‘I was surprised at how easy it was’: Beauty expert Triona McCarthy tries out the new Braun Skin i-expert IPL

Years ago when Triona McCarthy was training to be a beauty therapist, there were only two popular forms of hair removal – waxing and electrolysis, both of which she deeply disliked and found extremely painful. Then when laser became all the rage, she tried that in a salon as well, but the multiple treatments didn’t suit her busy lifestyle.

“I have young children, I have a busy schedule so I’ve never managed to complete any hair removal course or follow up with the maintenance,” Triona explained. “I just wanted something that I could get results from.”

So, when IMAGE approached her about trying the brand new Braun Skin i-expert IPL, one of her first questions was how much upkeep was involved. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that there wasn’t much at all. Following the device guidelines, you only need one treatment a week from the comfort of your home for visible results in just three weeks.

How it works

Before you begin treatment, it’s important to start with a clean slate, shaving any hair stubble and washing away any heavy skincare products.

“First, I shaved, took all my tan off, and gave myself a little zappity-do with the device,” said Triona. “I love that it automatically adapts to your skin colour, no manual inputs or guesses! As a beauty therapist, I understand how it works by recognising the difference between your hair and skin colour – the light travels through the hair and not the skin, so it’s not painful. 

“I feel like this is made for somebody like me, who can never commit to anything that requires 12 in-salon treatments and who has no pain threshold. It’s not as bad as waxing, which I hate, or electrolysis which I tried out. It’s fine!

“Now is the perfect time as well because we’ve come out of summertime, I’m not wearing tan as much, and I can take the time those long dark evenings sitting in front of the TV watching Netflix and playing Home Beauty Salon Owner.”

Sleek and comfortable

Unlike the clunky beauty devices of the past (remember the monstrous hair crimper!), Triona loves how luxe the Braun Skin i-expert IPL is. Not only is it the latest in beauty tech, but it certainly looks it as well.

“I think devices like this have gotten so much better over the years. I’ve kind of been turned off any hair removal gadgets I got in the past because they were clunky, ugly, and really confusing, with having to use different levels and all that sort of thing. I put them straight back in the drawer, where they collected dust and I never went back to them. With this, they must have read my mind or they must have been used to dealing with people like me because it’s incredibly easy to use.

“It is the type of thing you would leave out on your vanity because it looks so pretty and it comes in a lovely box. I know that sounds superficial, but it means that I’m not hiding it away if my friends are in the house, or if I’m recording something for Instagram. That also means that it’s out and in my eyeline and that I’ll commit to incorporating it into my normal beauty routine.”

And if you’re keen on ridding more sensitive areas of hair, but want to avoid any awkwardness at the salon, an IPL device is an ideal solution. “As you get older you get hair in the most unusual places, and I would be rather embarrassed going into a salon and saying, ‘Hey, can you remove this for me?’”, laughed Triona. 

“That’s another plus – you can literally use it wherever and whenever and even when you travel. It’s so compact that you can just fling it into your bag. Then, if you’re sitting in the hotel room and you have nothing else to do, why not do a little home beauty?”

From head to toe

Triona has just started using the new Braun Skin i-expert IPL, and she admits she can’t stop gushing about it already. She’s especially impressed with its versatility. With a standard head, a wide head for larger areas, and precision heads for smaller, sensitive areas, you can make sure no area is forgotten.

“I love that it has different heads so that you can literally use it from the tip of your nose to the tip of your toes. It’s also gender-neutral – I was talking to a very good friend of mine, and he asked if he could use it on his chest. And after a bit of research, he’s saying he needs to borrow it from me later on.”

And in the age of at-home maintenance and complicated beauty trends, Triona says it’s the perfect time to try out a trusted, easy-to-use beauty device from the convenience of your bedroom. “Perhaps we’re more inclined to use things like this since COVID-19 because we have become familiarized with ourselves again. Before I used to outsource everything, my nails, my hair, etc. And while I love all my beauty professionals, if there’s something that I think is going to work just as well at home, then I’m all for that.”

Smart technology

Along with its sleek design and versatility, one of the highlights of this smart IPL device is its intelligent technology. It learns as you use it via its connected app.  

“I was surprised at how easy it was. I’m not good at following instructions and am a complete idiot with devices (my husband had to show me how the coffee machine works!), but I found the Braun Skin i-expert IPL incredibly straightforward. I watched some videos and I scanned the QR code (which brings you to the device’s app with step-by-step guidance) and voila! It’s Triona-proof; I can actually use it.

“As a Leo, I like anything that’s shiny and fancy, but also functional – and this is definitely it. It’s sitting on my vanity now and it looks so luxe. I have the alert in my phone calendar for my next session, and I can’t wait to see the results. So far, I’m absolutely loving it!”

Triona McCarthy is trialling the new Braun Skin i-expert IPL for 12 weeks, and she’ll be giving IMAGE.ie readers regular updates throughout her experience. Stay tuned for part two, where Triona will check in halfway through and let us know how she’s getting on. The Braun Skin i·expert is available in Boots and Currys today!