Philips Lumea Prestige vs Lumea Advanced

The Philips Lumea Prestige and Lumea Advanced IPL use intense pulsed light energy (IPL) to damage and disable your hair follicles, slowing and then stopping hair regrowth. Periodic top-up treatments keep your skin smooth. Learn more about how home IPL works here.

Let’s dig deeper with the full comparison.

Quality & Lamp lifetime

The Advanced and the Prestige come in attractive pink Lumea styled boxes, with all the key info clearly printed on the outside. They’re securely packaged, and although you get a protective fabric bag to keep them clear of dust, it’s a good idea to keep the box to store them in.

Both devices have similar white and metallic rose-gold styling. They also have the same exceptional materials and build quality you expect from Philips.

And the IPL lamps last ages too. The Advanced gives 250,000 flashes, as do the earlier Prestige models. The later 9000 series Prestige models give a whopping 450,000 flashes. But note, ALL these models give many more flashes than you’ll ever need.

All models will give over 200+ or 15 years of monthly whole-body top-up sessions. And for most people, you won’t need top-ups that frequently. That’s because once you’ve done a year of maintenance top-ups, your skin stays smooth for several months at a time, and even up to one year. So, it’s likely you’ll need top-ups just a couple of times per year. Therefore, although 450,000 flashes sounds far better than 250,000 flashes, in reality you’ll never run out with any of these models.

Shape & design

Both the Prestige and Advanced are very comfortable to hold because of their distinctive gun-shapes. Their intuitive, no-strain grip is easy to manoeuvre and precise to position. The trigger flash button is perfectly placed for a comfortable, secure grip. And the simple controls are easy to see on top.

But they feel quite different as the Advanced is slightly smaller and much lighter than the Prestige. That’s because it works on mains-power only, whereas the Prestige has a rechargeable lithium battery inside to use it cordless as well. It weighs 560g, but it’s perfectly balanced and comfortable to work around your body.

And both work on mains-power. Their cords are around 2 metres long, thick, flexible and good quality. They’re easy to wrap-up but don’t twist or tangle during use. The power cords for each fit securely in the base of each handle. The extra length on the handle of the Prestige means its cord is kept well out of the way as you move it around your body. The Advanced handle is a bit shorter so the cord occassionally gets in the way.

However, the Prestige also works cordless. Just remove the cord for harder to reach areas around your body. Or for zapping your face or private bits in the privacy of your bathroom. But note, the flashes are slower when used cordless and the battery lasts only 30 minutes. So, cordless operation isn’t suited to legs or other large areas. Regardless, I love the flexibility this dual operation gives.

Power & safety

Here’s a quick comparison of the IPL power and safety features with each device:

Both devices have 5 intensity levels to choose from depending on your skin tone. 1 is low and 5 is high. Press the power button to cycle through the levels.

The Prestige is slightly more powerful than the Advanced. You must still complete the start-up stage and do top-ups with both devices. But the extra power with the Prestige means it’s sightly less effort. That’s because, if you have fair skin and can use the highest intensity levels, after you’ve finished your start-up treatments you’ll need fewer and less regular top-ups to maintain your smooth.

• The Lumea Prestige has a power intensity range of 2.5 to 6.5 J/cm²
• The Lumea Advanced has a power intensity range of 2.5 to 5 J/cm²

Both models are clinically tested safe for home use and area CE certificatied. They have in-built UV filters and skin contact sensors to stop accidental flashes near your eyes.

They also protect darker skin tones. To recap, the Advanced is safe for light to medium skin tnes (Fitzpatrick types I to IV) and the Prestige for light to medium dark (types I to V). Each has a skin tone sensor that won’t flash if your skin is too dark. However, the Prestige’s Smartskin sensor is more advanced because it also recommends the best of the 5 intensity levels for your skin tone.

This is a neat feature if you have varied tones across body areas. It removes any guesswork. And on more sensitive areas you can still manually lower it a notch or two.

Specialist flash windows

Both the Advanced and Prestige have flash windows to match different body areas. The Advanced models come with flat attachments in different sizes and they do a good job.

However, the Prestige has curved flash windows matching your different body contours for easier flashes. Here’s the Advanced and Prestige’s flash windows (note: different models come with some or all of the windows listed):

All Prestige and Advanced models have the large body and a small face flash window. Some Advanced models also have the precision window for bikini and underarms. And some Prestige models have either a seperate bikini and underarms window, or the dual bikini and underarms precision window.

See which windows you get with the Lumea Advanced models.
See which windows you get with the Lumea Prestige models.

So, are the curved windows with the Prestige any better?

I conclude from my tests, yes.

I love the large curved-in body window. It hugs my skin so it’s much easier to get continuous flashes and precise accurate coverage on most of your legs, knees and tummy (but shins and ankles are still tricky). It also fits snug in my underarm area too. And the curved-out precision window perfectly fits along my bikini line/leg crease. I also like the idea of the red filter for more comfy IPL flashes on these thicker hairs too. These curved windows mean there’s so much less faff trying to get a flash, so you’re finished much quicker with the Prestige.

