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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
If you’re someone who chooses to remove hair from someplace on your body, you’ll know what a royal pain it can be (time, money, ingrown hair…SMH). For those sick of shaving and who aren’t keen on waxing until the end of time, laser is by far one of the most popular (and effective) alternatives.
Final Verdict
Our top choice is the Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5, a smart and effective device that uses special technology to adjust the flash intensity to your skin tone as you use it. For a wallet-friendly option, reach for the MiSMON IPL At-Home Hair Removal Machine.
According to cosmetic chemist and beauty educator Michelle Wong, laser hair removal works on the premise that dark colors (your hair) absorb light (the laser). The light from the laser then heats the hair follicle to a point where it becomes damaged, resulting in no growth at all or hair that’s much finer. The results are semi-permanent, and after initial treatments only require maintenance once or twice a year.
Laser hair removal is traditionally administered by a professional in-clinic, but these treatments don’t come cheap and require multiple sessions to see a semi-permanent reduction, making for a costly and exhaustive process. Thankfully, there are plenty of effective, easy, cost-efficient at-home laser devices on the market. While these won’t measure up to that of a trained, qualified professional, if you’re looking to save time and a few Benjamins, they may do just the trick. We did our research and read through countless reviews to find the top-rated and most effective devices that money can buy.
Keep reading to discover the best at-home laser hair removal devices.
Best Overall: Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5
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Recommended by the Skin Health Alliance
SensoAdapt technology adjusts intensity to skin tone
Ten power settings
Expensive
We consider our number one pick the Rolls Royce of at-home hair removal devices. The Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 is fast, effective, and delightful to use. Recommended by the Skin Health Alliance and cleared by the FDA, it utilizes a technology called SensoAdapt that adjusts the flash intensity for your skin tone as you’re using it—making it suitable for use on most skin tones. The device also boasts 10 different power settings, allowing you to tailor treatment to your skin tone and pain threshold. Needless to say, it may be pricey (as most of these devices are), but it sure is impressive.
Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000
Best Drugstore: MiSMON IPL At-Home Hair Removal Machine
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Affordable
Ergonomic grip
LCD screen
Doesn't have unlimited flashes
This laser device from MiSMON is surprisingly affordable for what it is. Featuring a range of energy levels, and a screen that tells you how many flashes are left (it comes pre-loaded with 300,000 flashes), it’s easy to customize to your needs. The easy hand-held grip makes it a cinch to use on legs, arms, armpits, butt, and the bikini area as well.
Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000
Best for Medium Skin: Braun Silk-Expert Pro 3
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Precision head allows for easy treatment on small areas
Said to work on medium to deep skin tones
Doesn't have unlimited flashes
Braun is one of the most highly regarded brands in the at-home permanent hair removal game, and the Silk Expert lives up to the hype. Pre-loaded with 300,000 flashes, it’s one of the few devices on the market that is said to work on medium to deep skin tones (level V on the Fitzpatrick scale). The included precision head is also useful when treating small areas like the bikini or face.
Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000
Best for Sensitive Skin: Silk'n Infinity Hair Removal Device
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Silk'n
Syncs with a reminder app
Five power settings
Can be adjusted to cater to sensitive skin
Expensive
Bad at sticking to a routine? This device comes with a handy app to remind you of your next appointment because when it comes to at-home laser hair removal, consistency is key. The five power settings mean you can tailor intensity as well (a nice feature for sensitive skin types or those with a low pain threshold).
Type: IPL | Flashes: Unlimited
Most Comfortable: DEESS GP590 Permanent Hair Removal System
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Features soothing cool technology
Rechargeable with unlimited flashes
Includes three different heads
Cord could be longer
Those who are bad with pain (even something minimal like permanent hair removal) will take comfort in the fact this DEESS device comes kitted out with cool technology to soothe the skin after treatment. It’s rechargeable and comes with unlimited flashes, so in theory, it should last a really long time. There are also three heads—some of which are for skin rejuvenation, but our advice is to stick to it for hair removal only.
Type: IPL | Flashes: Unlimited
Best for Dark Skin: Elos Me Me Sleek
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FDA cleared for all skin tones
Unlimited flashes
Sleek design
Expensive
With unlimited treatments and FDA clearance to work on all skin tones, there’s a lot to love about this Me Sleek laser device. We love the luxe charging cradle as well.
Type: IPL and radiofrequency | Flashes: Unlimited
Best for Large Areas: ORA Iluminage Touch 4ever Home Permanent Hair Removal IPL & Radio Frequency System (FDA-Cleared)
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Uses IPL and radiofrequency
FDA cleared for all skin tones and hair colors
Unlimited flashes
Very expensive
If you want to treat your arms, legs, or back, you need a device with a larger head, such as this one from ORA. The combination of IPL and radiofrequency used in this is actually patented by the brand—in fact, the technology was originally developed by scientists behind in-clinic machines, so you know you’re in good hands. It’s also one of the few FDA-cleared tools that are said to work on all skin tones and hair colors.
Type: IPL and radiofrequency | Flashes: Unlimited
Best with Cooling Technology: HappySkin Ice IPL Hair Removal Handset
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Features cooling technology
Great for sensitive skin
Three different modes
May be too large for smaller areas
This handset from Happyskin is fitted out with cooling technology to mitigate any stinging or redness post-treatment, so it’s a nice choice for sensitive skin. With 999,000 flashes and three modes (including auto, glide, and manual), it’s not bad for the price point. Bonus points for its sleek appearance as well.
Type: IPL | Flashes: 999,000
Final Verdict
The Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 wins for us, hands down. It’s smart, effective, quick, and safe—all features that are really great value given the price point. Runner-up goes to the Elos Me Me Sleek because it’s great quality and one of the few FDA-cleared tools that can be used on dark skin tones.
Meet the Expert
- Michelle Wong is a cosmetic chemist, beauty educator, and the founder of Lab Muffin.
- Rachel Ward, MD, is a dermatologist and a Cleveland Clinic practitioner.
What to Look For in an At-Home Laser Hair Removal Device
Laser vs IPL
According to Cleveland Clinic practitioner and dermatologist Rachel Ward, MD, there are two types of at-home hair removal methods: true laser and IPL. Both use light to heat the hair follicle, the only palpable difference is the light they actually use (laser uses one wavelength, whereas IPL uses multiple).
Skin Tone and Hair Color
Ward touches on this elsewhere, but because the laser is attracted to dark pigment, it’s tricky territory for dark skin tones due to the possibility of the laser getting confused and heating the actual skin instead of the hair (and causing permanent damage). These days, technology has come far enough (and rightly so) so that people of color can reap the rewards of laser hair removal, but it’s important to seek out the right tool. If you're really in doubt, hedge your bets and speak to a professional from the get-go. Even if you don’t commit to a series of treatments, you’ll at least have peace of mind and a better understanding of what you can and can’t do.
Likewise, those with fair body hair should also consider their options because at-home devices might not be intelligent enough to pick up the hair follicle (remember, they’re attracted to dark pigment).
Why Trust Byrdie
Over the years, Emily Algar has experienced and spoken to dozens of experts in the permanent hair-removal treatment space, figuring out what works, what doesn’t. For this feature, she has borrowed the expertise of two professionals (a dermatologist and beauty educator) the break down the how’s and what’s of at-home laser hair removal.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any at-home laser hair removal devices from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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