Unlisted Brand • Braun 7280 Silk-Epil Xpressive Epilator • Other

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*TOP REVIEWER* CordulaM on 12/25/2012 1:13:00 PM more reviews by CordulaM

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

(My model is 5340 and was a gift)

Masochists, you are in for a treat. My mom had been using these type of products for years, but one bad swipe at a hairy ripe age of 13 and I was OUT. I shaved and waxed and slowly warmed up the the idea of epilating since I already was waxing under my arms and this was just faster and less messy. So I asked for it. She got me this model which comes with a buzzer (don't really need, I think a beard trimmer is easier to reach any place that needs buzzing....but if you don't have, I guess this will work work.) a *massaging* head with spikes....hehe...you won't feel anything remotely close to massaging...and a regular head. It also comes with a cleaning brush, cord, and bag to store it. Oh yea, and an ice pack. That'll tell you something.

On to the review!

So I used this underarms, and even on my bikini line. Not too far now. I think because I had previously waxed those areas, it was ok. I remember needing a percocet the second time I went for a Brazilian...that should tell you a little about the first time. But epilating there was not bad at all at this point. And it works. Then I decided I should tough up and do my legs. You will need a bottle of rum and a mantra. I choose Betty White's quote on vaginas being tougher than "man parts" :) The first time you do this, like waxing, it. will. hurt. The ankles are probably the most painful part. I just kept thinking BETTYWHITEBETTYWHITE! I swear. But if you make it, once you get to the knees you will think it's nothing, you forget what pain is. The thighs aren't to bad either, maybe because the hair is so fine. It doesn't come out so well either but by then you are hysterical at the little 'pinches' having just lived through what you just did to your legs. I will say though, that like waxing, this is supposed to last ages. The only downsides are that first, you have to let it grow in enough so you will have more hair than just day to day (or even every other day) shaving stubble, but it will stay smoother. Also, the first time it will hurt the most, and should get a little easier from there, but it also doesn't get all the hair since it's coming in at all odd lengths.

I really hope this is worth it, since I'm still new. One of the reasons I took the pain, aside from Betty White, is that I hoped it would hurt less from here, keep me hairless and smooth longer. I've seen other women in my family do it for ages and I know it can work. So that's my first impression of doing it. Hunker down ladies. We can handle this!!! Lol.

OH yes and I forgot, the cord falls out a lot. That's annoying.

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banjaxed on 7/6/2012 5:55:00 AM more reviews by banjaxed

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought the 7280 to replace my old Braun Silk-Epil (Xelle) from 2007 and I can't believe the difference! The 7280 is very fast, it has 40 tweezers whereas my old model only had 20. I epilated my lower legs yesterday and it only took me about 10 minutes. My old model would probably have taken nearly an hour.


Pain: The pain experienced was very bearable on the legs. I'm used to epilating so I just feel a slight pinch, and since it's so fast it's all over very soon. However, my underarms are a different story... It was very, very, sore and I almost stopped because of the pain. I'm used to epilating my underarms too but that area never seems to get used to it and therefore hurts more.


Construction: The head of the epilator is pivoting and it makes such a difference when going over areas such as your knees. Before I used to have to take it slow and go over the area many times, but with the pivoting head I just go over my knees once and it's all gone.


Extras and attachments: This comes with pre-epilating wipes which I don't really know what they're for. I've never seen them sold in any shops so when I run out I won't be replacing them. They look just like baby-wipes to me.


Other attachments that come with this epilator are a shaver head/trimmer which I haven't used yet so can't comment. However, I'm sure it's fine and similar to the one I had on my older model.


Price: Very expensive. I specifically wanted a corded model and as I couldn't find a good model here in Ireland I had to get this one from the UK Amazon site. With the £/€ difference I ended up paying around €110 for this. It really is too much, I would have been happier spending about €70 for this machine.


Annoying things: The cord keeps popping out of the back of the epilator whilst epilating. Another annoying thing is the plug. It's one of those shaver plugs, which only work if you've got a shaver plug installed in your bathroom (which I haven't), so you need an adapter. I would have preferred it if they had a european plug on it even as that's an adapter I already have for travelling.


