Philips Lumea Prestige, Advanced, and Essential Hair Removal Devices, BRI and SC prices

The Philips Lumea epilator is a hair removal system using intense pulsed light (IPL). There are several models you can purchase, such as Prestige, Advanced, bri956, Essential, Precission Plus, and sc1997. All these IPL epilators come with different prices and features that you can buy on Amazon and Mediamarkt, but here we will guide you on which are the best epilators and how to find the best deals and prices.

Although they have similar functionality and features, we must carefully check their power to remove hair, as well as our skin type, to ensure they work effectively.

Choosing the right epilator is essential to perform permanent hair removal easily and effectively.

Since there are various hair removal machines, let’s review their features and prices so you can buy the Philips Lumea that best suits you.

Philips Lumea

As mentioned in the introduction, Philips Lumea epilators are devices designed to remove hair permanently.

Using IPL technology, or Intense Pulsed Light, it emits pulses of light that reach the hair root on legs, bikini line, pubic area, underarms, upper lip, or any other body area where you use it.

With consecutive sessions, hair will gradually stop growing. It will fall out and grow back weaker until, eventually, it stops growing altogether.

As mentioned earlier, there are different models of epilators for home use, so let’s take a look at them.

Philips Lumea Prestige

This epilator is designed for women. Philips Lumea Prestige includes several models:

• Prestige bri956/00.
• Prestige bri950.
• Prestige bri954.

Each type of Lumea Prestige has a different price, meaning the price-quality ratio varies. Therefore, it is important to consider this when making a purchase.

Below, we review the details of each Philips Lumea Prestige epilator.

Philips Lumea Prestige BRI956/00

This is one of the best epilators as it can remove leg hair in less than 9 minutes. According to the manufacturer’s specifications, with Philips Lumea Prestige BRI956, you can complete hair removal in just 8.5 minutes.

It is a cordless epilator, although you can also use it with a cord. This makes it much more versatile than other models since you can use it anywhere without the typical issues of a short cord or lack of an outlet in the desired area at home.

It comes with 4 accessories and has a sensor for different skin types, making it much easier to use without worrying about whether the hair color on your body will affect its effectiveness. The included accessories and features of Philips Lumea Prestige are:

• Skin type sensor.
• Facial attachment with a protective filter. Adapts to the face and protects it.
• Precision adapter for the bikini area.
• Underarm attachment with curved shapes.
• Dimensions: 20 x 10.5 x 17.5 cm
• Battery: Lithium-ion (for use with or without a cord).
• ASIN: B06VV7J75Y

Lumea Prestige works on black, brown, and blonde hair, as well as on tan and fair skin, meaning it is suitable for almost all skin types, including tanned ones.

The only downside is that it does not work on white or light blonde hair since IPL treatments are not effective for this hair type. The same applies to red hair.

Regarding skin tone, if you have very dark skin or are of African descent, it is also not suitable.

However, for everyone else, IPL hair removal can be completely effective. Although the price of Philips Lumea Prestige is a bit high, the results are truly impressive, making it well worth it.

Philips Lumea Prestige BRI950/00

Slightly more affordable than the previous model (BRI956), the Philips Lumea Prestige BRI950 IPL epilator emits intense pulses of light to reach the hair root and remove it.

This device comes with 2 attachments to make hair removal easier, including a body adapter and a face adapter, preventing the use of the same one in different areas.

The features of Philips Lumea Prestige BRI950/00 are:

• 2 attachments for body and face.
• Skin tone sensor.
• Wireless and wired use.
• Lithium-ion battery.
• ASIN: B01N32HKQA

Philips Lumea Advanced

The Philips Lumea Advanced epilator is available in several models:

• Lumea Advanced SC1999/00.
• Lumea Advanced SC1997/00.
• Lumea Advanced SC1995/00.

Each machine has a different price, as expected, with SC1997 being the most expensive, followed by SC1999, and the most affordable epilator being SC1995.

So, let’s take a look at each of them.

Lumea Advanced SC1999/00

This is one of the best-selling versions due to the fact that the price of Philips Lumea Advanced SC1999/00 is lower than that of Prestige BRI956/00. So, most women looking for a more affordable device tend to choose the SC1999.

The included accessories and features of the Philips Lumea Advanced SC1999/00 epilator are:

• Skin tone sensor.
• Facial attachment.
• Bikini area attachment.
• 5 IPL intensity levels.
• Dimensions: 12 x 27 x 19 cm ; 699 g
• ASIN: B017BP58KS.

It works on dark, brown, and dark blonde hair. Like the previous models, if you have very dark skin or black hair, its effectiveness will be low. The same goes for white or very light blonde hair, which is a common limitation for all IPL hair removal machines.

The estimated time for half-leg hair removal is 15 minutes. It has a 4 cm treatment window.

Lumea Advanced SC1997/00

With a slightly higher price than SC1999, the Philips Lumea Advanced SC1997 epilator is a device that adapts to various skin tones and body hair.

This device must always be used with a cord, which may be less convenient than cordless IPL epilators. However, its size is practical enough to use comfortably on any part of the body while plugged in.

The estimated time for half-leg hair removal is 8 minutes.

The included accessories and features of Philips Lumea SC1997 are:

• Skin tone sensor.
• Bikini line attachment.
• Facial attachment for hair removal with UV filter protection.
• ASIN: B012W0SJ0S
• 4 cm treatment window.

Lumea Advanced SC1995/00

The most affordable version but still effective. Philips Lumea Advanced SC1995/00 is priced under $200, making it one of the best-selling epilators.

