The Braun Silk-expert Pro 3 is a relatively affordable home IPL hair removal machine, and a cheaper alternative to Braun’s Pro 5 model. It’s not the most advanced IPL device around, but good solid value and well worth considering.
Where to Buy
Pros
Decent value home IPL machine
Designed to last 300,000 flashes
Skin sensor adapts settings to your skin tone
Cons
Not cordless
Poorly rated companion app
Pro 5 model lasts for more flashes
The Silk-expert Pro 3 is Braun’s cheapest home IPL machine, costing less than its Pro 5 stablemate. The main difference between the two is the number of flashes (and therefore, lifespan) – the Pro 3 gives you 300,000 flashes, while the Pro 5 gives you 400,000.
It’s worth noting, neither model is in fact a “laser” hair removal device. These are IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) devices, which are more common than laser for home hair removal. IPL can work effectively, and a session of treatment can be faster than with a laser device, too.
Breaking Down the Manufacturer Claims
Braun claims you’ll enjoy permanent, visible hair reduction within three months with the Silk-expert Pro 3. We’re actually a bit comfier with that claim than we were with the “visible hair reduction within four weeks” claim on the pricier Pro 5 model.
Braun bases its claim on tests it conducted on test subjects who used the device on their legs, bikini and underarm areas. Three months is the right kind of timeframe to be talking about to see results from a home IPL device, in fact. Because of the nature of the way body hair goes through growth cycles, and how this affects the hair’s suitability for IPL treatment, it takes repeated IPL cycles over periods of months to impact hair growth.
Ultimately, your own success with IPL will be determined by your hair and skin colour; the body parts you are targeting (and how coarse your hair is there); how effectively you follow the recommended treatment routine, and what stage in its growth cycle your hair is at.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent? See our full explainer guide
Braun states that the Silk-expert Pro 3 is “the only IPL that automatically and continuously adapts to skin tone for a safe and effective visible permanent hair removal”. First, a quick reminder that this device isn’t laser hair technology at all (it’s IPL). Second, skin tone sensor tech is quite commonplace – the Philips Lumea range, for example, also has this.
Features and Extras
Just like the Silk-expert Pro 5, the Pro 3 comes with a precision head adaptor, designed to better target trickier areas including hair on the face. Braun cautions the product isn’t designed for tackling male bear hair, and must never be used anywhere near the eyes – so don’t attempt to thin out your eyebrows with this (or any!) IPL device.
There’s a companion app you can install on your smartphone to go with the Silk-expert Pro 5. But, with wall-to-wall 1-star reviews on the app store, you may as well not bother. At the time of writing, the app appears to be unsupported, and users complain it is effectively non-functional.
Skin and Hair Type Suitability
The Silk-expert Pro 3 is best suited to the same hair and skin types as most home IPL devices. That is to say, if you have light skin and dark hair, you’re the ideal combo to see results.
Braun cautions the Silk-expert Pro 5 won’t be effective on light blonde, red or grey hair. It’s not suited for dark skin tones, either, unfortunately.
Verdict - Should You Buy It?
The Silk-expert Pro 3 may be a little lower down the product lineup than the Pro 5, but we’d argue it’s a decent choice for an affordable home IPL machine. If you want to keep costs under £200, then the Pro 3 has respectable specs. Our only concerns are that other brands seem to be evolving faster than Braun in this space, and that unsupported companion app isn’t much of a sign of confidence from Braun.
Where to Buy
