What is it?
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) hair removal slows and reduces hair regrowth after each treatment. Eventually, hair stops growing and periodic use will keep you fuzz and stubble free. Learn more about how home IPL works here.
IMPORTANT: Silk’n in the US and Canada don’t promote the Infinity safe for the darkest and black skin tones. That’s because it’s FDA-cleared for Fitzpatrick types I to V, but NOT the darkest type VI. However, in Europe – where the FDA has no jurisdiction it’s advertiused safe for the darkest skin tones with a small study as evidence.
First impressions
The Silk’n Infinity comes in a neat, hot pink and white box. It shows all the key info including skin colour and hair colour chart, body areas you can treat, and a diagram explaining eHPL (galvanic and IPL energies).
Slide off the information sleeve and underneath is a strong pink and white cardboard box.
Everything is neat and in its place. The storage case is a super extra from Silk’n. The full contents inside the storage case are shown below:
What’s in the box?
- Silk’n Infinity 400,000 device
- Mains adaptor with UK, europe and US plugs
- User manual
- Warranty card
- Hard zip-up storage case
- Cleaning cloth
Before you start
Before you start zapping away, first read the user manual and do a skin sensitivity test.
The Silk’n Infinity user manual is an easy but slightly dry read. It has helpful photos and diagrams to help get you acquainted with the device and is presented in a logical order. It describes the possible side effects, clinical study results, how to use it and what to expect during your treatments.
Read the important warnings and reasons the Infinity may not be safe or suitable for you. Such contraindications include being pregnant, having epilepsy, taking photosensitising medications, skin conditions, on tattoos or after skin peels plus more. Learn more about general contraindications for home IPL. You can download the user manual from silkn.eu.
There’s also some important tanning advice in the user manual too. There’s more on tanning and sun exposure here. You must:
✔️ Wait at least 4 weeks since sun exposure or sunbathing before using the device
✔️ Cover-up and avoid sun exposure on treated areas for at least 2 weeks after your treatment.
✔️ Apply SPF 30+ sun protection for the duration of your regimen
However, Silk’n UK and Europe advise you can use the Infinity after sun bathing and sun exposure, but only on intensity level 1. This means you can keep using the Infinity in Summer months for top-ups to keep your skin smooth. Then, in the winter months, use your usual intensity level again.
PLEASE NOTE: Silk’n.com US and Canada DON’T say you can use level 1 on suntanned skin because it’s not FDA cleared as such.
The skin tone chart at the start of the manual recommends which intensity levels are safe for your skin tone.
The user manual says to do skin patch tests starting at level 1 and at each higher level that’s noted safe for your skin tone, or that you find comfortable. Do this for each individual body area. Wait 1 hour and if it’s all clear you can select your preferred level and start with your full treatment.
Getting started
You can learn more about how to prepare for your sessions here. And if you’ll be zapping facial or neck hairs I recommend dermaplaning as an alternative to shaving. Learn more about dermaplaning here and links to buy dermaplaning tools are at the end of this review.
Here’s a quick summary on how to use the Silk’n Infinity, and there’s loads more detail in the following sections.
Just follow these steps:
- Shave before every treatment (unless there’s no hair left!)
- Plug in and press the power button. You’ll hear the fan start up inside, the level one intensity light illumiates and then the ready light flashes
- Select your intensity level by pressing the power button to cycle through the levels
- Position flat on your skin at a 90-degree angle, and with your thumb or fingers on the silver base plate, press the large flash button.
- Slide to the next spot and repeat. Cover your skin in adjoining flashes avoiding overlap.
When you’re done, unplug from the mains and the Infinity powers down.
TIP: Galvanic current opens your pores making your skin is extra absorbent, so apply a body moisturiser immediately after for super-soft skin!
For this review I tested the Silk’n Infinity on my full legs, extended bikini line, underarms and face. It’s gentle, simple and fast. Here’s my feedback.
Shape & design
The Infinity device is slightly bigger than expected, but still compact compared to other devices. The design is simple, clean and functional with a large flash button. It’s light-weight (228g), feels good to hold and is very easy to manoeuvre. The simple controls and a secure mains-power cable are tucked away on the curvy base.
The Infinity has one 2.7 cm2 multi-use flash window. This is a decent size for larger body areas. However, the end of the device is quite bulky, so it’s difficult to position and flash on the upper lip and jawline. It takes a bit of practise – puffing your cheeks helps to get good skin contact on the upper lip.
It runs on mains-power only with a decent 180cm cord. But use an extension cable so you can sit anywhere and not put strain on the cord e.g. next to a full-length mirror or on your bed.
You get 3 inter-changeable plug adaptors; a UK, European and US adaptor. They’re easy to change, handy if you’re travelling and all fit neatly in the storage case.
The design is clean and simple, there’s no fancy ergonomic grip, but it’s comfortable to maneouvre around your body like a smooth and lightweight electric shaver or epilator. And it’s good quality too. you get 400,000 or 500,000 flashes from the IPL bulb (depending on the model). That’s enough for more than 200 full body treatments (full legs, bikini line, underarms and face). So, the lamp lifetime is excellent and the flashes will last 15+ years of monthly use.
