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As we get ready for shorts and bathing suit season, saying goodbye to unwanted hair is a top priority for many (including me).
I first dabbled in laser hair removal pre-pandemic when I got professional IPL laser treatment on my face at a med spa. At the time, I was nervous about the procedure and didn’t want to take any chances with my face. But after hundreds of dollars and a few years, I needed a touch-up. As I was leaving my last appointment a couple of weeks ago, having spent $60 for about 30 seconds of treatment, I started to research at-home laser options.
I knew I wasn’t looking for any budget-friendly tools—laser hair removal is not where I want to skimp when it comes to devices! I also messaged The Curator’s Beauty Editor Adriana Monachino to see if she had any insight into devices. She was quick to send me a link to the Ulike.
It’s all the rage on TikTok, she quickly texted back, and reviewers claim it’s safe, it works and it’s pain-free.
I slept on it and then decided to go all in. It takes about four weeks to see the full effects, but as the warm weather is quickly approaching, I wanted to share my results week by week. The Ulike is also on sale right now (don’t forget to add the coupon code!), so if you’ve been on the fence, now is a great time to give it a try.
The Air 3 is an IPL laser hair removal device that you can use at home. You’ll start to see a noticeable reduction of hair in about three weeks. There’s a ‘soft mode’ for your face and bikini area, a ‘body mode’ for legs and arms and a ‘power mode’ for chest and armpits. The kit comes with the device, a charger, protector glasses and a bag to store everything in.
How it works
Intense Pulse Light Therapy (IPL) is where the light from the device passes through the skin’s surface and is absorbed by the melanin of the hair follicle. This process essentially kills the hair follicle, so it doesn’t grow back.
Now, in order for the light to be able to target the hair follicle, there needs to be contrast between the colour of your hair and your skin tone. The more contrast, the better IPL works. Ulike has this chart which will help you figure out if it’s the right hair removal method for you.
(Ulike)
Week 1
My target areas: Armpits, bikini and legs.
Curator tip: Always do a skin test before you do a full treatment. I did a small area on my leg to see how my skin reacted. I had no issues, so the next day, I started.
Step 1: Make sure you shave the area before treatment. The kit comes with a handy travel razor which I used.
Step 2: Plug in the device and hold down the power button. For the first week, I started with ‘soft mode’ just to see how I would react to the treatment.
Step 3: Place the device on your skin and press the flashing button to activate the light pulse. Slowly move the device along the treatment area, pressing the button. For larger areas like my legs, you can hold the button down so the light continuously flashes as you glide the device over your skin.
How often? For the first four weeks, I will treat three times a week.
Results so far: This device is cool to the touch, so even though intense heat is penetrating your skin, the device feels cool on your skin. After I treat my armpit, I can feel a bit of a stinging sensation for a few minutes—but it’s nothing that would deter me. No marks of any kind were left on my skin, so even though I don’t need a touch-up on my face right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in the future.
Use lots of sunscreen after! Slathering on your favorite SPF will be key this entire time.
Ulike Air 10
Want to kick things up a notch? Ulike has just released the Air 10. It has the latest technology and promises results in just two weeks. This device has dual lights which means it’s more powerful. Now, it also comes with a bigger price tag, but if you have a lot of unwanted hair and it tends to be dark and coarse, then this device is a great option for you.
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