Did I find the holy grail of hair removal?

As a writer balancing my full-time gig with hectic freelance work, there’s one constant in my life: looking for ways to save time and money. So while I truly value self-care, for my routines that require an appointment (like hair and nails) I’m often left scrambling for a last minute booking. Which brings me to my least favorite appointment of the month: waxing.

Because of how coarse my body hair is, I’ve always opted for professional waxing (I’ve tried doing it myself, and let me tell you: never again). With transportation time and setup, that’s at least two hours a month spent to be hair free for just a few weeks. Cue Nood: it might just be the most magical device I’ve used in years.

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What is Nood?

Nood’s flagship product, the Flasher 2.0, is an at-home treatment that uses IPL - or intense pulsed light - to target and destroy your hair follicles over time, similar to a laser. The company claims permanent hair reduction in about 8 weeks, as well as smoother skin. They offer a 90 day guarantee so you can try it out, and get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the results. That sounded pretty low-risk / high-reward, so I decided to pit the Flasher 2.0 against my old frenemy, waxing.

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Ratings Breakdown

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1. Effectiveness

Winner: Nood

I use the Flasher on my legs, underarms, and bikini area. I’m about 5 weeks into my treatments (they recommend at least 8 weeks for best results), and I’ve seen a significant reduction in my hair growth. There’s already less stubble and my hair is growing back much finer than before. My pores also look much smaller compared to waxing. That’s left my skin glowing, smoother, and thankfully, with minimal irritation. 

Even though waxing offers similar benefits, it takes consistent appointments over a very long time to see any long-term reduction in hair growth. Waxing can help thin your hair over time, but it took years for me to notice any real difference in growth and texture. With Nood, I noticed a dramatic difference in just a few weeks.

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2. Convenience

Winner: Nood

A permanent hair removal treatment that can be done in the privacy of your own home? Sign me up. Flashing with Nood couldn’t be simpler. Once you turn on the Flasher 2.0 and choose your preferred power level, you can select its Auto feature, which automatically pulses light as you move it over the treatment area. A full treatment takes me about 15 minutes (25 if you include exfoliating and shaving beforehand). You can easily Flash after getting out of the shower or while watching Netflix.

‍‍Waxing is best done by a professional. Not only do you have to make your way over to an appointment and typically book ahead of time, you also may have to um, bare all, depending on your treatment area. If you’re on the shy side, the Flasher 2.0 is perfectly discrete.

‍‍3. Cost

Winner: Nood

Nood beats out waxing cost by a landslide. The cost of the full Noodist Kit is what I pay each month for waxing—and that’s not even including a tip for my specialist, or the costs and time associated with commuting to my appointment each month. A year of waxing treatments costs me about $2,500 - compare that to Nood, whose Flasher 2.0 is just $189.

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4. Comfort

Winner: Nood

This category is no contest. Waxing can be incredibly painful, especially in sensitive areas like my bikini line. The Flasher 2.0 stung slightly, but I wouldn’t really call it painful. I don’t have any redness when using the Flasher, and my ingrown hairs have vanished over time. Woo!

There’s a lot of conflicting, and demanding prep recommendations when it comes to waxing (When do I stop shaving? Should I exfoliate, and if so, when? Should I take Ibuprofen? Apparently I should drink a lot of water, and stay out of the sun?). Fortunately, my Noodist Kit came with products to both prep my skin and take care of it post-treatment. I use Nood’s exfoliant, The Revealer, before treatment to help get rid of dead skin for a smooth finish. Then, I follow treatment with The Reviver, an aloe aftercare treatment that leaves my skin super refreshed. I liked that everything I needed was in the box and I didn’t feel compelled to go searching for advice.

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We’re all pretty aware of how waxing feels: it’s just like ripping off a bandaid – if that bandaid was one of hundreds superglued to your most sensitive parts! It’s extremely painful during, but also leaves my skin irritated until the next day, and often leads to uncomfortable ingrown hairs.

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5. Time to Results

Winner: Waxing

While the Flasher 2.0 is very effective, the results aren’t immediate. Nood suggests two treatments per week for at least 8 weeks to get the long-term results of permanent hair reduction and smoother skin. In the beginning, your hair will still grow back like it does after shaving (albeit thinner and more slowly). After sticking with consistent treatments over the course of 8 weeks, the end result is no more hair, for good.

Waxing will leave you with smooth skin right away, and will last for about 3 to 4 weeks before requiring another treatment. So if you have a vacation coming up and need a quick hair removal solution that lasts longer than shaving, waxing is your best bet.

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6. Hard to Reach Spots

Winner: Waxing

Getting those hard to reach places is sometimes easier when you have someone to do it for you. Though the Flasher 2.0 is easy to use, there’s only so many ways I can contort myself to get to those areas. And yes, I’ve asked my best friend to help!

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7. Cleanliness

Winner: Nood

Waxing is…messy. Even when done professionally, you’re left with residue and typically need to shower afterward. At-home waxing kits are even messier to manage (just ask my bathroom sink after a treatment). Nood avoids the sticky mess with one simple tool and little clean up.

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Overall Winner: Nood

If you haven’t guessed already, there’s a clear winner here. I’ve been on my Nood journey for about five weeks and couldn’t be happier with my results so far. The Flasher 2.0 has slowed down my hair growth, reduced pesky prickliness, and leaves me with clear, smooth skin. Even though my wax specialist misses me (sorry Marta!), I’ll be sticking with the Flasher 2.0.

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