No. 02
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How it works.
81% would recommend
Why we ranked it No. 2 in devices
Sample
38 redditors with explicit opinion · 31 positive · 1 negative · 6 neutral
Score0.790 — formula: 0.75 × % positive + 0.25 × pos/neg ratio
Confidence95% CI: 67–91% · the true approval rate falls in this range with 95% statistical confidence
Verdict
Highly Recommended — ≥65% positive across ≥7 redditors.
Sources
r/HairRemoval, r/SkincareAddiction, r/30PlusSkinCare, r/AusSkincare
Philips · devices
Highly Recommended
Lumea
r/HairRemovalr/SkincareAddictionr/30PlusSkinCarer/AusSkincare
TL;DR — Reddit consensus
The reliable all-rounder with a skin-tone sensor — Reddit's best track record on tan and brown skin, where older IPLs struggle. Pricier, but the one that 'just works' across the widest range of skin tones.
What redditors love
+
Best Reddit track record on tan & brown skin
“I have tan brown skin and dark hair and my at-home IPL has worked amazingly ... I got the Philips Lumea 8000”
+
Performs close to professional laser for maintenance
“I have a Philips Lumea Prestige and it is EXCELLENT ... working as well as the professional laser”
+
Consistent long-term results
“I've been using my Philips Lumea for about 18 months, I love it ... underarm hair is 99% gone”
What they don’t
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Among the priciest at-home IPLs
“I bought mine for under 200€ and I love it — newer ones cost much more”
−
Older models feel dated vs newer Braun/Ulike
“I had the Lumea for years and it was good, but it needed updating”
COMPARE WITH
Cheaper alternative
Ulike
Air 10
→
Direct quotes
What 34 redditors actually said.
Top 6 by confidence shown — expand below for the rest. Click any to open the original on Reddit.
A
u/anon
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r/SkincareAddiction
I have tan brown skin and dark hair and my at-home IPL has worked amazingly. I had to be consistent at first but now I hardly get regrowth. I got the Philips Lumea 8000 about 5 years ago.
A
u/anon
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r/HairRemoval
I have a Philips Lumea Prestige and it is EXCELLENT. I've been shocked that it's working as well as the professional laser on the areas I'd already had done.
A
u/anon
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r/HairRemoval
Philips Lumea — I've been using it every week for 2 months and the results are unbelievable. I'm like 90% smooth now and no ingrown hair.
A
u/anon
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r/HairRemoval
I've been using my Philips Lumea for about 18 months, I love it. My leg hair is 80–90% reduced and my underarm hair is 99% gone.
A
u/anon
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r/HairRemoval
Philips Lumea has the same claim — I still make sure none of my pets are around, I don't do it in dim light, and I don't look when I flash, just in case.
A
u/anon
·
r/HairRemoval
I had the Lumea for years and it was good, but it needed updating. I recently bought the Braun one and it is sooo much quicker and easier to use.
Show all 34 mentions ↓
"I did some work for Dr Toro at Lumea Aesthetics in Collingwood, she's an actual doctor and will tell you you don't need shit if you don't lol"
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"I use a Phillips Lumea and have done for a year and a half. I didnt really build my skin up I just went full intensity from day one and Ive never had any issues with burning/scars/hyperpigmentation. The melanin in the…"
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"Philips Lumea, I’ve been using it every week (or more) for 2 months and the results are actually unbelievable. I was expecting some improvement but I’m like 90% smooth now and the difference is crazy, as someone alrea…"
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"I am using same IPL that I’m using on my armpits, Phillips Lumea Prestige"
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"I can recommend the "Philipps Lumea IPL" that you can use at home. I bought mine for under 200€ and I love it. 💕"
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"I had similar leg hair. Bought a Philips Lumea a few years ago and now have very smooth legs. I do get a bit of regrowth here and there and will sometimes zap it with the Lumea, and sometimes I'll epilate it. Either w…"
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"It was this one: Philips Lumea IPL Cordless Hair... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08Q94XSGQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Pretty sure more powerful and cheaper ones exist now though! Never used the attachments, and only eve…"
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"I’m a brown skinned woman and I use Lumea on my legs and bikini area and it is really good at hair removal. You need to get used to the feeling but I haven’t found it painful."
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"Hello ! First of all your hairs are mostly dark which is a great thing. The darker the more effective it will be. Your skin is a bit darker than the optimal tone but I think that it's pale enough for the treatment to …"
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"It might take longer than 12 weeks and don’t expect it to be 100% gone. Been doing it for 10 years and that area still has 10-20% random hair growing but noooooothing compared to what it used to be so I’m happy. It gr…"
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"I relate so much to this but I might have pcos During school my mum didn’t let me shave or wax and I never used to show my arms or legs and it was so bad that I didn’t even go to prom because I was scared of my back h…"
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"I’ve been using my Phillips Lumea for about 18 months, I love it and wish I had got and done home IPL years ago. My leg hair is significantly reduced, I’d say 80-90%, you can’t see it from a distance. My underarm hair…"
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"I have a more recent phillips lumea model and it doesn't hurt - it's like a warm/hot feeling I've only been using mine a month or so, its already done wonders on my legs so hopeful for the rest (I didn't realise you h…"
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"Heya. Just wanted to give you my thoughts. I've had probably 10-12 sessions of Alexandrite laser (NOT IPL, but actual laser, in a hospital) on the thick coarse hairs on my face, two Alexandrite laser sessions on my ch…"
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"No holy shit I thought it was just me! I have a Philips Lumea though and I pretty much only use it on the highest setting so longest time between flashes"
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"None 😂 This is on my upper thighs after shaving, but the hairs grow our long and light to medium dark, they're just kinda thin and grow slow. On my lower legs the follicles are visible after shaving (strawberry legs) …"
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"I was shocked how well my Phillips Lumea worked for me. Perhaps I shouldn't have been since I have the complexion of an anaemic vampire and very dark brown hair, so best combo, and I get to use it on max intensity, bu…"
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"As the other person said, shave with the hair not against it, it's enough. In fact, my Philips lumea came with an electric shaver which should be enough too. Could that be an option? For me the hair reacted super quic…"
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"Another vote for Phillips ☺️ I used the Lumea 7000 10+ years ago on my stomach, arms, legs & face and the hair has never grown back."
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"while i was shopping for ipl i really wanted the braun pro 5 because of its quality and size. i looked through the pros and cons, but because of my budget i started looking at philips lumea devices. i looked through i…"
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"Yes, I’ve had my Lumea just over a month and use it once a week. I’m pale with dark brown hair body, my leg hair is 99% gone just few stubborn ones where I struggle to reach I think! Arms is gone, everywhere else is t…"
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"I've used the Philips Lumea for quite a long time now, and it did work very well. I used to have very hairy legs and feet, now they're silk-smooth. It takes time though, don't expect to lose all hair in a week or two.…"
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"IPL (Philips lumea) did (and still does 😆) wonders for me! And not only in that area..."
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"I haven't tried the Braun, but I love the Ulike. I have the Air 10. Not sponsored. I have PCOS and I don't use it as often as they recommend, just around once per week and it works so well. YMMV, but if you have dark …"
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"I have suffered from these kind of ingrowns that don't form an abscess or pimple but keep growing inside the skin sideways all my life. I did everything from physical exfoliation to aha & bha and nothing ever worked. …"
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"I bought my own hair removal laser. It doesn’t hurt me and I have had great results. Hair on my legs and underarms is all gone. Maybe try a home one? I have the Philips lumea."
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Threads tracked
The conversations we're watching.
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