Should I buy a new epilator?

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

I am a vetran epilator, use my current one all the time. It is however old (about 12-14yrs old). Now because there are no blades I know it is not going to blunt...but has technology improved over that time? Is it worth upgrading?

I have £50 to spend on Amazon so I was looking at Braun which apparently will do face (I do wax upper lip regularly and hate the after effects of waxing).

Or Philips which I like the idea of the pre-cutting system (as I do have a tendancy to let my hairs over grow during winter and then I get more snapage than I would like.

Both seem to have hair lifting mechanisms which sounds like an advantage over my old one.

So is there actually value in upgrading my old model? Or should I spend my money on something more pleasurable?
What do you currently recommend? One of the above or something else? p.s. not worried about pain reducig gimics....I am a tuff cookie and ignore the pain reduction system on my current model.

[ellielou02]

oh gonna keep an eye on this was thinking about buying one but am a virgin to epilators, has anyone used it on their bikini area

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

I use it on ladygarden but was only brave enough after years of leg use. TBH it is fine. Shave first and do it when the regrowth is a 2-3mm rather than on the long curly ones!

Having said that gettting close to teh where ladygarden joins leg can sting a bit.

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

Oh and I don't go "underneath" IYSWIM....strictly at the front!!!

[ellielou02]

so what would you recommend for a novice.

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

I think that is the point....I have had mine 12yrs and it is very very technologically out of date.

Braun use an ice pack pain reducing system...but TBH I wouldn't pay for that as you could do the same thing with a bag of frozen pea's.

You want something with 2 speeds...start with the slow and when you get hard go fast. I also recommend you start on the front of your shin and as ankles can be sensitive.

I guess it depends on your budget. I have selected 2 for my buget - and I think either of those would be fine. But there are plenty of Braun and Philips around £25-35 on amazon which look perfectly fine.

You can get some wet and dry ones these days which I would probably consider if I was a newby to it - as I would expect the water to be soothing. But the wet and dry are rechargeable and personally I think I would prefer mains as that is what I currently have - and they are quite powerful...I should imagine it could get pretty crap when the battery starts dying as you reallly need speed in the blades.

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

Oh and I think that Philips and Braun seem to be the market leadrers. They both get almost universally excellent reviews - but people that have had Braun previously don't seem to like Philips and vice versa. I think you get used to one or the other....which is why I think I might go for the Philips as I think that is what I have currently got.

[TediBersMorRad]

I'm a veteran too - had an original Epilady with those evil coils! I just bought a Silk Epil, one which has an interchangeable head (it's pink - can't remember the model number). I would recommend.

It has...
Standard epilator, 2 speeds.
Little light which is dead cool and you see more hairs.
Shaver attachment - great for a beginner, because if you really don't like it, you still have a shaver; you could also shave sensitive bits but epilate legs and work your way up. As it were!
It also has a trimmer attachment to make longer hairs (sorry!) to optimum epilation. But be warned - I used that to tidy up my ladygarden and got carried away - I was left with this weird 2mm beard effect all over. (But Dracula got to say, I did cry a little thinking of epilating underneath...)

It's not wet or dry (but I never saw the point of epilating in the shower). And it does not work from battery - mains only. You have to pay more for that.

If I remember, there are lots of silk epil types around, from just epilator to more advanced ones than mine - but I think mine is great. I think my old one was philips - didn't have all the attachments this new one has, and had strange little fingers for lifting the hairs. Found that pointless. Otherwise much the same?

[ellielou02]

I think I read somewhere that you can get ingrowing hairs with epilators, have any of you ladies had that?

[TediBersMorRad]

OMG, there's like a hundred silk epil types out there! Silk epil. Mine is the Xelle 5270 model but in last season's pink.
Boots have special offers on them from time to time. Perhaps when they're trying to clear the pink ones to make room for the blue! Or right now.

[TediBersMorRad]

You can do, but not if you exfoliate regularly or at all. Needless to say, I'm lazy and a bit crap on exfoliation and get them - but this new machine seems better than the old one and it's not so much of a problem.

[nowadoubledee]

Don't you get red bumps on your skin though? I tried this in the summer but my legs looked like they had a really bad rash after using one, was I doing it wrong?

[ellielou02]

Sorry thisboy kind of took over with my questions.

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

Yes I do get a few ingrowing hairs but I NEVER exfoliate. i don't get many on my legs...but have had a few more since I started doing my ladygarden. I just pull them out with tweezers before they turn into boils. No worse than waxing though.

I also have the red rash - as you do with any hair yanking removall method. At most it lasts overnight though.

P.S. don't worry about hijaking....if it is as helpful to you as it is me then great - I am happy to share !

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

Tedi - yours sounds like the equivalent of the Philips I bookmarked in teh OP...but the model number you give doesn't appear to have the shaver/trimmer attatchement as far as I can see.

[TediBersMorRad]

They do look really similar. Mine definitely has the shaver/trimmer - it has a basic shaver head, and you add the plastic trimmer attachment on that - so you're shaving but not touching the foil as it were. If you look on my link, under the picture at the top of the screen in tiny writing it says silk epil xelle models and features - click on that, and it tells you what's what.
Mine has the shaver, but doesn't have the easy start pack with cooling gloves.
I also apparently have a special head for covering larger areas. I don't have wide legs!
I exfoliate once a year or so (!) and occasionally get ingrowing hairs but nothing like an epidemic, and I take great pleasure in getting them out with tweezers. The rash - like chicken skin! - is gone by morning but I make sure I don't epilate before going to work/wearing a skirt/showing my legs to anyone other than DH.

[TediBersMorRad]

The Philips one you linked to is almost exactly the same as the Braun one. I only opted for Braun because it was on special offer. Betcha they're made in the same factory - the plastic trimmer attachment looks identical.

Might go to epilate right now! Perhaps I'll give the ladygarden a go. I may be some time...

[ellielou02]

daracula did you get one? I have just bought the braun onee you linked, have had a quick shot and have to say its not nearly as bad a I imagined.