The technical features of Philips Lumea 1995 are:

• 5 energy levels to adjust IPL intensity.
• Body attachment with a 4 cm IPL window.
• ASIN: B013IEYHN0

Like the other Philips Lumea versions (Prestige and Advanced), Lumea 1995/00 has a sensor for different hair and skin types. It works well on medium tones but is not effective on very light hair or very dark skin.

The estimated hair removal time for half a leg is 8 minutes. This is similar to other machines, except for SC1999, where IPL flashes are slower, nearly doubling the time needed to depilate the entire legs. For small areas like underarms or the bikini line, the difference is less noticeable. However, if you have the choice, it’s always best to get a Philips Lumea Advanced or Prestige that works faster. In the long run, taking more time to achieve smooth legs can become an inconvenience, especially when preparing for the beach, pool, or just wearing skirts or shorts.

It operates with a cord.

Philips Lumea Essential

The Philips Lumea Essential epilator is available in several models:

• Lumea Essential BRI861/00.
• Lumea Essential BRI863/00.

So, let’s take a look at each of them.

Lumea Essential BRI861/00

One of the best-selling models with great reviews, the Philips Lumea Essential BRI861/00 epilator is priced under $150, making it one of the best laser and IPL epilators for home use.

Philips Lumea BRI861 is designed for easy, fast, and affordable at-home hair removal. Keep in mind that other machines cost nearly $400 for the most advanced models with cutting-edge features, whereas the Lumea BRI861 can be purchased for a much lower price.

The features of Lumea BRI861/00 are:

• Skin tone sensor.
• Five IPL intensity settings.
• Built-in UV filter.
• Durability: 200,000 pulses.
• Lithium-ion battery.
• ASIN: B01LNVF7PW.

The estimated time for half-leg hair removal is 8 minutes, similar to other epilator models, even the more expensive ones. Underarms take less than 2 minutes, and the bikini area takes about the same time, making it a fast and efficient option. Considering the price of the Philips Lumea Essential BRI861, it is an excellent choice.

The only downside is that it must always be used with a cord. However, if this is not a problem for you, it is truly one of the most affordable Philips epilators you can buy and use for the upper lip, chin, abdomen, underarms, and full legs.

Lumea Essential BRI863/00

Slightly more expensive than the BRI861/00, the Philips Lumea Essential BRI863/00 epilator retains many similar features but is slightly more effective when comparing hair removal on legs, bikini area, and underarms.

Philips Lumea BRI863 is an IPL epilator with excellent reviews after months of use. Looking at the technical specifications, it only takes 5 minutes to depilate half a leg. Compared to the BRI861, this saves 3 minutes, which may seem minor, but with frequent use, it becomes a significant advantage.

For underarms, bikini line, and face, hair removal can be completed in just 1 minute!

While it costs almost twice as much as the BRI861/00, its superior IPL hair removal performance makes it a worthwhile investment. If you can afford the Lumea BRI863, it is a better choice than the lower model.

The features of Philips Lumea BRI863 are:

• Sensor for hair and skin type.
• 5 intensity settings.
• Suitable for facial hair (chin, upper lip) and body hair (legs, bikini line, underarms, abdomen, etc.).
• Includes UV protection.
• Durability: 200,000 pulses.
• Wired use.

Philips Lumea Prices

We have mentioned the costs of each epilator, but to make it easier for you to compare the Philips Lumea prices, here is a comparison table of Philips Lumea Prestige, Satinelle, Essential, and Advanced models:

If you want to see the deal for each device, we recommend going to the index where all features and prices are explained to buy Philips Lumeaand clicking on each model.

How to Use Philips Lumea

1. The first step to using the Philips Lumea epilator is to shave the area you want to depilate. You can use a razor as usual or waxing.
2. Adjust the SmartSkin sensor to match your skin tone. This is crucial to ensure the hair root is effectively targeted and removed.
3. Place the device against your skin, positioning the IPL window at a 90º angle.
4. Once the device is properly positioned, wait for the light indicator to turn on, then press the button to emit light pulses.
5. Continue using the Lumea epilator by slowly moving it over your skin, covering the entire area you want to depilate.

Precautions

Whenever you use an IPL or laser electric epilator, you should avoid passing over the same area of the body twice in a row. One application of light pulses is enough. If you do not see good results after a few days, the next time you use it, it will be much more effective as the hair will already be weakened.

How long does it last?

It has a capacity of 250,000 pulses, allowing you to use it for many years without the risk of it wearing out. It is estimated to have a lifespan of up to 5 years with intensive use.

All the models we have discussed have a very similar lifespan. The duration depends on how frequently you use it, regardless of whether you have a lot or little body hair, or whether your hair is thick, dark, or light. The pulses are emitted in small portions of skin, reaching all the hair follicles in that area.

When will results be noticeable?

Although after the first session you will notice that the hair grows back weaker and takes longer to appear, optimal results are achieved after 12 sessions.

After this period, around 80% of women report positive results, noticing a significant reduction in leg hair, bikini line, underarm hair, and, of course, upper lip hair.

Before completing the full sessions, you will notice that hair growth is less intense. The thicker and denser your hair, the more sessions you will need to achieve the expected results. Some women need only 5 sessions before switching to very occasional use of Philips Lumea, while others may need 12 to 14 sessions. It all depends on individual body characteristics and hair morphology.

How does IPL hair removal work?

Although its technology is similar to laser hair removal, there are some differences since IPL uses intense pulsed light instead. That means IPL photodepilation or pulsed light hair removal is a different hair removal method.

The difference between laser and IPL hair removal lies in the type of wavelength emitted by the devices. IPL emits a wave that generates concentrated heat, focusing on the hair follicle where the hair root is located, making it more versatile and effective than laser hair removal.

Both methods target the melanin in the hair and result in permanent removal, but multiple sessions are required. The efficiency depends on the quality of the epilator, its power, and the type of technology used.