Strip Ministry of Waxing – zap away unwanted hair with IPL ACE!

Perhaps the most annoying thing about being a woman, as I’m sure you can all agree, is the pain, hassle and cost we have to go through to get rid of unwanted hair. During the winter months, it’s kind of ok to be lazy – no one’s going to see it anyway, right?! But now Hong Kong’s reaching scorching temperatures, we all know what that means – junk season… i.e. time to get into your newest bikini and start showing off that hairless skin.

I’ve been a slave to waxing for too many years, shelling out far too much money each month to ensure I avoid embarrassing moments. I still have not got used to the pain (and probably never will!), so when I was asked to try the new IPL ACE treatments at Strip Ministry of Waxing, which I was told were totally painless, I literally jumped at the chance.

IPL, which stands for intense pulsed light, is a semi-permanent hair removal treatment. Strip has been a proud ambassador of IPL for some time, but has now introduced IPL ACE, which not only reduces hair growth, but also brightens and firms the skin, getting rid of stretch marks, broken capillaries and other blemishes.

I’m a complete baby when it comes to pain – even the tiniest pinprick makes me feels like I’m being attacked! So when I was told that IPL ACE is completely painless, I obviously had my doubts (there are people who claim that waxing is painless, and we all know that is a lie!), yet I can now assure you that IPL ACE is truly 100% painless.

Not knowing what to expect, I was a little nervous as I approached Strip’s second location at 8 Lyndhurst Terrace. However, their staff were accommodating from the moment I arrived, making me feel relaxed and comfortable.

Before the treatment began, my therapist shaved my bikini area before applying a numbingly cold gel to the area. This is done to cool and protect the skin as the IPL machine produces intense heat. After being handed some goggles to protect my eyes, a machine emitting a series of bright lights was passed in circular motion over the area for around 30 seconds at a time. The light is converted into heat energy, which is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle, weakening the tissue and thus reducing hair growth. The only thing you might feel is a little bit of heat on your skin. If it gets too much, your therapist will simply apply more ice-cold gel.

After the hair removal part of the treatment was complete, my therapist changed the setting on the machine to start the ‘skin brightening’ part. This worked in exactly the same way, with short bursts of light working their magic on my skin.

Strip recommends you have 6-8 treatments to see the full effects of IPL ACE. I have had two treatments and have already noticed a definite change in my hair growth. Although I will still have to continue waxing, particularly to get rid of some of the more stubborn hairs, there are definitely much fewer hairs trying to grow back, meaning I may only have to wax every few months instead of every single one. In terms of skin brightening, the marks I had from in-grown hairs have visibly faded too.

But here’s the bit you don’t want to hear – how much it all costs…

For a Brazilian IPL ACE treatment, it costs $6760 and a full package of six sessions would cost you $26,364! These are prices that I can’t exactly fathom myself, but if you take into consideration the price you pay monthly for waxing ($350 where I go) and multiply this by how many times you would go in one, two or five years, you’re at roughly the same price.

SASSY GIVEAWAY & SPECIAL OFFER: Strip are currently offering 70% off your first IPL ACE trial treatment to take the slight edge off this expense – simply call 2845 0838 for more details. Similarly, try your luck with our special Sassy giveaway, where one lucky reader will win their first IPL ACE session (excluding the full leg area) for free! The giveaway is now closed; congrats to our lucky winner Connie C.

Here’s to a hairless summer, girls!

IPL ACE treatments for women range from $420-7600 depending on the area of the body being treated; see their full price list here

Strip Ministry Of Waxing  9/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong
2845 0822  www.strip.com.hk

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Check out more from Ale on her fab blog, The Dim Sum Diaries!