Battle of the Top IPL Devices: which is the safe, fast, permanent solution to hair removal we’ve been looking for? 

Hair removal with IPL—intense pulsed light—has been getting a lot of attention in skincare circles. It’s clinically proven to target pigment in the hair follicle, heat it, and over time, destroy it (similar to laser).

The best part? You can do IPL at home. The hardest part? Deciding between dozens of devices on the market. In this review, we tested the two leading premium devices that promise zero hair in less time and less pain: Braun’s tried and true Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL and Ulike’s brand new Air 10 IPL. 

We used both devices ourselves, reviewed the tech, and evaluated them on 1) Results 2) Features/Usability 3) Comfort and 4) Price. Find out why Ulike’s Air 10 is the best at-home hair removal device we’ve ever tested. 

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About our Reviewer, Abby

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“I have thick, dark body hair, which means I have to shave my legs and underarms 2-3x a week. That causes a lot of irritation, razor bumps, and ingrown hairs. Waxing works, but for me, the pain and cost don’t. I’ve never tried IPL before!”

We’ll get to the details of each device. But you came here to see which – Ulike’s Air 10 or Braun’s Silk Expert — is the best at hair removal.

The winner is the Ulike Air 10. In just 30 min/week over one month, Abby saw almost complete hair removal on her underarm, legs, and bikini area.

It’s the best at home hair removal method we’ve ever tested. 

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Abby’s Results: Ulike is the CLEAR Winner with Almost Complete Hair Reduction in 4 Weeks

I tested each device head to head on my underarms for 4 weeks – this is where I have the densest body hair. I then chose the best performing device to use on my legs and bikini area.

Over 4 weeks I saw almost complete hair reduction with the Ulike Air 10. I’m actually shocked by those results. With Braun, I saw less than half the amount of hair reduction. 

Ulike vs. Braun: Check out head-to-head results

Before treatment: Underarms

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Week 2: Braun (Left) & Ulike (Right)

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Week 4: Braun (Left) & Ulike (Right)

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Ulike Results on Legs and Bikini Area 

Ulike Legs Treatment:  Before, Week 2, and Week 4

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Ulike Bikini Area Treatment: Before, Week 2, and Week 4

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Weekly Experience

Week 1: After the first 3 sessions with Ulike, I was amazed to see stubble start “falling out.” Remaining hair feels softer, especially on my underarms and legs. It’s also coming in slower. My stubble is less prickly.

Week 2: On the Ulike side there’s already so much less hair to “zap”! My skin feels a bit tighter, I’m seeing fewer ingrown hairs, and less overall irritation! My legs are shinier.

Week 3: I’m seeing only minimal hair growth on the Ulike side – my skin feels more moisturized, less blotchy, and some areas of hypopigmentation (lighter pigmented skin) have disappeared. 

Week 4 (full treatment): After using the Ulike Air 10 for the full 4 weeks, I now just don’t worry about body hair! Any hair that does pop up is very thin – my underarms, legs, and bikini area are smooth weeks after my last session. For any stragglers, I just “spot-zap”, and I assume that most of those remaining hairs will disappear soon.

My skin also feels and looks way better than ever before. Because IPL mildly heats deeper layers of skin, it’s actually proven to stimulate collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine lines, scars and wrinkles. Not to mention stepping away from the razor for a few weeks!

The Braun Silk Expert simply could not compete with the overall speed and convenience of Ulike. The Braun appeared to remove less than 50% of hair vs. Ulike.

Now let’s talk about using each device!

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Comfort: Ulike Air 10 Wins with Ice Cooling

IPL zaps usually feel like a light rubber band snap – uncomfortable, but generally tolerable. However, the longer sessions required with the Braun did also cause the lamp to heat up. That led to some real discomfort during and after treatment, which is probably why you’re instructed to only use it 1x / week.

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The Ulike Air 10’s Ice Cooling makes a huge difference—almost like bringing an ice cube along for the ride. The Air 10 surface actually stayed cold—not just room temp—for the entirety of each session. Pain was minimal and using the device multiple times a week was no problem.

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Both devices are fairly ergonomic. Each must be plugged in during use, but cord length and flexibility make that convenient enough.

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Price: At a Lower Price, Ulike Wins

The Ulike Air 10 ($279 with TCD discount) is meaningfully cheaper than the Braun Silk Expert 5 (~$333 on Amazon). For us, the premium prices here are justified by the quality of materials and trusted tech of both brands. Still, Ulike comes out on top. 

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Features: The More Powerful Ulike Air 10 Wins

IPL Light:

The Air10 is the only at-home IPL device I’ve seen that uses two IPL lamps. That means a full body session takes only 10 minutes (vs. 25 for the Braun Silk Expert)

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Power & Modes:

The Ulike Air 10 and Braun Silk Expert both have 4 power modes. Ulike’s most powerful mode is SHR, or “Super Hair Removal.” This mode is a quick series of 4 extra strong pulses, meant for really stubborn hair. I used this mode on my underarms, and boy does it work. In SHR mode, It actually has 5x the energy output (in joules) of the Braun.

Both devices have auto glide features which pulse automatically. I typically used this option when zapping.

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‍Final Thoughts

‍The Ulike Air 10 is, without question, the best IPL device on the market. With Dual Lights, SHR, and Ice Cooling:

1. IPL sessions take much less time (10 min vs 25 min for the Braun)
2. Each session is far more comfortable due to the Ice Cooling
3. The total process is half as long (4 weeks vs 8 weeks for the Braun)
4. The price is a fraction of the long-term costs of shaving, waxing, or laser

With almost complete hair removal in 1 month, for just 30 minutes a week— the Ulike Air 10 is the best at-home hair removal solution we’ve ever reviewed. Plus, Ulike offers a ​​90-day hair-free money-back guarantee and 2-year warranty.

Ready to try the Ulike Air 10? With code TCDSAVE, save $130. That's their best deal of the year.

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