Philips Lumea IPL Hair Removal 7000 Series - Hair Removal Device With Satin Compact Pen Trimmer, 3 Attachments Body, Face, And Bikini, Corded Use (Model BRI923/00)

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When you first open the app, it asks for the model number of your Lumea to give you specific advice for the device you’re using, which includes setup, preparation, treatment, scheduling and after care. It doesn’t connect to the device directly via Bluetooth, but having this information at your fingertips during treatment is incredibly useful. Also, if there’s something else you’re unsure of, there’s a handy archive of blogs from other Lumea users with extra information and guidance. Both devices work in the same way. Place the window flush against your skin and press the flash button. After it flashes, move it the height of the flash window to the next spot and flash again. You can keep the flash button pressed for continuous flashes as you glide the window along your skin. This is a neat feature if you have varied tones across body areas. It removes any guesswork. And on more sensitive areas you can still manually lower it a notch or two. Specialist flash windows The setup is easy: simply plug the corded machine in, press the on button on the head of the device and choose from five intensity settings.

Both the Advanced and Prestige have flash windows to match different body areas. The Advanced models come with flat attachments in different sizes and they do a good job. Advanced:The large 4cm2 flat body and small 2cm2 face flash window with integrated red filter do a good job. Firstly, this model is very lightweight and has been designed to sit comfortably in your hand. It comes with a more extensive accessory kit than the other IPL devices we’ve tried, with two extra heads: one for the face and the other for your bikini line. The latest 9000 series models come with more IPL flashes from the bulb. You get almost double the flashes than the older models with 450,000 vs 250,000 flashes. READ NEXT: Our roundup of the best epilators you can buy Philips Lumea IPL Advanced review: Should you buy it?

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While IPL is generally known for being relatively pain-free, you could be forgiven for being reluctant to take this at face value, as some people say the same thing about epilating. Having tried both methods of hair removal, I can safely say the pain levels are worlds apart. The Prestige is slightly more powerful than the Advanced. You must still complete the start-up stage and do top-ups with both devices. But the extra power with the Prestige means it’s sightly less effort. That’s because, if you have fair skin and can use the highest intensity levels, after you’ve finished your start-up treatments you’ll need fewer and less regular top-ups to maintain your smooth. All Prestige and Advanced models have the large body and a small face flash window. Some Advanced models also have the precision window for bikini and underarms. And some Prestige models have either a seperate bikini and underarms window, or the dual bikini and underarms precision window. Say goodbye to ingrown hairs and stubbles****, thanks to slower re-growth and less frequent shaving. The star of the show for me is the large body flash window. Coupled with the comfy gun-shape, it really makes all the difference vs rivals on legs and tummy. That’s because it hugs your curves, is large yet precise and makes it super-easy to get a flash. It also does a good job on underarms and bikini line. I love the curved in body flash window for easy and precise leg zapping!

Alongside this, the Lumea Advanced is corded, which means you lose out on the cordless convenience offered by the Lumea 9000. Still, the cord is 192cm long, which is plenty enough to manoeuvre around your body during treatments. It’s also much lighter than the cordless version, weighing nearly 200g less than its cordless counterpart. Proven effectiveness: Lumea IPL prevents hair regrowth to enjoy 12 months of hair-free smooth skin*, and up to 85% hair reduction in as little as 3 treatments*** That’s understandable. However, bear in mind ALL the Prestige models come with more than enough flashes for decades of use, even with the 250,000 flash bulb. This gives you enough flashes for over 15 years of monthly whole-body zappings. But for most people, you won’t need them that frequently. That’s because once you’ve done a year of maintenance top-ups, your skin stays smooth for several months at a time, and even up to one year. So, it’s more probable you’ll need top-ups just a couple of times per year. Therefore, it’s very unlikely you’ll use up all those flashes!

The verdict: Philips lumea BRI/923

The face attachment has been thoughtfully designed to have a small, flat 2 cm2 window so you can effectively and gently treat hair on your face. Ideal for your upper lip, chin or jawline and sideburns, the attachment also has an extra filter integrated within. When added to the device, the intelligent attachment automatically adapts the light treatment for your face. And the IPL lamps last ages too. The Advanced gives 250,000 flashes, as do the earlier Prestige models. The later 9000 series Prestige models give a whopping 450,000 flashes. But note, ALL these models give many more flashes than you’ll ever need. The higher-end models also come equipped with a “SmartSkin” sensor, which recommends the most comfortable light intensity based on your skin tone, using Philips’ “SenseIQ” technology. With the Lumea Advanced, you have to set the light intensity manually by using a simple patch test and the skin tone and hair colour chart in the user manual. Objective studies show up to 85% hair reduction in as little as 3 treatments***. The first 4 treatments must be carried out every 2 weeks, after which you should already be able to see the desired results. To maintain your results, simply touch up every 4 weeks. After just 8 touch up treatments you can enjoy hair-free smooth skin for at least 12 months**.

Use the Prestige for 4 or 5 sessions, 1 every 2 weeks (taking up to 8 weeks) to get smooth skin. A whole-body session takes around 40 minutes. The Lumea App helps you create your personalised treatment schedule, with reminders, tips and advice during each treatment to achieve long-lasting results.It’s a good selection but the attachments on the Lumea Advanced aren’t as easy to use as they are on the more expensive Lumea 9000 and Prestige models. Not only are the treatment windows on the face attachment significantly smaller, measuring 9 x 19mm on the Lumea Advanced compared to 8 x 26mm on the 9000, but they’re also completely flat. That’s an issue because the window needs to be pressed flush against the skin for the Lumea to flash, which means bonier areas of the body are more difficult to treat.

There’s a big difference. Although the Prestige is not the fastest at-home IPL you can buy, it’s not too far behind. The speed matches the device shape and design, and it’s controlled and consistent. So, it’s easy to get into a good rhythm for accurate coverage. Therefore, it’s an excellent choice for face, small bits and large body areas, and especially whole-body hair removal. As IPL uses intense flashes of light and no bulb lasts forever, the flashes you can get out of each Lumea are limited. The Advanced reviewed here is rated at 250,000 flashes (as is the Prestige) and the Lumea 9000 lasts 450,000. While that is a big difference, we did the maths and you’d have to do 544 full leg treatments to get through 250,000 flashes, or 22 years’ worth, so don’t let this put you off.

Both the Prestige and Advanced are very comfortable to hold because of their distinctive gun-shapes. Their intuitive, no-strain grip is easy to manoeuvre and precise to position. The trigger flash button is perfectly placed for a comfortable, secure grip. And the simple controls are easy to see on top. The Prestige is slightly larger and heavier than the Advanced. Prestige (left) weighs 560g, the Advanced (right) weighs 370g.