I had longed to try IPL technology for a good couple of a years before I was able to try it for myself towards the end of last year, where I reviewed the Panasonic ES-WH80 IPL Hair Removal System, and after seeing the amazing results IPL gave me, I became a complete convert. Although I do like my Panasonic IPL, there’s a few things I don’t like with the main one being that it can only be used on the body and not on the face.
I feel this is its big downfall, as I get super fair peach fuzz on my cheeks which I hate as it affects how nicely my foundation applies so I’ve been dying to try an IPL which could be used on the face. I was very lucky to be sent the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL to trial and review on my blog, which I’d not normally have accepted as I already owned one but it’s definitely a better model than the Panasonic IPL and it can be used on the face, so I’ve given my Panasonic IPL to my friend as the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL is definitely my favourite.
Today’s post is going to be a first impressions and more factual post on the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL and after six weeks of use, I’m going to do another post on my results and an in depth review on the device. Throughout this post and my follow up post, I’ll be comparing the Lumea Prestige to the Panasonic IPL as I’ve had the chance to try both which I feel puts me in a good position to be able to fully review and compare the two to see which is the better device. Philips have a range of IPL devices, and the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL is Philips’ top of the range IPL device and offers Hair Regrowth Prevention.
The Lumea Prestige can be used on body, face and bikini and features a cordless design. One of the features of the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL which sets it apart from other IPL devices is that you get everything in your box with no need for replacement batteries or lamps, whereas the Panasonic IPL requires you to purchase replacement lamps and can only do 20,000 ‘flashes’ and are pretty pricey so I definitely appreciate that you don’t have to pay for anything else after you’ve purchased the device.
Contents of the Philips Lumea Prestige IPL Box;
- IPL device
- Multi Voltage Charger
- User Manual
- Cleaning Cloth
- Luxurious Pouch
- Body Attachment
- Bikini Attachment
- Facial Attachment
The Panasonic IPL didn’t come with any pouch/bag whatsoever so I’m really happy that the Lumea Prestige comes with a pouch as I had to keep my Panasonic device in the box which wasn’t the best. The pouch is very soft, has a zip closure and holds the device with an attachment attached, and the two other attachments in two handy little pockets in the side to protect them.
I really like the pouch, especially as there’s enough room to keep the charger in there too so it’s easy to store and would travel well. The white colour isn’t perhaps the most practical but it matches the colour of the device and feels a little clinical which I actually like as I feel like I’m giving myself somewhat of a treatment in the comfort of my own home.
The three different attachments are differently sized to match the area they are designed to treat, with the smallest being the face attachment (use for chin, sideburns and upper lip) then the medium sized bikini attachment (pretty explanatory) and the body attachment (for use on arms, legs, stomach, bikini and underarms).
The device itself is quite a fair bit lighter than the Panasonic device which I definitely favour as it makes it a lot easier to hold as the shape of the handle is rounded whilst the Panasonic handle is more squared so I get better grip with the Lumea Prestige.
Proposed Application Modes;
Slide and Flash (for convenient application) & Stamp and Flash (for curvier areas)
Application Times: lower legs – 8 minutes each, underarms – 1 minute each, bikini line – 1 minute each side and face – 1 minute.
Philips have this handy chart on their website to show which skin and hair colours their IPL is best used with. Philips do not recommend those with light blonde, red or white/grey using their IPL or those with brownish black and darker skintones as it wont give optimum results but luckily for me I have white skin and dark brown hair so I’m one of the prime candidates for IPL technology.
If you are one of the crossed categories, I would recommend asking to borrow a friends/family member’s IPL before making a purchase as it’s definitely a considered purchase, and you need to make sure you’ll see results. One of my friends has blonde/strawberry blonde hair and beige toned skin and she didn’t see any results whatsoever with her IPL – it wasn’t a Philips IPL but it’s just something to bear in mind.
I’d love to know if you’ve ever tried a Philips IPL device?
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