Works - with dark hair and with some preparation

Where I am there just fall into it? Having a few years back by a false order in "Vine" a painful "Self-Test" (sic!) Pulled a brown Ladies epilator (the photo-documentation of the result depends on a Braun product that you like to pick out himself can), please send me regularly since Amazon offers for similar products. Why this is at first glance quite meaningless, on the second but perhaps ingenious, this is explained when you introduce myself now times as pudgy, but especially male, legs quite hairy IT-ler, who prefer the all day up to the forearms inserted into the bowels of laptops and PC cases. In other words, I'm probably the complete opposite of what one would call these devices as "target group".

As I sit here now so here and always get time trial offers for products in which to me (yes, men are so sensitive) after my painful self-test really raise the hackles. Epilator here Enthaarer there Ladyshaver there. To explain the time for male readers: epilator and in general all (I now generalize very) razors products for women can be classified as torture instruments. It twinge, it tears, it reddens; and epilators factor is that they operate according to a principle that Fust sure to pull out the hairs one by one. Brrrr.

So I ignore the majority of these product offerings now because I prefer a horror film than and less than personal care product. Well - long story short: The Philips Lumea SC1996 / 00 (hereinafter "Lumea") is again been such a "false order" basically. I liked the exterior. Maybe because I have professionally often to do with barcode scanners that have exactly the same size - or because I like Star Trek and therefore could start a lot with phasers. ;-) Joking aside: Of course I have previously been thinking whether I can test this somehow spontaneously ordered product. It is helpful because I am married and this time had no bump epilator (here my wife refused namely all tests). So we could finally test to women's and men legs.

Caveat: Yes, the product acts. By both. However, it is followed by a "but", which the manufacturer but also in the product description (both on Amazon, as well as on their own website) basically very clearly writes. Man (n) it overlooks just like anyone who has faith, fair hair (red, blond, white / gray) to fight it, you are wrong. The Lumea "may" therefore only "from Chestnut upwards". This is for technical reasons and is - as I said - and quite honestly communicated by the manufacturer. Unfortunately, this happens, however, as part of the product features and not "For you that does not work" by a single warning, which might be more complaints would prevent than to read about welcoming "Suitable hair and skin types" -Passus.

Against the gray hairs in my beard (yes, we tested it there) makes the / the / the Lumea (I'll stick with "the", I think) nothing. Too bad. Presumably, however, you would need this microwave and not only "Intense Pulsed Light" (IPL) ...
However, a commercial facial hair, bikini zone hair and leg-Gewucher have little chance. For both men and women (okay, in men there are probably rare, "Bikini Zone"). Important here: Do not expect miracles from the first application. We are noticeable results after the first 5 or 6 applications have been noticing - and yes, you should have the appropriate parts of the body before SHAVING again. Without any preliminary (before each meeting) so you can not get from the Lumea. In return, the hair growth decreases noticeably, especially in the legs.

Before I hit silent now, because I probably forever (in the service of product testing!) Had a bald spot on the leg, I interject that Lumea comes with two attachments, "cover" the particular areas of the body. The great essay serves for legs etc. pp. ("Everything below the neck"), the small attachment is for the face, throat, neck, ears ... whatever thought. Here you can combine freely, although I would strongly advise against it, to play with the big tower in the face.
It is interesting when compared to "older" solutions that I have ever seen that you can now "slide" to work with the Lumea. So you can draw on, for example, the device in slow sliding the leg and thus "expose" a fairly large area in a very short time or illuminate. Although the cuts in my eyes the success per individual session, but you're done faster. It used to be just "flashed - put forth - flashed - put forth - ..." and took ages for a leg. Today, both legs get well out already in about 20-25 minutes, maybe 15 minutes. However, the previous shave is not included.

What Philips So writes on its own website about the product that's right so halfway (at least in terms of hours). But you read between the lines if you want to really have a clear idea what you are getting for its 350-400 Euro: Shaving is imperative and Lumea achieved not the first time the desired end result.
"Perfect" results, there is the way with this product as in "real life" only if one strikes by all means: Really durable smooth the body has been in my hair growth on the leg after various treatments in the course of just over three weeks until I in addition to a shaving even done by a epilator and then "irradiated" have.

Speaking of "irradiated": Although I would wish it to me as a Star Trek fan, of course, different, IPL is just not a "phaser" and therefore "radiates" no hair away. So they do not go up in flames, you will also not overly flooded with ultraviolet light (the essays have appropriate filter). At this point you probably expect a "but" and it also comes. And now ...

The thick BUT:
One thing that you need to be clear, if you are using IPL is, that - although there is an "attenuated" form which is in Lumea what one example used in beauty salons - there still such side effects such as redness, swelling and cetera, may result. Just prior to application on the face you should first of all try at another location or in a very small area, as you can tolerate IPL. Redness you may now slide to the previous shave, but I had also, for example, at a meeting that I had pulled through without shaving, redness. Not painful, but perceptible. Philips describes in its FAQs for the product the way, as a "tingling" and says that it goes away after about an hour. This also coincides roughly with my assessment.
It is important to respect. IPL that you check in advance whether an application is appropriate way to you. Not only that IPL with redheads and gray-haired (. Etc. pp) has no effect - there are also a number of skin diseases in which a dermatologist for use of certain patients, at least not recommended. Examples: acne, herpes, various fungal diseases. In order to shorten it: In diseased skin should not use IPL. Here was but said that the IPL from Lumea is "weak" compared to the "real" IPL or a laser treatment that possible damage should always be limited.
Philips drives in the FAQs on the device the way a policy of "openness" and speaks to various topics that might be of interest to potential customers. I can therefore lay the FAQs that each prospective warmly recommend. You can find the FAQs are "[...]" under "Support" at the product "SC1996 / 00". You can also enter in their search for "SC1996 FAQ" and gets the second hit already a link to a FAQ entry.

Finally, I normally agree to the price-performance. I have here but to say that a statement is really difficult: The technology convinced by the results, but the price is also relatively steep and a real possibility of comparison as to whether one with a potentially much more expensive but longer lasting "right" IPL treatment no better drives a dermatologist, there is not even. In my case is the fact that I have received the device so free and just can assess whether me 350-400 euros "okay" occur for what you have "given" to me in the end. But this I can only say "yes and no", because the hairs are from, the sessions are running okay, the result is so, but the price scares and, no, I would never have risen so me of their own accord out a Lumea. But, my goodness, I am a man ;-)

Conclusion:
A good product that therefore deserves from me also 4 stars. The value is in this case for me for the reasons mentioned can not be assessed, but I know from other tests that also epilators & Co times are fast three digits and bring benefits which at the scratch only "from below" what the Lumea with hair made my various "test sites". Can I issue a buy recommendation therefore? I think no. I can only say at this point: If you want to buy an IPL device, then you should definitely keep an eye on the Lumea - it's definitely one of the good of this division, which also houses such as Remington and Silk'n with similar units and similar pricing structures romp. Here you can meet a rule independent of the manufacturer at price of 100-150 euros for entry-level devices and at about 350-400 euros for Higher quality; from whom you can buy in the end that you can therefore make seemingly directly dependent on how a the look and feel of the particular device like so.