Remington EP6030 3-in-1 Epilator, Shaver and Precision Trimmer

The box is a nightmare to open. It took me almost 20 minutes of struggling, because I wanted to avoid ripping, but in the end I had to tear it. Once I did manage to open it, I found that this is a lovely package, containing everything you need in a nice carrying case: epilator, charger, 3 heads (1 standard, 1 smaller "precision epilation" head, and 1 shaver head), cleaning brush, and even a purple exfoliating glove. Which if you don't use it to exfoliate your skin, you can instead use to scrub vegetables- true fact! Everything fits neatly inside the bag including the charger.

You can use this particular model 2 ways, either charge it up and run it cordless for 40 minutes (which should allow least 2 complete sessions of hair removal, should you want to take the epilator somewhere there isn't a plug), or you can use it while plugged in, so no need to wait for the battery to fill up. This is very handy, I think. The device itself is attractive, white with lilac and silver accents and a swirly vine-type design, and it feels good in the hand. It's compact and solid and seems well-made.

I tend to outsource my hair removal to the professionals, partly because I don't have the courage to rip the wax strips off, but I had always wanted to give an epilator a go. I was very surprised by how little this hurt, on my legs at least. If you are used to waxing you will find this is much less painful, because it only pulls the hair and not the skin. I did my legs quickly and without flinching, and I'm very pleased with the results. The good thing is you can keep going over the same area if you miss a few hairs, and because you're not ripping off a layer of skin it's not painful. Once you have got all the hairs, the pinching stops and you can run the epilator over the skin without any sensation. I didn't experience any redness afterwards. The rollers are meant to be moisturising, but I didn't think they made any difference to my slightly dry winter skin. That's not a big issue though, just pop some cream on once you've finished.

Remington do not state that you can use this on your upper lip, but I decided to give it a go anyway using the precision head. This was a fair bit more painful than my legs but so is waxing that area. It hurt less than waxing, and I didn't have the same stinging redness that I normally get there. Again, the results were really impressive. It won't capture those very very fine pale hairs that you can't feel and can only see in strong light, but I'm not worried about them.

My underarms were a bit more of an issue. I only ever shave there- having found waxing to be agony- which may be why the area hasn't toughened up at all. Add to that the fact it is hard to keep the skin completely taut and to see what you are doing. It was the most painful place I tried and I have to be honest, I might just stick to shaving my underarms. I would recommend being VERY careful if you have skin tags under your arms. I didn't try this epilator on my downstairs because I have never waxed there, either. I'm just not willing to face that kind of pain. But if you are, then this is probably a more appealing option than sitting on a table in paper knickers, since unlike waxing you could do it a little bit at a time as your courage allows.

The shaver does not shave particularly close but that might be handy- you can use it beforehand to trim long hairs and then use the epilator. However it is not a replacement for a proper razor.

All in all this is a really nice device and the 2 year guarantee is reassuring as well. It comes with everything you need and even as a beginner I found it easy to use. I will keep using this, and would definitely recommend it.

I've wanted an epilator for about 20 years but never felt brave enough. Finally, I took the plunge! Eeek!

This is a fantastic product - you get everything you need in the box including a handy little storage bag to keep all the bits safely together. The 'tweezers' operate on two different speeds - I've nicknamed them "wimp" and "plaster" (i.e. one is slow, and the other is like ripping off a plaster at top speed!).

I imagine most epilators work on the same principles so I won't spend much time talking about it's functionality. I think it's more useful to manage expectations about the pain, after all the big question is WILL IT HURT? ...What can I say? Ouch, ouch and ouch! Of course, we all have different pain tolerance levels, but holy moly, this was a shocker! It is like being waxed by a therapist who hates you and is removing a centimetre of hair at a time.

My top tips to reduce the pain are to:
a) Make sure the offending hairs are long enough (refer to the guide in the pack)
b) ensure you have moisturised those body parts regularly, but not at the time of epilating as the machine won't be able to grip the hairs, so it will hurt but with no result.
c) use talcum powder to absorb any excess moisture/oil (as above, it will help the tweezers to grip the hair)
d) Pour yourself a large glass of wine! (Over 18's only, obviously)
e) Begin...
f) If you pull the skin so it is firm, it has better hair removal rates, and seems to hurt less.
g) Work quickly - the pain does not get less if you go slowly, it just lasts longer.
h) Pause every few minutes and have a gulp on that wine!

I guess any product that is ripping the hairs from your body is going to hurt, so please don't take my above comments on the pain as a negative comment about this particular epilator (it is great), but I do think it is important to be aware that these machines are not the pain-free delights that advertisers market them as.

Finally, GOOD LUCK!

I have used the Braun series 5280 for about a year now and was getting sick of it constantly nipping my skin. I know this is one of the hazards of using an epilator, but I was being wounded every time I used it...and so I began my search for a new one. I decided to try a different brand and the Remington got such good reviews, I went for it (it was also half the original price). There are 2 distinct disadvantages to this epilator. The first is that it doesn't have a smart light like the braun, which is a shame because I really liked that feature. The second is that the shaver doesn't come with a wee trimming attachment (which I used a lot).

So now on to the good stuff. It's a fab epilator! Much less harsh when in use than the Braun, but seemed more efficient at pulling the hairs out. I used it on my underarms and it did a good job. The smaller head is a great idea - perfect for the bikini area. I've always found that area a bit delicate so the smaller head actually makes it a bit easier. It also helps to avoid catching hairs that you did not intend to remove (which I have done many times with the bigger heads - ouch!). I'd imagine that this head would also be good for the face, but i'm not sure i'm ready to move onto that kind of use.

Note to individuals new to epilating: It doesn't matter what epilator you go for, the first time you use one it will hurt like hell - I had to do my underarms in stages the first time but now it's not sore at all. Once you start doing it regularly your not pulling as many hairs out as you do initially. I also found that systems with ice packs are not any help as the epilator just stuck to the skin and didn't move smoothly. Also, the rash thing doesn't tend to change from model to model - if your pulling hairs out your skin, it's going cause redness and a bit of a rash. the level of redness and rash is dependant on your skin's tolerance. I do think however, that getting cut by an epilator is appliance specific - this one didn't cut into my skin like the Braun did.

I've noticed that some people comment on the noise their epilators make. Any epilator I have had has been noisy, so I never take that kind of comment into consideration when looking for a new one. This one sounds a bit rattly. The other comment I would be tempted to ignore is the efficiency of the shaver. I've never found this attachment on any epilator to be that good.

Another good thing about this one is that it has a British plug unlike the Braun - very helpful. It actually came with a charge which was nice, so I could use it immediately without charging it.

When I read in other reviews that the packaging was difficult to get through, I assumed it was the plastic - but its the cardboard box! They have glued every concievable part of it to the inside. A small issue but I thought I'd mention it since everyone else did.