Iluminage Precise Touch review; for ALL skin tones, & fair hair

The Iluminage is safe for ALL skin tones because it uses much gentler IPL than other devices, and combines it with Radio Frequency current. The two energies work together creating an extra boost of follicle damaging heat. Therefore, it can use much gentler (but still effective) IPL, that’s safe for dark and black skin too. Learn more about this FDA-cleared technology for black skin here.

After each session your hair growth slows and is softer. Eventually it stops growing altogether and periodic use keeps your skin silky smooth.

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In this Iluminage Precise Touch review:

Safe for ALL skin tones

The devices from Iluminage are safe for dark and black skin, as well as light. They’re safe because they use IPL combined with Radio Frequency. The two energies work together creating more heat around your hair follicles, right where it needs to be to cause the damage which stunts your hair growth.

So, this means the Precise Touch can use much gentler IPL that usually wouldn’t work, and that’s safe for dark skin tones. Both the Iluminage Precise Touch and Iluminage Touch devices are clinically proven and FDA-cleared safe and effective on all skin tones. The technology is called Elōs (electro-optical synergy) and you can learn more about how Elōs works here.

Quality & lamp lifetime

The mains powered Precise Touch is simple glossy-white and good quality. The boxy shape and finishing lack the refinement of others, but because it’s weighty at 285g, it doesn’t feel fragile or flimsy. The 175cm power cable is long enough to work next to a power outlet or with an extension cable. It’s thin compared to rivals, but is durable enough. You also get a 2-year warranty for peace of mind.

Based on our standardised calculations, the 300,000 flashes from the IPL bulb last 10+ years of monthly use, for face and smaller body areas (bikini line and underarms). It’s excellent value. But on legs, you’ll use too many flashes from the small flash window, plus it’ll take ages to cover such large areas.

Design & speed

Despite the bulky design, it’s comfortable to grip with your fingers and thumb resting in the top and underside dimples. And because the shape tapers to the small flash window, it’s also easy to see where you’re flashing. The device’s long length helps keep the power cord out of your way too.

It’s simple to operate. There’s no faff with skin tone sensors either because the Precise Touch is safe for all skin tones. So, there’s just the power button and Elōs button to control it. The Elōs button cycles up through the three intensity levels shown by the star icons. Be sure to start on LOW and work up to MEDIUM and HIGH levels only if it’s comfortable.

There’s no flash button to press either. The flashes come automatically when the two silver RF contact bars are against your skin, creating the RF circuit. Slowly glide it along your skin for continuous flashes. Or, stamp the applicator against your skin for single, precise flashes.

The RF contact bars double as an eye safety mechanism too, because you can’t accidentally flash into open air anywhere near your eyes.

The Precise Touch flashes every 0.9 to 1.9 seconds. It’s fastest on LOW level. Cover your skin in adjacent flashes, then repeat for a total of 2 or 3 times. You can cover your skin in up/down flashes, then rotate the window 90 and do left/right flashes for no hairs missed coverage! Zapping your face and smaller areas takes only minutes.

For dark & fair hair

For fastest, longest lasting results on dark hair you must shave before your sessions.

And if you’ll be zapping facial or neck hairs I recommend dermaplaning as an alternative to shaving. Learn more about dermaplaning here and there are buy links at the end of this review.

However, the Precise Touch is also clinically proven effective on fair hair (blonde and red) if you pluck, wax or epilate immediately before your sessions too.

This helps the IPL work on hair colours without the melanin pigment found in dark hair. Instead, the IPL energy targets the small blood droplets left behind in the follicle after it’s pulled out.  

Although the Iluminage clinical tests don’t include grey/white hair, it should be effective in precisely the same way as blonde and red hair.

You can also pluck darker hairs on the face if you suffer with fast, daily growth and don’t want to shave. But, for both fair and dark hair you pluck, you’ll need more than 7 weekly sessions to see results. More on this next.

Results

Treat weekly for seven sessions to get smooth. You may use the device more frequently on facial hair if needed – up to 2 to 3 times per week. Then switch to monthly top-ups.

Seven weekly sessions is usually enough to get smooth. But on darker skin using the low intensity level you may need a few more sessions. And some people may need slightly more frequent top-up sessions to maintain smooth, fuzz-free skin.

For fair hair, be prepared you may need over double the recommended sessions. So, around 14+ weekly sessions. That’s because, to be effective, the IPL relies on just a micro dot of blood in the follicle. Therefore, hairs must be waxed/epilated and zapped several times to be effective. Also, your reduction in growth rate and hair thickness is not as obvious as it is on shaved hairs. Therefore, it may seem like it’s not working. Please be prepared for the extra commitment!

Negatives with the Iluminage Precise Touch

There are a few negatives with the Precise Touch.

First, not so much a negative as an FYI. Don’t buy the Precise Touch if you want fuzz free legs. The small flash window talks ages to zap larger areas and you’ll use up all the flashes. Instead, check out the Iluminage Touch.

Next, on fair hair you’ll need several more sessions than advertised. So, be prepared for significant weekly commitment and effort. Unfortunately, there are no clinically proven alternatives to try for fair hair.

And finally, there’s no money back guarantee and the Precise Touch is pricey compared to rival compact models. You’ll pay a premium precisely because it’s FDA-cleared safe and effective for both dark/black skin and for fair hair.  You could consider the cheaper Silk’n Infinity for dark skin. But for fair hair, it’s the only option clinically proven to work.

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