Caution: Using this gadget can be addicting!
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| Review Date: March 1, 2004 |
| Reviewer: , |
(3/04) Now, I am not some weirdo who lives for pain or anything, but I admit, I find myself looking for places other than my legs to use this thing. Legs, armpits, bikini line, big toes... It's just so satisfying to use, knowing that the two hours you may have to put into the process (as one reviewer claimed) is worth it for not having to worry about nicks and cuts at ALL or stubble for at least another two weeks.
A few things from my own experience for those of you considering:
I bought this intending to use it on my legs and bikini line only. I was thrilled that it is AC powered, because I feared batteries would become a real budget-killer.
YES, I did use the attachment thing with the rolling beads the first time I used it. I also used the slowest speed. Decided it wasn't so bad, so I sped it up, then removed the attachment. No problem. I may have even thrown the attachment away...
YES, you should exfoliate your skin before use. The directions tell you it wouldn't hurt to take a hot shower and exfoliate, then when dry, use the gizmo. Your pores are open, your skin fresh, and the little hairs should be more willing to let go.
YES, it DOES hurt to use on your underarm. Doing so took a bit of acrobatics, because I found I had to try to pull my skin taught while using it. I also found I got a few ingrown hairs there from use. Decided that using a razor on this area isn't that bad after all.
NO, it is NOT impossible to use on your bikini area. Just be prepared to sit in some funny, yoga-like positions to get to the areas you want. Also, make sure you keep up on exfoliating here: I find I have the worst problems with ingrowns in this area.
YES, you can get stubble. If this becomes a problem, wait a few days for the stubble to grow long enough to grab. Before you use it again, shower, exfoliate, dry and try again. I'll bet you'll end up with less stubble that way.
YES, it CAN take a while. I even found that if I don't soak and scrub before using, I'll miss a few hairs and have to go over an area again days later. No big deal if you have the time to spare.
As for the pain level: If you have a tattoo, then why are you even bothering worrying about pain? You should be able to handle this baby toy. If you, like the average person, can handle things like paper cuts, needles, and insect stings, you can probably handle the pain level of this thing. Or, if you've had professional waxings done before, you probably won't have a problem. If you can't stand pulling an adhesive bandage off of an area with hair on it, then perhaps this isn't the choice for you. Note: I've never had a professional waxing done, just those messy at-home kits. To me, the kits hurt more than this thing! Probably my fault, though -- can't ever get the mix at the right temp or work quickly enough before the stuff cools again!
Soooo... if you're fed up with the blade and want an alternative to wax, smelly hair dissolvers, or sanding disks, try this. I felt it was definitely worth the money! (Bought & have used since September, 2003)
(UPDATE 10/04) STILL use and love this thing! I'm even considering buying another to have on hand for when the inevitable happens and the first one dies on me. Couldn't even guess how much I've saved on replacement blades & shave gels... this thing has definitely paid for itself many times over.
(UPDATE 11/07) Mine (the original one) is still running great, and I still love it. Bought one for my sister, but she doesn't like it because she's apparently more of a wimp than I thought, even though she's got 2 tattoos! I may just steal hers back to keep in reserve for when mine DOES decide to die on me.
(UPDATE 6/10) Original Silk-epil still running perfectly. It sure did come in handy while pregnant last year! Still love this thing! |
An Improvement to the Epilady!
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| Review Date: May 9, 2002 |
| Reviewer: M. Rivera, Miami, Florida |
| This is the best product I have tried for hair removal in a long time. I had purchased an Epilady and used it till its recent demise and never thought anything could replace it. Although it was VERY painful to use, the hair grew back very fine and scarce, the longer you used it, improving the hair texture over time. I then used shavers, cremes, lotions, epil-stop and all were worthless products. Now that I have the Braun, I am ecstatic with the results, it is much quicker and virtually painless compared to the original Epilady. I highly recommend to women who do not want to become a slave to daily razor shaving! |
Love this...used this for years
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| Review Date: July 1, 2003 |
| Reviewer: M. R., Chicago, IL United States |
| It was difficult to get used to at first. But after a while your skin gets used to it and it doesn't hurt at all. Do not let the hair get too long!!! This is a tip for first timers: grow the hair out, get it waxed at a salon and only start using this when the hair starts growing back. Or shave and only use this as the stubble grows in. Do not let the hair get too long - that's when it is uncomfortable. This get's teeny tiny hairs and lasts for as long as waxing -- my legs are so smooth and pretty now. Caution -- you can't go back to shaving or you'll get ingrown hairs. Exfoliate regularly, too. |
Threw out the razor!
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| Review Date: March 22, 2004 |
| Reviewer: , |
| As someone who had never waxed or epilated I was a bit leary of trying this device, but am very glad I did. I'll never shave again! It was quite uncomfortable and a bit painful the first time I used it [come on, it pulls your body hair out by the roots...] but since then it has been virtually pain free. The best reward of using this product is not having to bother with hair removal very often -- I can't say exactly how long the overall effect lasts, but I usually do touch-ups once a week on those hairs that were not long enough to pull the week before and it doesn't take but about 15-20 minutes to to a "whole body" once over. I use it on my legs, underarms and bikini line all with equal success. The only drawbacks that I have discovered are occasional problems with ingrown hairs (which has mostly been solved with the added use of a loofah) and the fact that my legs are never as smooth as when I shaved due to some hairs not being long enough to catch at the time of epilation. This has gotten better with repeated use (it appears as if less hair grows back between each use and it grows back soft), but it's still not quite smooth to the touch. However, all in all I consider this a great product that I'm really glad I took the chance on trying. |
Better than Waxing any day!
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| Review Date: September 18, 2006 |
| Reviewer: M. Arnold, New Orleans |
Disclaimer: I owned and used one of the original Epilady epilators for years. When that died, I turned to waxing. I have a pretty high pain tolerance when it comes to hair removal. If you do not have a good pain tolerance, don't read further- this review won't help you make a decision!
Pros: price, less pain than waxing, little to no redness or bumps, hair-free legs for weeks!
Cons: took a few runs to get all the hairs at first, not cord-free.
At $49.99, this beats both self-waxing and salon waxing after a couple of uses. As the price of razors continues to go up, the 3170 is a one-time investment that to me is worth the money.
For me, using this is very painless[see disclaimer above] and better yet, it does not leave behind the redness and bumps I used to experience with my old Epilady and with waxing. I did had to use it a few times at first to actually pull out the hairs when they reached the optimal length, and not just cut them off. I do wish it came in a cordless version- although the cord is pretty long.
A few tips to make the experience better: I ALWAYS exfoliate my legs and make sure they are clean before using the epilator. I stop and clean the epilator every so often to keep it running optimally. I also use Bikini Zone on my legs and bikini line after epilation to keep from getting ingrown hairs.
My sister also owns this same model and has had hers for 6 months- she says it works as good as the day she bought it- encouraging when you read about other brands that break after a few uses. |
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