It’s that time of year again, and with summer holidays now firmly on the horizon, hair removal is on the agenda.
If you’re tired of short-term solutions like shaving or inconvenient trips to the salon, then an epilator might be the answer, and the Braun Silk Epil 9 Wet and Dry Epilator could be just the ticket.
Offering long-lasting smoothness at your own conveninence, the Wet and Dry Epilator can be used in the bath and shower as well as on dry land, making for a gentler and easier epilation experience – warm water softens skin and hairs, so you could be saving yourself some suffering if you decide to take the plunge.
This little gem isn’t just for legs, either – you can use it anywhere on your body – and even on your face, so if you have any embarrassing hair growth then it’s a great way to keep it under control.
The Silk-Epil 9 comes with a whopping six extras, including a trimmer cap, high-frequency massage cap, skin contact cap and facial cap, along with a charging stand which will provide it with 40 minutes’ worth of juice – so it’s a good option for taking on holiday, too.
With a wider head than traditional models, it covers more skin with each stroke, making for a quicker experience all round. The MicroGrip tweezer technology is handy too, as it’s able to reach even the peskiest of hairs – 0.5mm and up, to be precise. The pulsating active vibrations make things easier and gentler. The skin contour adaptation also ensures that it adapts to body contours as you work, so it’s a lot less fiddly than previous epilators I have used.
Through practice, it appears that the Silk-Epil 9 performs better dry than it does in the shower or bath, providing a smoother finish and catching the majority of hairs. Of course, hairs never stop growing, and go through several different phases along the way, so it’s impossible to remain completely hair free all the time – through epilation, waxing or otherwise. But this does a good job at keeping things in check, and can be used against the direction of hair growth for optimum results.
Slow and steady wins the race, so make sure you have plenty of time on your hands before getting started – and use on underarms at your peril, because trust me, it hurts! Taking a painkiller half an hour or so before-hand can help to reduce the pain, and pulling skin as taut as possible throughout is a must.
All in all, a great addition to any hair-removal kit, with longer-lasting results than with shaving or depilatory creams and equal to wax. Yes, it takes more effort to do it yourself, but it could save you a fortune on salon bills in the long-run – and if you can’t get an appointment just before you jet off on holiday, then this is sure to be your saviour.
The Braun Silk-Epil 9 (9-561) Wet and Dry Epilator is available at Boots, priced at £149.99.
