Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL
Braun's fast auto-adapting IPL reads skin tone 80 times a second and covers both lower legs in under five minutes.
Strengths
- Auto-adapting skin sensor removes intensity guesswork and is clinically accredited
- Very fast slide-and-flash sessions - full body in roughly 10-23 minutes depending on areas
- Huge 400,000-flash lamp effectively never needs replacing
Watch outs
- Not usable on very dark skin tones (burn risk) and ineffective on grey, white, blonde or red hair
- Corded only - the fixed cable limits manoeuvrability compared with cordless rivals
- Bright flashes are dazzling, making even coverage harder in gliding mode
- Technology IPL with Smart SkinProtect / SensoAdapt sensor (reads skin 80x per second, adjusts every flash)
- Lamp life 400,000 flashes (around 22 years of full-body use, reviewer-calculated)
- Intensity 10 intensity levels, approx. 3-6 J/cm2 (reviewer-cited)
- Speed Both lower legs in under 5 minutes; full body in about 10 minutes
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What the regulator has said about "permanent"
In June 2023 the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against Procter & Gamble over Braun IPL advertising that used the phrases "permanent visible hair removal" and "visible hair removal that’s here to stay". The ASA took the view that shoppers would read "permanent" as meaning regrowth stops altogether, whereas the evidence showed a reduction in the number of hairs growing back when the device is used regularly. The ruling cited the BCAP rules on misleading advertising, substantiation and exaggeration.
That distinction is the practical thing to understand before buying any IPL device, this one included: the effect depends on keeping up the schedule rather than finishing a course and being done with it. CAP’s own guidance for hair-removal advertising makes the same point, and records that even "permanent hair reduction" needs robust evidence for the specific product making the claim.
- Technology
- IPL with Smart SkinProtect / SensoAdapt sensor (reads skin 80x per second, adjusts every flash)
- Lamp life
- 400,000 flashes (around 22 years of full-body use, reviewer-calculated)
- Intensity
- 10 intensity levels, approx. 3-6 J/cm2 (reviewer-cited)
- Speed
- Both lower legs in under 5 minutes; full body in about 10 minutes
- Power
- Mains-powered with a fixed cord (about 2 m)
- Weight
- 285 g (reviewer-cited)
- Attachments (PL5137)
- Precision head, Gillette Venus razor, pouch
- Treatment schedule
- 4-12 weekly sessions, then top-ups every 1-2 months
- Results claim
- Visible reduction in as little as 2 treatments; up to two years of smooth skin with the schedule (manufacturer claims)
- Guarantee
- 100-day money-back; warranty extendable to 5 years via registration (UK official shop)