The most recent version of Braun’s silk epil was a good’un – complete with a little light and equiped to deal with being used in the shower (see my review HERE). So good I was wondering how they would improve or change it for its next incarnation…

The answer,  according to Braun is to combine the longer results of epilation, with the short term gain of shaving. So the newly designed epilator comes with a nifty head combining all the best bits of the original silk epil 7 epilator, with the pain reducing massage section, as well as a Gilette Venus razor.

The new design means that some of the old issues and bugbears with epilating, namely having to go over and over the same place again to get a grip on all the shortest hairs is solved because with this model you can only go over the area once, because epilating is closely followwed by shaving. This also reduces the old problem of legs not feeling quite so silky smooth after epilating than after shaving.

I’ve  used the new machine a couple of times now, and my first impressions are very positive – it seems less painful than previous epilators, due to not having to go over the  same area several times. Its also really convenient – as long as its charged you just use your regular shave gel or foam (obviously the manufacturers recommend the Gillette Venus shave gel)., aand use in the shower just as you would with a wet-dry ladyshave etc. Its a lot quicker than other epilators too, again due to not having to go over the same area a lot. I also love how smooth this leaves my legs feeling, and that feeling does seem to last longer than shaving alone.

Possible downsides I can anticipate so far are that the razor heads need replacing for hygeine reasons -I’m not sure how much these will cost or where they will be available, but that might be an issue for some people. In addition, due to the fact that your epilation might not be as thorough due to the fact that any little leftover hairs are whisked away by the razor, so initial results might not be so long lasting, meaning it may take longer to get “hairfree”.

There is a way around these problems though – the epilator comes with changeable heads, so you can use it dry on the body as with the older models -bear in mind though, this will inevitably involve a higher pain level. The set also comes with a charging lead, storage pouch, instruction manual and cover for the razor head. The plug for this is a two-pin european style one, so if you are in the UK, you’ll need a converter plug as well, which isn’t included.

I’m also very happy with the fact that the new model keeps the light, and two speed control – the light was one of the best features on the last model in my opinion.

My top tip if you are planning to begin epilating is to make sure you exfoliate the area regularly – epilating works by plucking hairs out at the root, which means you can be prone to ingrown hairs, and exfoliating can go a long way to helping prevent this.

This  new model retails at £169, however is currently on offer at Boots for £109, a saving of £60.

So far I’m loving this epilator, it’s a lot less painful than previous models (if using the razor head), quicker ad leaves lgs silks smooth. Time will tell how effective it is for producing longer term results, so I will revisit this product after a few more week use to see how I’ve fared before giving my final verdict!

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me free of charge by a PR for consideration for review. I was not under any obligation to review it, in either a positive way or otherwise. My reviews are always completely honest, and based on my own experiences with a product. Iwould always recommend reading as many reviews on a product as possible prior to making a purchase.