All in all, I do recommend this epilator, despite the price and the plug. It makes defuzzing your legs so much easier. I was even contemplating getting my legs lasered but I couldn't be bothered now as this works so well!

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Limey1 on 7/22/2011 4:12:00 PM more reviews by Limey1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I must confess, I bought my epilator many years ago and it just says Silk'n Epil on it, so didn't know where to put this review. I really think what I have to say will be o.k. for most epilators on the market. I have palish skin and have always been plagued with thick coarse hair, not on my head....but on my legs, underarms, etc. I'm from the U.K. so not from one of the countries where this is more of a problem. I shaved, used creams, waxed, plucked, everything and more except laser. I tried the epilator years ago and it hurt! About 2 years ago I was so fed up of shaving legs and getting a "5 o'clock shadow" and prickles that I got out that epilator. The reason why it hurt, was because my hair was too long. I got through the first try and swore I wasn't going to use a razor again. When the hair is short it does not hurt at all and done regularly, the hair (unbelievable for me!) comes in thin, thin. It's been 2 years now and the hair from underarms is practically gone, me legs I still do every few days but so much better! I even do my face (very carefully). I just WISH I had used it many years ago. Years later I bet there are even better ones on the market, but I'll use mine until it's dead. TRY IT, BE PERSISTANT....they usually run from $50 - $100 in drugstores. It is SO worth it!

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Ereee on 6/28/2011 9:31:00 PM more reviews by Ereee

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This model is so much better than my old Braun 2370 (yellow, circa 2004). My only "complaint" would be the cheap pouch they give you, which is nothing more than a nylon drawstring bag. Pitiful. However, the epilator is of excellent quality and the light is helpful. I opted for this corded model because several people told me that the rechargeable battery dies more quickly. I highly recommend this!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Zedar on 4/10/2011 2:25:00 AM more reviews by Zedar

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Even though I get ingrown hairs, this is a great Epilator! I bought this particular corded model because reviews on Amazon mentioned it has more power than the rechargeable versions and I liked that it could be used as a shaver and trimmer too. However, the trimmer isn't quite what I was looking for and I haven't tried the shaver.

Unlike the coiled epilators of yore that only worked with long hairs, the Braun epilator has a jillion mini-tweezers that work really well to tweeze short stubble.

I must think this device is amazing because if I could choose only a few beauty products, this would be among them!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* incognito on 12/9/2010 12:54:00 AM more reviews by incognito

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I have an older model of this product (the yellow one - probably from about 6 years ago - still going strong!). I LOVE IT! It's all I use on my legs. I hate shaving because of the stubble and the inevitable nicks and cuts. I hate waxing because of the cost and inconvenience of having to book an appointment (I tried home kits - what a waste of $). Depilatory creams give me god-awful rashes. This gives me smooth legs for weeks; I think with time the hair is going back softer and more slowly too. It does give me "speckled" skin right after use - tiny red dots at all the hair follicles - which lasts for a few hours so I usually use the Silk Epil before bed. What about the pain, you ask? The first few times, this was a little painful, I admit. Not as bad as waxing, but close. After that, the pain went away and I honestly sort of enjoy the buzzing sensation. I have occasionally used it on my arms, which are not very hairy at all, but sometimes in the summer I want "bald" arms LOL and this does the trick. However, I do not use this on any other part of my body. I tried to use it on my pits and that was quite painful and caused a bit of bleeding sometimes from the follicles there, which is where I draw the line. I haven't tried in on the bikini line for the same reason. Overall, for legs I think this is GREAT and I don't understand why epilators like this are not more popular in North America! Oh and I've had no problems with in-grown hairs at all, maybe I've just been lucky.

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jmsk112486 on 6/17/2010 8:12:00 PM more reviews by jmsk112486

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

While I don't have this particular epilator, I have a similar one that Braun makes. I think the pain that every one talks about is a bit exaggerated. If you are using to waxing it doesn't hurt as much. I think this is a pretty efficient way to get rid of unwanted hairs. I've only tried it on my legs and probably won't around my bikini area as I am very prone to ingrown hairs.

