Pros: Easier, cleaner, and more convenient than waxing, but just as effective.
Cons: Not for the squeamish. Loud. No battery.
The bottom line: Until I can afford laser hair removal, I'll be using this epilator as the next best thing
Ever since I discovered the weeks of hairlessness induced by some time in the bathroom with an oversized popsicle stick, some strips of cloth, and a jar of hot wax, I've been hooked on this method of hair removal. No shaving those legs every day. No ghastly greyish underarms. No.. well, nevermind. But all of this freedom from that irritable razor comes with certain consequences. For one, waxing takes a considerable amount of time. It makes a mess. You have to be prepared to get in the shower afterwards to wash the gunk off properly. Sometimes, it doesn't always rip all of the hair out, but just tears some off, being no more effective than shaving.

I had been curious about epilators for quite some time but had always heard the horror stories. They hurt, they don't work, and so on. So I've always bypassed them. Besides, they're expensive (compared to razors, or even a jar of wax).

So what convinced me to try an epilator, other than complete curiosity? I had redeemed some points I had collected at a local drug store and had $100 in credit. It's tough to spend $100 on shampoo and shower gel (I don't wear make up or dye my hair). So I saw the Philips Satinelle Epilator for $54.99 (Canadian dollars) and decided to try it out. I figured I would be returning it shortly after. I was wrong. I've had this for a few months now, with no intentions of returning it.


What's so great about this thing, anyways?

The great thing about this little machine is how easy to use, and how effective it is at removing hair. Usage is simple. Plug one end of the adaptor into the wall, and the other end into the epilator (I'll leave it up to you to figure out which end goes where - I'm sure you can handle it). The epilator has two settings: painful and more painful (just kidding). Push the button to the first slot for slow and push it to the second slot for fast. The epilator is set perpendicular against the skin (no pressure required), and you just move it along the skin, in the direction opposite to hair growth. That's all there really is to it.


But my hair is really resistant and epilators won't work!

The secret to epilating success is to beat the hairs into submission before you even try to use it. Like I had mentioned, I had been a regular waxer before buying this product. I had defeated the resolve of resistant hairs through repeated waxing, making things easy for the epilator. You see, the more you pull hairs out by the root, the easier they are to pull out. If your hairs are very resistant, the epilator (and even waxing) may just break them off at the skin, which is no better than shaving. And it still hurts. (So you might as well just be using the razor).


But I'm a wimp! Doesn't the epilator hurt?

Come on ladies, this isn't childbirth (though it may seem like it for any men who have tried epilating). Not that I've ever given birth, but if it's no worse than epilating, then I'm not too worried about it. If you've had your legs waxed before, and could tolerate it, let me assure you that the epilator is no worse. Granted, the first time you ever pull hairs out, it HURTS, I'm not going to lie to you about that. But if you have a tattoo, it doesn't hurt as bad as that did. And it's worth it for the smooth, sexy, hairless legs you'll have. And the good news is that it gets easier with time: the more you use the epilator on a regular basis, the less it hurts.

If you're not sure if you will be able to tolerate the epilator, try this: get out your tweezers, and pluck out a few hairs in the area of question. Hurts a bit, doesn't it? Is it unbearable? If it is, wait for those hairs to grow back and pluck them again. Still hurt? A little, but not as much as before, right? Now imagine several hairs being plucked all at once. Think you can handle it? Sure you can. Give it a try, you'll thank me for it.

Still not convinced? If you're a waxer, you know the feeling of having hot wax rubbed on your legs, and then the feeling as it rips from your skin, taking the hair with it. The epilator doesn't stick to your skin. You have more control over how many hairs come out at once, without spending all day spreading wax and smoothing strips of cloth, and ripping it all off. And besides, you can epilate in the living room in front of the TV without worrying about getting wax all over your new sofa.

You're not a waxer, or you're just still not convinced? Do you pluck your eyebrows? Are you in agony on the bathroom floor every time you do it? Hardly. Now do you remember what it felt like the first time you had your eyebrows plucked? It didn't feel too great, but now I bet you don't think twice about it.

I just want to reiterate that the secret to successful, relatively pain free epilating is frequent use. Don't give those hairs a chance to strengthen their roots again.


Settings

Like I mentioned earlier, there are two settings on this thing: slow and fast. I hardly ever use fast, as I don't think it really improves the hair removal process, and it's quite a bit louder. I just set it on slow and take my time with it. For the most part, it gets most hairs after the first pass. Rarely I will need to go back and take another pass at some areas with slightly more resistant hairs.


Durability

I've only had this product for a few months, so I can't comment on the long term use and durability. One of my first reactions upon examining this epilator was that the parts inside seem to be rather "cheap" looking. However, I've dropped it a couple of times and it still works great, so I think appearances may be deceiving. If I ever have any problems with this product, I will be sure to update my review.


Cleaning

The cleaning process is simple. The epilator comes with a small brush. After epilating (or during if you're doing a lot), just brush off the head to remove any hairs. Then take off the head (it just slides across) and brush out any hairs that might have made it in there. That's all there is to it!


What's not so great

Ideally, it would be nice if this epilator ran on batteries. It's a very slight inconvenience to have to have it plugged into the wall, and sometimes the cord gets in the way. It's not really a major issue, however.

Another downside is that it is fairly loud. It surprised me a bit the first time I turned it on (but then again, I had never used an epilator before so I was not sure what to expect). But this isn't really enough of a problem to elaborate further on.


Overall

Overall, I really like this product. I feel like it has freed me from the drudgery of shaving and waxing. It's kind of fun to use, and there is a strange satisfaction in using it and knowing those hairs are gone and won't be back for a couple of weeks. Ideally I would be able to afford laser hair removal, but I can't. So for the time being I will be quite content to use my Philips Satinelle Epilator to get rid of that unwanted hair.