Hair removal sucks.

When you have dark hair and features it sucks even more.

Like millions of women I’ve tried all sorts of hair removal options over the years but come back to the good old razor over and over again, with some epilation in between. It’s quick and easy and cheap but sadly, for a brunette, never lasts long.

I know some people who swear by waxing and others that have success with creams etc but despite trying everything, I’ve never found that these last any longer than shaving.

Since, around the age of ten when I became very aware of the hair on my legs and the need to remove it, getting rid of this has been a constant trauma. Trauma sounds dramatic I know but it is such a huge hassle and inconvenience that it becomes exactly that over the years, an on-going trauma.

The bulk of the time I have continued to shave my legs with a bit of experimentation with pretty much every method out there thrown in along the way.

All my life I’ve hoped that something would be developed that would just get rid of it forever, something quick and easy you could do at home. I’m still waiting. It’s really disappointing in all honesty that with all the technological and medical advances that have taken place over the last thirty years that there is nothing that fits this criteria.

Just before Christmas 2016, HoMedics launched the Duo Quartz, an IPL device designed to deliver permanent hair reduction for home use. How exciting, right? I know you brunettes out there like the sound of this.

Said to be affordable and effective, the Duo Quartz is a new safe pain-free solution to unwanted body hair on the face and body. Combining IPL and AFT into one handheld device, the new design houses a quartz lamp using the same technology preferred by dermatologists to target the hair follicle to disable and permanently halt hair regrowth.

Lightweight, sleek, and in a soft rose gold design, the device is stylish and ergonomically designed to fit the contours of the body, with an interchangeable head safe for use on the face. The light-based technology promises unparalleled results, delivering an unmatchable 300,000 pulses of light to the hair root. Following a Duo Quartz treatment, the hair follicle enters a resting phase and sheds naturally. To prevent the roots from becoming active again, it’s important to continue use with an additional treatment once every 2-4 weeks to achieve long lasting smooth results.

What is IPL and AFT ?

IPL is the acronym for Intense Pulsed Light, which is shorter light wavelengths used in device’s lamp to reduce hair growth on the body. AFT is the acronym for Advanced Fluorescence Technology, which gives users the ability to use varying wavelengths to provide a gentle yet precise treatment. The combination of both IPL and AFT in a single device provide a highly flexible treatment that can be tailored perfectly to different parts of the body and different skin tones.

The features of the new Duo Quartz include:

• Lifetime Flash System with quartz lamp (300k flashes)
• Compact, sleek handheld design
• 1 Flash per second
• Interchangeable head/body and face adaptor
• Variable pulse control.
• Skin Sensor

Duo Quartz is £249.99 RRP and available at Argos and Boots UK nationwide and online. Now I know that sounds super expensive, and I fully admit to taking a sharp intake of breath when I read that BUT, hold on a second. If you are someone who goes for professional waxing treatments you’d get that back in no time. If you are someone who has always bought the disposable razors and you’ve been shaving you legs for as long as I have you have probably spent in excess of £600 – add on other fads and try outs and you may well have spent over £1,000 on hair removal – and the damn hair still comes back.

I will say that this is by no means a quick fix, it’s also not suitable for red heads or blondes, but anyone with dark hair on their body this is suitable for. You have to persevere and the treatments are not quick BUT… it absolutely works and to me that’s the most important thing.

In order that you can see progress, I recommend concentrating on one area initially to see results. The areas I have treated so far have not grown back at all but it takes time to cover all the areas you want.

I wish these had existed years ago but I’m so glad that finally something that works in the comfort of your own home has been developed, even if it takes time to achieve the desired results.