Philips Lumea Essential SC1985 - Full body permanant sorta painless hair removal

Zap away the fuzzies... Hello Smooth Skin BABY!


It has been 2 years since our last post! But... hohoho... in that 2 years you'd never guess how many cool products and gadgets got accumulated... muahaha...

Lets start with one of the pricier ones... which is not exactly pricey if you are considering painless full body permanent/semi permanent hair removal..

Say hello to Philips Lumea Essential purchased over eBAY. Quote from Philips - "Philips Lumea uses an innovative light-based technology called IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), derived from the technology used in professional beauty salons." So basically, it's IPL in the comfort of your home.

Now why did iwannabelenglui purchased this after a whole series of roundabout of hair removal treatments (see all my old posts under the hair removal label)?

1. Not all body hair stays away forever (even after saloon laser, LHE or IPL)
2. Some of your underarms and bikini line hair WILL grow back depending on your hormonal change
3. Facial hair is so painful to remove with threading and this painful (but useful) tool ... lol

Regardless... the Conclusion:

• Lengluis who have never been for hair removal treatments can purchase this instead of signing up for a super expensive course
• Yes, this sounds pricey at the start... but trust me, it is way cheaper than signing up for full body treatments (completing a  course can take up to 2 years to finally see real results for very umm hairy lengluis)
• We did lots of comparison with other brands of hair removal tools but apparently, this got one of the better reviews.. (and the lamp flash count is higher for Philips)
• This is suitable for face, bikini line and full body hair removal
• As with other IPL tools, treatment can go on for up to 8 weeks or more. But noticeable change will be visible after the second treatment
• This model is not suitable for hair removal on the fingers of slim lengluis, there is a window check area to make sure the lamp is fully covered y your skin area before the lamp is allowed to flash (safety reasons). An if your fingers are too slim, the lamp area cannot be fully covered
• This particular model is wired but the wire is at a comfortable length

Some TIPS for home treatment (learnt from previous saloon sessions):

• Get a jar of aloe gel (this one from Nature Republic is nice), apply to treated areas right after treatment to sooth skin (even though you'll likely feel almost nothing)
• Do not have a hot shower or stay out in the sun before and after your treatment
• As with all beauty tools, please read the risks involved before starting a DIY treatment at home

Oh hear ye... lets have us fair pretty smooth.... underarms!!! lol...

Okay... this post is a little on achieving fair smooth underarms. We've all been through that rough spot. Reddish bumps and darkened underarm skin. So umm... you know the Japanese... they take care of every little details. Even underarms! If you do a search online, or go to SaSa, you'll find the Wakilala Armpit Range. Let me review on their "Wash Peeling" product:

• This is actually like a body scrub
• A pretty nice to use scrub in fact
  
• Smells nice too!
  
• Feels a slight mint fresh after use
• They even have a sorta toner thing to prevent blemishes or red bumps on your skin there
  

Then again... if you really want full-proof smooth underarms, go for LHE Hair Removal (it'll costs $$$ though). By not pulling or waxing or shaving your underarms, you're less likely to get bumps or hurt skin at your underarms.

LHE: Permanent Hair Removal?

Zap those unsightly hair... permanently
LHE Light Based Hair Removal: Long Term Facial/Body Hair Removal

pic credit to www.skincancercosmetic.com.au

A year++ ago... I signed up a course for "permanent hair removal" - legs, underarms and bikini line. You don't want to know the exact price I paid for that course... Lets just say its no less than RM4k and that's the already discounted beautician staff pricing... But since its permanent, wouldn't it be worth the investment? (^^)" Then again... this is not really permanent, hormonal flux can cause the hair to grow back as explained by my beautician friend. The only reason I decided to do it was because... my friend's sis was a beautician (sssshh... that was how we got staff price and she kept telling us how smooth her client's skin were after the treatment) and I had someone to try it out with me. Hmm... then again... also... there are infinite other reasons why I signed up... but, that was it --> one of my year 2007 resolution accomplished --> no more waxing or epilating... Thanks to LHE... Read more about LHE here

Reasons to do this:

• If you've got the $$$ or if you know a beautician who can get you staff price for this
• If you're fed-up with reddish bumps of ingrown hair from waxing, shaving or epilating
• If your beautician is a close friend.. otherwise... I think you're gonna regret signing up... trust me... you don't want to be screaming at a stranger...
  
• If you've researched enough and decided this is what you really want to do
• If you go swimming very often
• If you are pain-proof... lol.. (okay... I'm not kidding)
  

Reasons NOT to do this:

• If you're pain intolerable (Seriously... I'll explain why)
  
• If you don't have the extra $$$
• If your skin is dark and so is your hair (LHE works best on people with lighter skin tone and darker hair)
  
• If you're uncomfortable with beauticians
• If you think this is a one-time thing
• If you've already got hardly noticeable very fine hair on your skin (I don't understand why you're reading this then... go away.. I'm envious) (--)"
  

Now... for the procedure..

• You'll be asked to undress and wear a towel-like robe.. The whole process looks like the image below...
  

pic credit to www.healthandbeautybysamantha.co.uk

• Next to you will see a device that looks like this "SpaTouch"

pic credit to www.britnett-carver.co.uk

• Then the beautician will explain to you what you'll be expecting next... the "BEEP" sound... then Zzzzaaaaapp!! the pain... Even if its only for a second... It hurts... like hell! Feels like you've been zapped with high voltage! Yeeeowwcchhhhh....
  
• So there you go... beep-zzapp-beep-zzapp... by that time, you'll cringe every time you hear the beep sound!
• So there... if you're doing lower-legs, underarms and bikini line... its going to take about 1hr++ depending on how well you cope with pain...
• The zapped hair will look like burnt hair and the room will smell faintly of burnt hair
• There will still be hair growth though... very much finer...
• You'll be advised not to swim or go in the sun. Having a bath with very warm/hot water is complete a no-no. Your skin is now experiencing a temporary sun-burnt-like effect... It'll need about 3 days to cool down.
  
• You'll be returning to the saloon every month to do this... aarggghhh... I dread the treatment... but... I've got only one thing to say on the results... SATISFACTORY!

Update 5th June 2010:

• Spoken to beautician friend on this new pain-free laser hair removal recently
• But..... sadnessssssssssssss.... disappointedly she told me that, laser hair removal may be pain-free. But, the hair-free effect does not last as long as LHE. And... you need to go back to the saloon more often than the LHE.
  
• And I thought, the next time my hair on the legs or underarms ever grow back, I wanna go for the pain-free one!! Sigh..................