Braun Face and Silk- épil 5 review

Last week, Braun sent me a few goodies to review – the Braun Face 831 and the Silk- épil 5 5780 epilator.

I’m going to keep these reviews fairly brief as both products come with detailed and full instructions.

I tried Braun Face first, which lets you enjoy two treatments with one device – simply switch attachments. You can precisely remove facial hair by the root with the facial epilator or cleanse skin pore deep with the facial brush. The product is tested with dermatologists and is suitable for sensitive skin.

What’s in the box

• Braun Face facial epilator
• Cleansing brush head
• Cap
• Small cleaning brush
• AA battery

I was given the beauty edition, which also came with a lighted mirror and a beauty pouch to store everything in perfectly. The lighted mirror works straightaway (you don’t need batteries) and is ideal for spotting small, fine hairs.

The mini epilator attachment is suitable for chin, upper lip, forehead and to maintain eyebrows. My forehead and chin aren’t particularly hairy but I do have a few fine hairs on my upper lip which I have threaded every few weeks. The hairs are blonde and not noticeable but knowing that they are there annoys me. No girl likes the idea of having a ‘tache!

I don’t find threading or waxing painful but I admit that I was nervous at using an epilator on my face. It was a bit of a shock at first but once I was over it, it was actually quite satisfying. As I don’t have much hair on my upper lip, I was finished in about 2 minutes and the area was completely smooth with no redness or irritation. Absolutely brilliant!

I’m constantly growing my eyebrows out so I didn’t want to experiment on that area too much but I epilated a few hairs in between my eyebrows which was equally quick and satisfying. Fantastic! Due to the small plucking system, it’s good for removing hairs between and above eyebrows and to maintain the shape of them. However, I wouldn’t recommend to use the device below the eyebrow line.

Next, I used the cleansing brush, which refines and exfoliates via hundreds of micro-oscillations, removes make-up and impurities and claims to be up to 6x better than manual cleansing. You can use it with soap, cleanser, cleansing milk, gel or simply water.

I removed my make-up first and used the brush with water but on reflection, I think it would work better with a cleanser. I guided the brush with gentle pressure and circular motions for approximately one minute avoiding the eye area and hairline. The brush can be used everyday on cheeks, T-zone and chin. It can also be used on the neck and décolleté.

Afterwards, I rinsed my face with water to remove any residues. The brush can be rinsed with warm water or if you prefer to clean it with soap, you can detach the brush unit by pressing the release button.

Even though I like exfoliating, I find it to be a chore sometimes. But the cleansing brush made it enjoyable. My face felt cleansed, soft and smooth – I looked radiant like I had had a mini facial. I also have a few blackheads on my nose which appeared reduced after using the device so I’m looking forward to seeing whether they reduce even more with continued use.

After being impressed by Braun Face, I was ready to put the Silk- épil 5 epilator to the test.

Designed for efficient, long-lasting and extra gentle hair removal, the Silk-épil 5 is ideal for women who are new to epilation. I briefly tried my mum’s epilator years ago but I’ve never used one properly, which is why this particular model was suitable for me.

It includes close-grip technology with 40 tweezers that even remove short and fine hair. It also has a comfort system with massage rollers that stimulate the skin, plus a cooling glove to soothe.

What’s in the box

• Shaver head
• Trimmer cap
• Sensitive area cap
• Facial head
• Efficiency cap
• Cooling glove
• 12V adapter
• Brush

I shave my legs every other day. They probably don’t need to be done that often but I hate stubble and love the smooth feeling of freshly-shaved pins.For this review, I hadn’t shaved my legs in about five days so there was some regrowth to work with.

There are 2 speeds on the device to suit your individual needs. Speed 1 is for extra gentle epilation and speed 2 is for extra efficient epilation. Initially, I tried speed 1 to adapt before trying speed 2 when I was used to it. Overall, I preferred the second speed as I found it more effective.

There is also a smartlight which helps easily guide your way through the epilation process and lightens up even the finest hairs for no miss removal – what a great feature! The entire device can be cleaned under running water for better hygiene or cleaned with a brush, which is included.

I epilated from my lower leg in an upward direction and when epilating behind my knee, I kept my leg out straight. At first, I made the mistake of moving the device too quickly but then realised that it was better to guide it in a slow, continuous movement.

I used the massaging rollers as they were already attached to the device when I took it out of the box. The massage system stimulates the skin and effectively soothes the plucking sensation during epilation to maximize skin comfort. The rollers made the epilation feel gentler but I think that I would use the efficiency cap next time for extra speed.

I only remove hair from my lower legs and they took about 5 minutes each. Soon after epilating, I broke out in angry, red and itchy bumps which I have never experienced before. If I hadn’t read on the internet that this reaction was common, I would have panicked but within a couple of hours the bumps had faded, leaving smooth and hair-free skin behind. Result!

I also used the device on my underarms, which was nowhere near as pleasant. I found it to be a painful process and my underarms stung for hours afterwards. I will give it another chance in a few days but if the irritation persists, perhaps I’ll stick to shaving that area in the future!

You can also use the device on the bikini line and face. I’ve got my Braun Face for facial epilation but I’m not feeling confident about trying it on my bikini line just yet after doing my underarms. But for now, HURRAH for silky legs!