This New Hair Removal Device Has Completely Transformed My DIY Routine

In recent years, body hair has become a contentious talking point – to remove or not to remove? That is the question. Many celebrate their hair (stars like Miley Cyrus, Kelly Rowland, and Julia Roberts have long flown the flag), and rightly so. Body hair is a you do you arena, there is no right or wrong approach. As for my own approach and body hair, I'm a hair removal devotee. From the moment my fine baby body hairs evolved into more robust, thicker, longer versions of their former selves, I began to cream, shave or wax them away and the very moment I was able to invest in laser hair removal devices that offered a more permanent solution to all that in-shower maintenance work, I did.

After a course of 10 full body hair removal sessions with the Soprano Ice Titanium Laser at Pulse Laser Clinic in London, I was in good shape. But admittedly, clinical grade technology comes with a hefty price tag and keeping up with treatments (as effective as they are) can leave a dent in your pocket. To lend my recent hair removal further longevity and facilitate top-ups, I opted for the at-home device option. Since then, I've spent the best part of three years zapping away any pesky strays with an array of at-home IPL devices, but this year a new tool transformed my routine.

Foreo's Peach™ 2, £369, is an advanced IPL hair removal device and the first of its kind from a brand that has long dominated the skin-tech category. The latest offering emits Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), which penetrates the skin to target the highest level of melanin, handily found in the root of each hair. Long-term use helps to destroy the dermal papillae (responsible for producing hair).

While this is familiar territory for any at-home IPL device, Foreo's Peach 2 has been several years in the making and is unlike anything I've used before. I'd go as far as to call it a new-gen tool that has completely revolutionised the way I remove my hair at home. Where other devices are bulky and a little complicated, Foreo's offering is lightweight and pretty simple to use.

Everything You Need To Know About Foreo's Peach 2

It can deliver up to 120 flashes per minute and features a bigger than average 4.5 cm² treatment window that enables you to cover large areas of skin in one go - this makes for a speedy at-home session. Foreo's signature patent T-Sonic™ pulsations technology is a mainstay, too, which helps transdermal pulsations to travel through the outer layers of the epidermis and stimulates the skin to encourage light to penetrate the hair follicles. These same pulses of light also stimulate blood flow by up to 450% and support lymphatic drainage and collagen production - you've got to love an added benefit or two. As with all of Foreo's devices, AI plays a key role and an app helps to guide you through the whole process. If you're in a rush though, or simply not a fan of this add-on tech, you can still plug in the device and get to work with the touch of a button.

As for the design, the flexible, silicone head allows you to move with the contours of your body. The hand piece is also light and comfortable to hold thanks to its long, easy-grip shape.

And my favourite feature? The 360º built-in cooling system that delivers the most comfortable at-home IPL session I have experienced in all my years of testing. Using the device on skin that is prepped with the Foreo Peach Cooling Prep Gel, £32.90, guaranteed me a painless session, as long as I was careful to select the right settings for my skin type. Having used the tool for the last few months, I am still bewildered that a self-care ritual that used to take a minimum of an hour to complete, now takes me around 20 minutes tops.

Shop: The New At-Home Hair Removal Device