My Epilator Review

Based on Personal Experience

This page is my personal epilator review story based on my past and current experiences with epilators.

I've included before and after photos to give you an idea of the effectiveness of this process.

If you prefer a brief summary - it hurts like heck, but it works!

• First Attempts
• Before/After Photos
• Tips and Tricks
• One year update
• Two year update

First Attempts

When I was in high school, about 15 years ago now, my mom ordered an "Epilady" for us to share. We both diligently grew out our leg hair while we waited for our new device to arrive. Fantasies of smooth, hairless legs at the forefront of our thoughts.

It took several weeks, and when it came, we opened it up together. Mom was generous enough to let me go first (now I know she was using me as a guinea pig, but at the time, I thought it was mighty kind of her). I went into my room and shut the door.

My mom heard the buzzing sound from where she stood in the kitchen. Moments later, my door opened and I emerged, torture device in hand, red spots covering a patch on my leg. I abruptly handed her the Epilady to keep for herself.

Mustering the Courage to Try Again

Fast forward to the present. Several weeks ago, I began the "growing out" process once again, this time, letting my leg, bikini line, and armpit hair grow. Yes, we're all so brave when it's merely an idea we're flirting with. And I figured, hey, I've given birth twice, I can handle a little epilation.

A few days ago, I received my new epilator. After having scoured all the reviews on different models, I settled on the Braun SilkEpil. I ventured into the shower intent on ridding myself of all excess body hair in my chosen areas before getting dressed.

I dried myself off and plugged in the innocent looking device to give it a go. "Let's start with an armpit" I thought. Heck, why not? Arm pulled back, skin taut, deep breaths....

Excruciating pain!

I've waxed my underarms before and I must say, this procedure is far more painful. Mainly because with waxing, it's one quick rip, and you're done. Not with an epilator... No, it's sloooow torture.

Worth it? Yes, it is for me, anyways. Although, I'll still occasionally use the wax. But this was tidier, waxing can be a messy.

Underarm Photos

Before

After

Leg Photos

Before Click photos to enlarge

After

Tips, Tricks and Conclusions

I switched periodically to another part of my body to give my poor, tender armpit a rest. The other parts don't feel great either, but the underarm is by far the most painful.

I also switched directions a lot, trying to come at the hairs from underneath rather than on top. And to my dismay, I found that the slower I went, the better it worked. That prolongs the pain, but I'd rather that than have to redo it next week.

Click to enlarge

The epilator did not do a good job on the fine hairs at the top of my leg. The hair at the bikini line, which is coarser came out easily. So did the armpit hair and the hair on the bottom half of my legs.

The most painful area on the legs was the bony spots around the ankles and knees. On the bikini line, which I've waxed a lot, the most painful area by far was at the uh... rear!

I'm left with tiny red marks where the hairs came out in a few places. (see photo on right) That's fine with me, I see it as a sign that the whole root came out which means it'll be weeks before I see that hair emerge again.

I'll update this epilator review page with news of how long the results last for me. Next time, I'll likely go about it in the evening, after several glasses of wine. ;o)

Epilator Review - One Year Update

It's been a while since I initially wrote this page on my epilator review and experience. I must admit, it's now got a place waaay at the back of my bathroom cupboard. I do pull it out now and then to clean up my bikini line though.

I found that it just didn't do a good enough job on my leg hair. After going through the pain of running that unit up my legs, I want to feel smooth, completely hairless skin. NOT the case. I'm quite fair, and my leg hair is not coarse enough for the epilator to be effective. Right after epilating, I could still feel stubble -- hairs that are too small for the epilator to grab.

The underarms were just too painful, although it was less painful the second and third time. But, alas, shaving is just too quick and easy (and painless) to give up.

Epilator Review - Two Year Update

It's now been over two years since I bought my Braun epilator. My opinion of epilating in general has wavered back and forth in that time. Now, I've settled into a solid love-hate relationship with the process.

I don't use the epilator on my legs, but pull it out every 2-3 weeks for my underarms and sometimes a quick bikini line tidy. I still find it intensely painful for the first moments on each new section, but I do find that a few things in particular help to lessen the discomfort...

1. Get as much tension as possible on the skin. Bend your elbow and grab the base of your neck so you can actually push the underarm out a bit.
   
   
2. Slow and steady movement with the epilator remaining in contact with the skin is the most effective way to use it. You've got to be a brave to hold it there. The temptation is to make little sweeping movements, to get a brief pause from the pain I guess. But it's much less effective than the slow and steady approach.
   
   
3. Deep breaths. Seriously.

Shaving was causing some pain and itching in my underarms. It became unbearable when I worked out and broke a sweat, which is the main reason I went back to the epilator.

It brings me joy knowing that each time I use the epilator on my underarms, fewer of the hairs will grow back. And the ones that do return seem thinner each time they re-grow. Makes up for the pain in the long run.

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