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whatie on 5/12/2010 1:10:00 AM more reviews by whatie

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

If it was ethically ok to create 1000 accounts just to bring the rating down for product - I would do it..but honestly one review should ring warning bells. This is teh worst worst thing youc an do to your skin. I am a person who is totally comfortable with the way she is - but on a unlucky day when I had extra time and i was browingI chanced upon this on Amazon. I saw the hundreds of reviews and reserached this very very carefully. I thoguht I would try it out if it was bad - will toss it. That is it - I tried it and havent worn skirts for 4 years now. I never even had the longing to wear one..but my legs look out of a horror movie. Ladies who are using it - i have cautioned you - one day after 6- months it will happen. Dont use it even if you exfoliate regularly - this and epilating it makes the skin crack and infected easily.


ladies who arethinking of buying - DO NOT. please please stay away. If this was a wonderproduct wouldnt it be toutedin every damn magazine/advertisement - heck will be recommeneded by estheticians and derms as well. STAY AWAY. please....

I cannto tell you how awful this thing is.
if you think this is a one off story then Please read this

http://www.soompi.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t308894.html

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lagomorph on 12/29/2009 2:33:00 AM more reviews by lagomorph

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I've hated every epilator I've tried except this one. This is just effective enough that I might switch from waxing. I owned the previous model, the braun silk epil, and I find this works much better. It makes wider passes and catches the hairs better than the previous braun.

Epilators are notorious for ingrown hairs, imo worse than waxing. I make slow passes- as tempting as it is to go faster you'll likely break the hair off and cause ingrowns.
I love having soft, smooth skin all the time and was going crazy this winter trying to deal with increasingly dry legs.
I finally bought a humidifier and have had such success with it that I felt confident I could use an epilator in winter and keep my legs exfoliated to prevent ingrowns.

Don't even try this in the bikini area. Epilators change the direction of hair growth to a greater degree than waxing and while the problems might not occur right away, eventually the hair is going to be growing back at odd angles and cause permanent problems. I would stick to waxing. If you do try this be very careful and do a test area first. I really advise against it for most people.

Update- still happy with it. So much faster than the braun silk epil. Ingrowns are not a problem so far, preventable and no worse than waxing. I'm doing a combination of epilating, shaving, and using my nono.
You can buy replacement parts separately. The epilator head (the roller that grabs the hairs) is available for $15 at this website www.theessentials.com There is also a "precision head" available online that did not come with my kit. Maybe this is for the face? Bikini?
Update- I have noticed some ingrown hairs even though I exfoliate all the time and keep my skin very smooth. Not a lot, but even one or two really look bad now that it's summer. I'm not taking off any stars because as epilators go it's probably the best. I might just be more prone to ingrowns than other people. I've gone back to just using the nono and shaving. Saving for a tria.
Update- bought a silkn. Love it although I hate having to buy the replacement cartridges. It's not permanent but so far it's the best thing I've used.
Ok, another update- still using the silkn. After all this time I still have 2 areas where I have a single hair that grows out crooked and will become ingrown if I don't super exfoliate it. Not a big deal, only 2 hairs, but this never happened from waxing and I only used my epilators for maybe a total of 8months. So be careful, I would hate to have a bunch of these and I'm glad I stopped when I did. YMMV
Took one star off because epilators in general need to be used with caution.
Update- switched to silkn. love home laser hair removal, so much easier.

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Yum3ji on 8/29/2009 9:45:00 AM more reviews by Yum3ji

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Revolutionary hair lift system that lifts, loosens and gently removes even short flat lying hairs at the root. New pivoting head adapts to the contours of the body. New massaging system stimulates the skin before and soothes it after hair removal. Fully washable. Smartlight reveals even the finest hairs. Includes the following:
* Shaver head and trimmer
* Massage system
* Efficiency cap
* Beginner cap
* Silver mesh pouch
* Cleaning brush
* 16 Pre-elation wipes by Olay
* AC adapter
[link]

MY THOUGHTS: I purchased a Braun 7280 Silk-Épil Xpressive Epilator new in box off eBay for $87.50 CAD to find an alternative to wet shaving and waxing. By no means do I have any technical issues with shaving or waxing; however, I find that my hair grows back on my legs within a couple of days after wet shaving and home waxing can become expensive and time consuming over time.
 
