whenever it starts to get really hot after long minutes of use. So you have to be prepared to spend a long time on each session. This makes staying consistent difficult if you have a busy schedule. Overall, I would recommend the device for people like me who are desperate for a hair removal solution. But it is not a miracle cure. My 3 stars are because I am pleased that it isn't painful, compared to other devices it has a higher level of joules in the power output, and because the ice cooling effect is pleasant. Also, I think the price point is fair compared with other IPL devices. But don't buy this expecting to be hairless in a few weeks, if ever.