Jovs Venus pro
Buy now £319, Currentbody.com
AppearanceAt first glance, this is by far the most stylish and luxe-looking IPL device I have come across. Smooth to the touch with its matte metal finish and stunning emerald green colour, its Instagram-friendly aesthetics already make it a standout product.
It both looks and feels expensive – no white cheap plastic here. Even the two-tier box is well-thought-out and feels rather decadent to unpack.
FeaturesThe bottom drawer, so to speak, houses six attachment heads that are tailored to the area you want to treat. These include options for your face, legs, underarms and bikini line, so I was immediately impressed that you can use it everywhere on your body. And unlike any other IPL machine on the market, this includes an LED skincare attachment, so, once you’ve used the device for hair removal, you can adjust to “skin rejuvenation” mode and the device will convert into a red-light beauty skincare device for an at-home facial. The anti-ageing treatment helps skin cells repair themselves and become healthier over time, keeping wrinkles at bay and, apparently, creating firmer, brighter skin. So, already you’re getting more bang for your buck.
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Other great features that are worth noting include the 180-degree rotating head that makes it comfortable, easy and fool proof when removing hair from those hard-to-reach spots. Plus, it has a dinky adaptor case which means if you find yourself zapping your hairs abroad, you won’t have to pack a separate travel adaptor to fit into an international socket – it’s already there for you in a cutesy little plastic case.
While older IPL treatments emit light with one single pulse, this high-powered device continuously gives off gentle yet rapid pulses of light. In fact, this new-generation device can emit up to 500,000 flashes in comparison to its competitors which are between 90,000 and 250,000 flashes.
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The attachment heads lock onto the front of the device with a strong magnet that gives a satisfying click when hooked in place. It’s solid and sturdy, so there’s no risk of it falling off mid-treatment.
PerformanceOnce the attachment head was in place, I shaved off my underarm hair and cleansed the area thoroughly to ensure all deodorant, body lotion, and even sweat was wiped clean off the surface, as advised. I did test the area with the machine prior to this to make sure my skin wouldn’t react badly to the light exposure. (This is vital before zapping any area of your body.)
I eventually got going after placing my protective glasses over my eyes (which are included in the box). With any of the modes, you are encouraged to begin at level one and then work your way up according to your pain threshold. The higher levels feel like a small electric shock, which is uncomfortable rather than painful, but after a while you do get used to it (similar to that of a TENS machine).
I found it useful to recruit my partner to help me zap my skin at the higher levels, which will give you quicker results, as it made me less jumpy when starting out. That said, I must stress that this device is relatively painless – expect a slight tingle rather than any unbearable discomfort. But if for some reason you do experience pain, then stop immediately.
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The only thing I found aggravating was the noise of the cooling fan, which was rather loud – similar to the level of a hairdryer on a low setting. The device isn’t discreet in any shape or form.
As directed, I held the attachment head directly and vertically on my skin for maximum exposure. By holding down the lightning bolt button for three seconds, you activate the auto-mode, which will then allow the device to get to work itself, taking a lot of the worry and clock-watching out of the equation.
To lessen the sense of skin burn (of which there was very little), I used the relevant touch-control button to activate the cooling mode. It makes the experience that little bit more pleasurable.
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I was particularly impressed, when I was interrupted several times, that the device automatically switched off when left unattended. The sound of the fan, however, still keeps going as it’s in cooling-down mode. Another great safety feature is, if or when the device overheats, you will see an “error” signal on the screen which will stop the device from working.
However, with all the modern features and nice extra touches, I’m quite surprised the device is not portable. In my case, I had to use an extension cord to plug it in so I could sit comfortably with the device in hand. A bit of a nuisance, if nothing else, but once you get going, the machine is super easy to operate.
The big question is, how quickly will you see results? In my case, having used the device three to four times per week over the course of a month, my underarm is noticeably smoother, and my regrowth hair is more sparse and thinner too. The impressive results have encouraged me to move on to other areas while keeping up the work on my underarms.
The verdict: Jovs Venus Pro IPLAlthough I was apprehensive at first, this machine did the job with ease. The device wasn’t painful – uncomfortable if anything – and the sensation eased with every zap and was almost painless once I got the wheels in motion. It’s by far the best-looking IPL device out there: it’s sleek, stylish, lightweight and has simple instructions (which are pretty easy to follow given there are so many different settings and heads to choose from).
If you’re looking to remove hair from several areas of your body and get some added skincare benefits too, then you will probably be able to justify the hefty price tag. And if you weigh up your waxing appointments, it may even save you money in the long run. If ever there was a beauty product to invest in, this is most definitely it.