So after much research on the topic of epilators, I decided to go with Braun's latest epilator (well, semi-most latest). I tested out my new 7280 Silk-Épil Xpressive last night, after a quick shower, while watching "Born on the Fourth of July" (TV movie). I could almost feel Tom Cruise's pain in the beginning of the movie as I first ran this epilator up my leg. This product, let alone epilators in general, is not for the feint of heart. There is pain, and it does continue. You just have to suck it up and take deep breaths. No pain, no gain, right? My boyfriend must have had a chuckle or two while I was doing this in the living room.
 
I did develop colonies of red bumps afterward from where the follicles use to be. This of course went away after about a day. In addition, I noticed that the epilator did not remove ALL my hairs, so I did have to go back with a tweezer and manually remove stray hairs here and there. Overall I'd say 99% of the hairs had been removed by the epilator.
 
Remember to exfoliate and moisturize with body lotion. It's too early for me to comment on ingrown hairs, but I'll revise this review when that does happen.
 
UPDATE: It appears the pain minimizes when there is less hair to epilate. Thus most of the pain occurs during the first session.

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girlwithcurioushair on 8/4/2009 6:09:00 PM more reviews by girlwithcurioushair

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Not for weenies. This, like any epilator, is excrutiating the first few times you use it. Depending on your pain tolerance a OTC painkiller might help when you start. I use mine just about everywhere except my bikini area. Doing your armpits feels like cruel and unusual punishment at first, but it's totally worth it. The pain does get better and your hair does grow back more and more slowly and with a finer texture. I bought mine for about $50, but if you use this instead of razors and shaving cream for a few years it's actually an economically efficient way to go. Plus, there's no wasteful packaging as with waxing, shaving or depilatory creams.

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fvger on 7/13/2009 5:25:00 PM more reviews by fvger

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Amazing product. I must have bought my previous epilator about 6 years ago, but I hardly used it as it was like torture in slow motion. Instead, I just kept on waxing with strips and various professional kits. I bought this yesterday and it is in a different league. Pain is negligible (but then again I am used to waxing myself), the process is fast and the results are truly fantastic. Go for it...it is well worth the money. The only potential downside of epilators that they are notorious about giving ingrown hairs, but the product is good enough for me to want to cope with that.

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NJ on 3/30/2009 11:13:00 PM more reviews by NJ

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

First time epilator. Like some of the other reviewers of this product, I wish I had bought this gadget sooner. I've tried tweezing my leg hairs before, and this is so much less painful and not messy like waxing either. Epilating the underarm did hurt initially, but you become sensitized to it. I think that the most painful part of epilating is staring at the speed of the rotating tweezers. I needed a lot of will power to place it against my skin. There is two speeds, fast and faster. The other painful part of epilating is the price of the epilator, but then I think of all the money I've spent on waxing supplies or going to the spa for the service. I'll only repurchase when my gadget breaks down.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* jaqi16 on 1/22/2009 1:42:00 AM more reviews by jaqi16

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my favorite epilator (I have the Remington Silky Smooth, and the Emjoi Gentle Gold Caress in addition to this one). This one is by far the most efficient. It can get even the shortest hairs (my hair is dark and course), both fine and course. Basically if I could see it enough to tweeze it, this would be able to get it without a problem. It has some special lift mechanism with 40 tweezers which really works well to get all the hairs. Looking at it at first I didn't think it would be able to get anything since the head is very different looking than the others. And it works really well with no power loss on slightly moist (like out of the shower 3 minutes ago) skin (unlike the Emjoi which is worthless unless your skin is bone dry/dehydrated). It has an attachment to use this as a shaver/trimmer, it has a beginner cap, a massage cap and an efficacy cap. I didn't think the massage cap would do anything, but I like that one the best (it makes it feel a little more comfortable and seems to lift the hairs even better than the efficacy one). It is super easy to clean because you can run the head under he faucet. If I could only have one epilator hands down I would choose this one. I got mine at Bed Bath & Beyond, but I also saw it on amazon. Cheapest I saw it was about $80. If you are looking for a good epilator I highly recommend this one!!

12 out of 12 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No