Philips SatinPerfect Epilator Review

I've been a BzzAgent for a few years now and while I find the campaigns I'm invited to are few and far between, I was lucky enough to join the BzzCampaign for the Philips SatinPerfect Epilator.

I've tried sugaring and waxing, but can't take the pain of it (or the price), and I absolutely cannot stand the smell of hair removal creams, so I have always shaved my legs. It's a bit of a pain (especially now that I am eight months+ pregnant and can barely reach them) and I'm not fond of prickly stubble, so I shave frequently. Laser hair removal is tempting, but very expensive. I could see doing that for bikini and underarm hair, but I doubt I'd ever do it for leg hair. Unless I win the lottery - then, sign me up.

The Philips SatinPerfect Epilator may just be the solution for me. I've been using it for about 5 weeks now and am quite happy with the way it works.

Here's the package - I really don't find the package that appealing (hello, 80's), but this is what you'd look for in the store.


And, here's what comes inside: a storage pouch, the cord, three heads (one is installed on the epilator here), the epilator, and a cleaning brush.

Like any product there are pros and cons, so here is my take:

Pros:

• It works! The way it works is with a set of spinning discs that basically grab the hairs and pull them out. I would say that it is very effective.
  
• It has a bright light on the front of the unit that shines on the area you're about to go over. The light reveals the fine hairs & means you can use it in a regularly lit room.
• The cord is really long. It must be plugged in to work, so having the ability to plug it in across a counter and still reach the far end of your legs is important.
• The unit is not too heavy, and comfortable in the hand. That's important because I find it takes me about 15-20 minutes to go over my legs with it.
• It lasts longer than shaving (which makes a 15-20 minute session okay). I have used it maybe 3-4 times in the last 5 weeks, and the time will get longer between sessions. What happens when you start, if you've been shaving, is that shaving has simply cut all the hairs no matter what stage of growth they are at. With hairs growing quickly when they first appear and more slowly as they age, you end up with stubble that grows at different rates. Since the epilator needs hairs to be long enough to catch in the discs, it takes a while to get all the hairs to be at the same stage. So yes, I still have some stubble from when I was shaving - but less and less each week.
• It is simple to use. It has two speeds, and comes with three different heads (basic, massage & hair-lifting). I've been using the massage head (which has rollers on either side of the disc), and I find the extra sensation of the rollers helps mitigate the minor pain of hairs being yanked out.
  
• It is simple to clean. Really simple. The heads and the disc attachment pop off easily and it comes with a small brush to clean out any little hairs stuck in there. It takes no time at all. You can run the removable parts under water if necessary - I haven't found it necessary to do so, though - a quick brush has been enough to keep it clean.
  
• It has a cute design. I know that's not hugely important, but I like the look of it :)
• It comes with a storage pouch to keep everything together, and it's roomy enough that you're not fighting with the darn thing trying to get it in there.
  

Cons:

• It's a little painful, especially the first time you do it, and in sensitive areas like the back of the knees and thighs. It does get less and less painful, though, as you get used to it and as you begin to be removing younger (finer) hairs. I'm a bit of a wimp (see comment above re sugaring and waxing) and I can handle this.
  
• It's loud. This is not something you'll be doing discreetly. It is louder than my hair dryer. Bzzz!
• It doesn't do bikini or underarm areas (though there is another model that does that). That said, it would hurt like heck to be yanking those hairs out. Those brave women who get bikini waxes might be able to take it, but not me.
  
• It is slower than shaving. But, you don't have to do it every day, you end up with soft, fine hairs coming in rather than prickly stubble, and over time you will need to do it less and less often.
  
• There is the potential for ingrown hairs. This is something I am prone to even with shaving, and I am finding I do get more with this method of hair removal. However, to be fair, I can't be bothered to exfoliate.
• It is awkward around knees & ankles. The size of the head makes it tricky to get into small, concave areas.
• Stubble left from shaving lasts a while. As I mentioned, I've still got stubble 5 weeks in. You really need to be able to stand living with that until it is long enough for the epilator to pull out. Thankfully for me, it's winter and I don't really care that much.
• That long cord is annoying to wind up and store. It's a pain to fold it all up and bind it so that it will fit neatly into the pouch. Maybe not everyone's as bothered as I am if the cord just goes in all tangled, but that drives me nuts, so I'm folding it every time.
  

Other comments:

• It would be nice if it were cordless, or at least had a retractable cord for storage.
• Learn from my experience - all those little hairs go somewhere, and if you use it over the floor that's where you'll find them. Use it in a dry shower stall or a dry bathtub, so you can rinse away hairs after (it is NOT meant for wet use).
  

Overall, I like it much more than I expected to. It means less everyday maintenance, just one 20 minute session every week or two. This is a product that I will definitely keep using (and I am happy to stop buying expensive razor cartridges too!). I think once I get past the remaining stubble on my legs, they will feel a lot smoother than before, even when I have fine hairs starting to come in. They already are smoother than they would be after a shave, because the stubble is reduced greatly. I also think that if I were a little more proactive about exfoliating, the ingrown hairs would not be a problem. Maybe once I'm not pregnant and can reach my legs again that will happen :)

Visit philips.ca to learn more about the new SatinPerfect HP6570 and the rest of the hair removal line.

I was sent several coupons for $10 off your purchase of this product (for Canadian stores only). If you want one, let me know in a comment or email me your mailing address and I'll send one over. They expire on January 31st, so make it snappy :)

I tried this product for free but was not paid for my review.