Overall, the result was great, almost as if I’d gone for a wax. Aside from the razor, I also did go in with a tweezer to get some other stragglers (particularly on the top half of my coochie), and voila, I was done. How much does the Braun epilator hurt? I love that it comes with a bunch of different brush heads to suit a heap of needs (aka trimming for pubes and a facial cap for your upper lip).

Unlike some other hair removal methods, epilating does provide long-term results, leaving you hair-free for up to four weeks. It won’t banish hair for good, but it will give you significantly more time in between treatments than shaving would. Epilating is known for being slightly painful (you are pulling hair right from the root, after all) but the good news is any pain normally decreases each time you epilate. Hot tip: I also noticed that epilating definitely hurt more when I tried to do it right before I started my period as opposed to when I used it afterwards. Science says that your pain receptors are more active before and during your period, which causes you to be more sensitive to pain than usual. So, my recommendation is to try to avoid epilating during that time of the month. Most epilators work best on hairs that are between 3-5mm long. You may prefer to start epilating as soon as hair is visible though, as this is less painful and should avoid ingrown hairs. How do I prepare my skin for epilation?SensoSmart™ technology guides your epilation with a red light to ensure the right amount of pressure is applied.

The shaver head turns the epilator into a fully functional shaver, while the trimmer cap lets you trim hair if you prefer. My legs are covered in tiny baby ingrowns that I just never care enough about to fix, but the epilator kind of popped them open. Seeing the rest of my legs so smooth made me want to take better care and exfoliate better so that next go-around, I can have even smoother legs. Using either chemical or physical exfoliants are fine here, as long as they're not irritating, says Susan Bard, MD, a dermatologist in NYC. I think the final verdict is that I’ll continue to use it on my legs, arms, underarms and pubic area, but I won’t be giving up my razor just yet, as I like to use it to touch up any parts that are too painful or hard to reach. I definitely will be replacing my waxing and laser appointments with it, though. Where can you buy a Braun epilator for yourself?

Where can you buy a Braun epilator for yourself?

waterproof, you can epilate in the bath or shower. Epilation becomes virtually painless with frequent use in water. With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.

The new Braun Silk-épil 9 Flex 9-020 is the world’s 1st epilator for women with a fully flexible head, for effortless hair removal. Enjoy weeks of salon-smooth skin thanks to Micro-Grip technology and a 40% wider head that removes even the shortest hairs, down to 0.5mm. Includes additional shaver and trimmer head and massage cap for fewer skin impurities. To minimise discomfort, make sure you apply warm water to the skin before you start, which helps to open up pores. Alternatively, choose one of the epilators from our list that can be used wet when bathing or showering, so you can thoroughly soak skin beforehand. Is it better to shave or epilate?

What is an epilator?

I like to think I have a decent pain tolerance, but the truth is, the first time I used this device, I was surprised at how much it hurt. I mean, it is ripping out your hair follicles, after all. But, after using it a couple of times, I became desensitised to the pain and could use it without having to stop as much. I won’t lie to you. My pubes and upper lip hurt bad. But definitely not as much as my tattoo, if that’s any sort of reference point or consolation. Featuring wide, long and deep tweezers, the Silk-épil 9 Flex removes even the shortest hairs with precision, that wax cannot catch

The noise is the worst part at first. It sounds like a lawnmower eating up a stray twig when it catches a hair.

TL;DR

The new Braun Silk-épil 9-010 is the world’s 1st epilator for women with a fully flexible head, for effortless hair removal. Enjoy weeks of salon-smooth skin thanks to Micro-Grip technology and a 40% wider head that removes hairs as short as 0.5mm. Includes additional shaver and trimmer head, a massage cap for fewer skin impurities, and a deep body exfoliation brush that visibly improves skin appearance. Testers were given the choice to trial the device in either wet and/or dry conditions (if suitable for both), and were provided with all the attachments that come with the device, so they had the option to use it on all or specific areas of the body. My skin, which is by NO means sensitive, was covered in a buuuuunch of tiny red welts after my first epilation sesh. It was very jarring to see, but it went away after a few hours.