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Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System vs Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System ranks higher (#2 vs #4 of 8) and scores better on comfort (pain, heat), skin-tone range. Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL wins on results (as reported), speed & coverage.
The biggest complaint about the Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System is short cord, bulky dock; for the Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL it's some units stop working or misfire. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System | Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in at-home ipl hair removal | #2 | #4 |
| Price tier | $$$ | $$$ |
| Type | IPL | IPL |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 23% | 16% |
| Overall score | 3.7 | 3.4 |
| Results (as reported) | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| Comfort (pain, heat) | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Speed & coverage | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Skin-tone range | 5.0 | 2.5 |
| Durability & flash life | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Price tiers: $ under $150 · $$ $150–350 · $$$ over $350. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System
- Short cord, bulky dock
Byrdie lists the short cord as a con. Forbes says the charging station is quite large.
Source: Byrdie, Forbes Vetted - Few Amazon ratings, many 1-star
The Amazon US listing has only 37 ratings, 19% of them 1-star. Amazon shows no review summary for it.
Source: Amazon.com product page - Very bright flashes
InStyle warns of super-bright flashes and says to use safety goggles where included.
Source: InStyle
Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL
- Some units stop working or misfire
Amazon's review summary says owners report it stopping working after days and flashing only half the time when triggered. Reliability (90 mentions) and flash performance (45) are both negative topics. A second listing's summary mentions devices breaking within about two years.
- Results vary; can take longer than 12 weeks
GH notes some testers said it took longer than 12 weeks to see results. On Amazon, value for money (197 mentions) and pain (102) are mixed, and the 4-head listing's summary says some owners see significant reduction while others see no change.
- Hard on curves; slow on big areas
The sensor only flashes when the head is completely flat on skin, so several Wirecutter testers struggled around knees and ankles. One tester needed 20 minutes for both legs even in glide mode. Byrdie lists 'not as user-friendly as other picks'.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Byrdie
Who should pick which
Pick the Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System if
Deeper skin tones that most IPLs exclude (per Forbes and Byrdie)
Blonde or red hair (InStyle, Forbes)
People who want a painless feel
Skip it if: You want quick results (6 weeks for InStyle's tester); You're short on counter space (large charging station, per Forbes); You want lots of owner feedback (only 37 Amazon ratings)
Pick the Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 IPL if
Light to medium skin with dark hair
Beginners who want few buttons and an auto skin-tone sensor
Face and body (two heads, precision cap included)
Skip it if: Your skin is Fitzpatrick type IV or deeper (Wirecutter); Your hair is gray, white, red or light blond; You want fast full-leg sessions (20 minutes for one Wirecutter tester)
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