Which is fastest?

Here’s a quick comparison of the speed of sessions with each device:

Both devices work in the same way. Place the window flush against your skin and press the flash button. After it flashes, move it the height of the flash window to the next spot and flash again. You can keep the flash button pressed for continuous flashes as you glide the window along your skin.

However, the speed of flashes between the two devices is very different. And sessions are considerably faster with the Prestige.

• With the Lumea Advanced it flashes every 3.5 seconds. On the highest intensity level, I can do a thorough full leg in close to 20 minutes, and my full body takes over an hour. Yawn 🥱.
• With the Lumea Prestige the flashes come every 2 seconds (used corded). On the highest intensity level, I can do a thorough full leg in around 10 mins, and my full body in under 40 mins.

There’s a big difference. Although the Prestige is not the fastest at-home IPL you can buy, it’s not too far behind. The speed matches the device shape and design, and it’s controlled and consistent. So, it’s easy to get into a good rhythm for accurate coverage. Therefore, it’s an excellent choice for face, small bits and large body areas, and especially whole-body hair removal.

But I don’t recommend the Advanced for large areas or whole body sessions because it takes too long. True, you can divide treatment areas across days so it’s less tedious. But, the Prestige is a far better choice for full body sessions done in one quick session.

Treatment schedules & results

Use the Prestige for 4 or 5 sessions, 1 every 2 weeks (taking up to 8 weeks) to get smooth skin. A whole-body session takes around 40 minutes.

Use the Advanced for 4 or 5 sessions, 1 every 2 weeks (taking up to 8 weeks) to get smooth skin. A whole-body session takes over 1 hour.

During your start-up phase, you’ll notice hairs grow slower, softer, finer and lighter after a few sessions. Shaving is easier without vicious stubble, rash or ingrown hairs. Eventually bald patches appear and get bigger. You may see these results very quickly, or slower and more gradually over the course. And speed of results can differ by body area too.

Then, switch to top-up sessions. With both the Prestige and the Advanced you’ll need these every month or two. The slightly stronger IPL from the Prestige means you’ll get longer lasting results vs the Advanced after the same number of top-ups. And it’s very important to stick with them. If you do, and after you’ve done several, you’ll find you can go many months between top-ups.

Related: learn why top-ups are crucial & more about long term results

The Prestige is one of the lowest effort home IPL devices for large areas and whole-body sessions. The Advanced is much more effort for larger body areas, so it’s better suited to your face and smaller areas.

Lumea Prestige vs Lumea Advanced summary

Both these at-home IPL devices from Philips are top quality. However, the Prestige has several additional features and functions which make it easier, safer and faster to use. The Advanced is a decent choise for zapping your face and smaller body areas if you have fair skin. But for legs, torso or whole body sessions you’ll spevnd far less time zapping with the Lumea Prestige.

Here’s a quick summary table of the spec, test and performance data above and then a round-up of the pros and cons to help you decide:

Everything comparison

Philips Lumea

Prestige

Philips Lumea

Advanced



Face, small bits, legs & large areas



Face & small bits
(not large areas)



💰💰💰💰



💰💰



Clinically proven
CE certified
FDA-cleared



Clinically proven
CE certified
FDA-cleared



2-year warranty



2-year warranty



UK
qoo-day
money back guarantee



❌
No
money back guarantee



Mains-power



Cordless / battery 



Mains-power



Large curved body flash window

Small flat facial window

Curved-out bikini, underarms & precision windows (varies with some models)



Large flat body flash window

Small flat facial window

Flat bikini or precision window (varies with some models)



560g



it’s lighter



250,000 or 450,000 flashes

15+ years of monthly use



250,000 flashes

15+ years of monthly use



2.5 to 6.6 J/cm²

5 energy increments



2.5 to 5 J/cm²

5 energy increments



Skin tone sensor



Skin tone sensor



Won’t flash if your skin’s too dark

Maually select intensity

Checks & matches intensity to your skin tone



Won’t flash if your skin’s too dark

Maually select intensity



Feels warm to hot.

Lower a notch if it stings!



Feels warm.

Lower a notch if it stings!



10 mins per full leg (high)

40 mins for whole-body



20 mins per full leg (high)

60+ mins for whole-body



4 to 5 sessions (1 every 2 weeks) then top-ups every month or so.



4 to 5 sessions (1 every 2 weeks) then top-ups every month or so.



Superb quality

Comfy, ergonomic gun-shape

Curve-hugging easy-flash windows

Cordless option

Helpful check & match intensity

Fast, steady & precise



Superb quality

Comfy, ergonomic gun-shape

Large & small flat flash windows

Light-weight

 



It’s quite big & heavy (but balanced)



Large area & whole-body sessions are slow & tedious

Power cord can get in the way

Skin tone sensor doesn’t select your intensity level

I hope you’ve found this comparison review helpful. If you need more information check out the Lumea Prestige review or the Lumea Advanced review. Or you can check prices on the links down below.

View Philips Lumea deals

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