If you’ve ever been tempted to try laser hair removal, I’m here to tell you to go for it. Three years ago I was you, deliberating. Today, I’m almost hair free, and I didn’t have to spend a fortune of money or time getting to this point.
Three years ago at home laser hair removal devices were everywhere. I had always wanted to try laser hair removal but the cost and amount of sessions required made me pause. Then at home devices became a thing and my interest was piqued but it was hard not to see them as a gimmicky fad.
I asked myself: How is it possible that a hand held device could work or be a replacement for big fancy salon machines?
At the time, while researching at home laser hair removal devices, I came across Lumilia Skinco and enthusiastically dove in to test their inaugural product, the Lumilia Lux 2in1 IPL Device. I’m not going to repeat everything I wrote in that review, in short it was a roaring success for me.
In just 12 weeks I achieved 60-70% reduction of hair growth in all areas I was testing. With one year of consistent usage (one session per week) I had further increased this reduction to roughly 90%, with exception of the bikini area – which I estimated to be around 60% reduction. And then I hit a plateau.
I was back in the market for a more powerful device when Lumilia launched their newest device, the Lumilia GlacierX™ 3in1 FrostX™ Sapphire IPL Laser. One of the features their newest device has is TrueHR™ 19J Power. These 19 Joules target the coarsest, most stubborn hairs. The Lux’s output was 15 Joules so this is a big upgrade.
To say I was excited to test it out would be an understatement. The Lumilia Lux was simply life changing for me. Even after hitting the plateau and not doing any treatments for over a year my results were still impressive. Hair regrowth was minimal and I was barely shaving, but I still wanted to further reduce growth especially in the bikini area. I was optimistic that Lumilia’s newest model would deliver and it was love at first sight.
The Packaging
The Lumilia Lux was packaged beautifully, but the Lumilia GlacierX is on another level. From the glittery black box, to the perfectly shaped insert that holds each piece inside – it feels luxurious from first touch. I like to store the device in its box to keep it dust free and organised and the box the Lumilia GlacierX comes in makes it so easy to do this.
The Add ons
Like the Lumilia Lux, the Lumilia GlacierX also comes with a pair of protective glasses but they’re a better model. Not only do they fold up compactly, but they also sit on the face more snuggly meaning they don’t slide down my petite face as I look down during treatments. In addition, the Lumilia GlacierX comes with a great razor, a dermaplaning tool and earbuds.
The Features
There are similarities in how both devices operate but there are significant features that make the Lumilia GlacierX stand out as the better choice. Quite simply put, it makes using it effortless and quick.
Fast Refresh Rate
Treatment requires you to flash the device on each chosen area. You can do this via the manual setting, flashing as you go, or turning it onto automatic mode so it flashes as you glide. For more in-depth guidelines on how to use it, visit their handy how-to guide.
The Lumilia GlacierX has an impressive refresh rate. It flashes every 0.3 seconds thanks to the ProPulse™ Glide Mode – much quicker than the Lux model. This refresh rate means that as you glide it over your skin, it is flashing almost constantly which means you can move it along larger areas (like legs) much quicker, in turn speeding up your sessions. I found I was able to do full body sessions in 10-15 minutes.
Great glide
The Lumilia GlacierX glides seamlessly over skin. Paired with the fast refresh rate, it makes for a quick and smooth session.
The Indicator Light
When the device is placed flat on your skin, the indicator light turns solid and this means you are ready to flash. In order for the treatment to be effective the light window needs to be flat against your skin. This wonderful setting means that each flash is going to be effective because the minute the device is not flush with your skin, the light doesn’t turn on and the device won’t flash.
Ice Cooling Mode
They call this feature FrostX™ Gen2 Sapphire Ice Cooling. It works via a special sapphire-cooled plate. The coolness of the head reminds me of the attachment on the Bob & Brad C2 Pro Heat + Ice Massage Gun. It creates a wonderful cooling sensation which counteracts the very slight zing of the flashes. I have found that I am not sensitive to the flashing and can tolerate it really well but I can feel how much more comfortable this feature will be for more sensitive users especially in sensitive areas.
AI Mode
The AI mode is an automatic setting that auto adjusts the intensity levels as you glide. It decides what strength is appropriate for different areas of your skin. The device has 10 settings. I love seeing what level the machine thinks is appropriate for me. My natural instinct has always been to set it at the highest but this feature makes sure you’re doing what is safest for your skin.
Auto Shut off
The Lumilia GlacierX shuts off automatically after 5 minutes of inactivity. No need to worry about accidentally leaving it on.
Interchangeable heads
The Lumilia GlacierX comes with two heads that are very easy to change. One being HR for hair removal and SR for skin rejuvenation. The Lux has only one fixed head that switches between these modes via a setting.
There is also an acne care lamp head that can be purchased separately.
Although I love the idea of using the SR head, the area I most want to use it is my face and the head is simply too big for my face to flash everywhere. Because the treatment window on the head needs to be lying flush with your skin for the device to flash, it’s difficult to do this on small curved areas i.e. the face. It is however meant for various concerns that pertain to the body too (fades pigmentation, sun damage, redness, spider veins and helps with mild rosacea, texture and firmness). It could be great for sunspots on my arms and veins on my legs. Testing phase 2 coming up, watch this space.
What makes the interchangeable heads feature really remarkable is that each head has the capacity for 1 million flashes. Yes this is a lot and will last for years BUT when it runs low, instead of needing a new device you can replace the head. This is important because no laser hair removal is 100% permanent – even if you are doing it in a salon, it requires touch ups.
And this leads me to the last feature I’ve been loving….
A display that shows how many flashes are left
You never have to guess how much life your head has left – with the display that updates as you flash, you will always know when to change it.
The Results
Much like with the Lumilia Lux, I tested the Lumilia GlacierX for 12 weeks and then followed it with a week of no shaving to assess regrowth. Despite not being 100% hair-free, the results are significant. So significant that on my legs and underarms there are so few hairs I can count them on one hand. That is virtually hair free.
An unexpected result for me has been that it makes your skin feel softer and smoother. Before starting laser hair removal with Lumilia, my legs always felt slightly spiky a day after shaving which prompted me to shave daily. The first results I ever noticed, before hair reduction even started, was how soft and smooth my legs were feeling. Even though I still felt they were smooth before starting with the GlacierX, again the first thing I noticed was how much silkier my legs started to feel.
The bikini area has continued to follow the trend of the hardest area to tackle. At the 12 week mark, my reduction is about 50% from where I started, I’d estimate around 75% reduction overall. Based on my experience with the Lumilia Lux, I believe this is an area that simply needs more time and time is what I will give it. I continue to do one session weekly and will do so until I achieve a hair free result.
The Lumilia Lux vs the Lumilia GlacierX
Before you even consider an at home machine (or salon sessions) make sure you are a good candidate for laser hair removal. As mentioned in my first review, I am the ideal candidate with pale skin and dark hair and therefore my results should be impressive. If you aren’t an ideal candidate yours might not be as good.
If you choose to try an at home device, Lumilia has been my choice because their devices are FDA cleared and safe. They offer a 2-year warranty, a 90-day risk free trial and free 1-3 day delivery anywhere in South Africa.
If you are only starting your laser journey and don’t have a lot available to spend, you can’t go wrong with the Lumilia Lux (currently retailing at R2995). If you have a higher budget, and/or are not new to laser and need high efficacy – I would recommend the Lumilia GlacierX (currently retailing at R5995). The speed alone makes it a worthwhile splurge, and the added features speak for themselves.
I call it a splurge, but IMO it really is an investment.