N.B. I’ve used only the bulb life to calculate the years of use. General usage and wear and tear can also affect how long the machine keeps working.
TIP: Connect your Infinity device to the App via Bluetooth and you can see how many flashes you’ve used per treatment, overall and how many are left!
The App also lets you lock the device, preventing use by any little monsters or curious big kids.
Gentle & galvanic circulation
Like most other home IPL devices, the Silk’n Infinity has 5 intensity levels. But it’s different to other home IPL devices because it’s boosted with galvanic energy too. Galvanic energy is a very low electrical current passed through the skin. It’s widely used in cosmetic treatments for a few decades now.
The Infinity has silver-coloured electrodes around the flash window and on the base. With the window against your skin and your fingers on the base this completes a galvanic circuit and the energy circulates through your skin.
You won’t see the current (the’re certainly no sparks!) and you won’t feel it, but it temporarily opens your pores. And wider-open pores uncovers more of the hair, which then absorbs extra IPL energy. Therefore, the Infinity can use gentler, less intense IPL energy and still get similar results as more powerful devices.
This gentle IPL means not only are the lower IPL levels safe for dark and black skin, but sessions are more comfortable for everyone with less risk of any side effects. If you’re looking for a gentle home IPL, this is the one.
Related: more home devices & technologies safe for dark skin
And don’t forget, since your pores open with the galvanic current, body lotion penetrates deeply for softer, well moisturised skin. So don’t forget to apply some afterwards!
Eye & skin safety
The Silk’n Infinity is clinically proven safe for home-use. It passes the necessary European manufacturing and safety standards for the CE mark. It’s FDA-cleared in the US too (but not for skin type VI).
There’s an in-built safety feature to protect your eyes. It only flashes if your skin completely covers the galvanic flash window electrode. Therefore, you can’t accidentally flash it in open air and potentially harm your eyes.
It also protects your skin with an inbuilt IPL filter blocking UV light wavelengths. And, as described above, it uses gentler IPL than you’ll find in other machines. This reduces the risk of side effects and discomfort during your sessions.
However, there’s also a skin tone sensor to protect the darkest skin tones. It’s clever because it checks the intensity level you’ve chosen is safe for your tone.
If your tone and intensity level is safe, the Infinity flashes.
However, if the level is too intense for your tone, the Infinity won’t flash. Instead, the indicator light between intensities 1 and 5 flashes blue. You must then lower the intensity to a safe level. And only those intensity levels safe for your skin tone are activated. So, simply select one of these lower levels and start your treatment.
Intensity levels 1 and 2 are safe for the darkest skin tones Fitzpatrick types V and VI.
Although the skin tone sensor doesn’t automatically choose the best intensity level for you, I do think it’s a neat little safety feature that keeps darker skin tones safe.
It’s fast
The Infinity’s flash rate is quick, between 1 to 2 seconds. It’s fastest on the lower intensities. Keep the flash button pressed for continuous flashes in glide mode. After each flash slide the handset 1cm along your skin (the height of the flash window) to the next position. It’s not quite a smooth continuous motion, but it’s fast enough and you’ll pick up a good rhythm with a little practise.
And it’s quick to finish a session.
Silk’n say you can cover a full leg in 8 minutes. In my tests, I can meticulously cover a full leg in 12 minutes. Silk’n also say you can cover your full body in 20 mins. That also is a little optimistic. It took me just over 40 minutes for a whole-body (full legs, extended bikini, underarms and face).
You get easy and fast sessions with the Silk’n Infinity. It’s just a little slower than most of the fastest – and more expensive – premium devices.
What does it feel like?
You’ll hear the quiet whirring of the cooling fan. Each flash makes a clicking sound. It’s louder on the higher intensities, and louder than most rivals (which make a gentle ‘pop’ sound).
The flashes are bright white too. But against your skin they’re harmless to your eyes. However, they can seem annoyingly bright. Use in a well-lit room (so they don’t appear so intense). And wear sunglasses to help ease the glare.
The flashes feel warm but don’t smart. Our tester (medium skin tone), felt no stinging sensation on those sensitive areas where other IPL devices sting, such as underarms, bikini line and ankles. The soft sensation is because of the gentle IPL pulses.
However, the device does heat up on larger areas like legs. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start with smaller more sensitive areas if you’re treating your whole-body or multiple areas.
TIP: As with all home devices, make sure you get a good clean shave. This reduces any heat on your skin surface and makes the IPL energy more effective down in the follicle.
It takes concentration to remember where you’ve zapped, especially on curvy legs. But after a session or two you’ll work out the best way to cover your skin.
A common reaction to the IPL is slight skin pinkness around the hair. It’s normal and should fade quickly within 24 hours. Silk’n recommend moisturising after your session. Not only is this soothing, but remember your skin is extra absorbent because the galvanic current opens your pores! So, get extra-soft and hydrated skin from your favourite body moisturiser.
And cover up and/or wear a high SPF 30+ in the sun. This helps protect your skin from sunburn and reduces the risk of developing any of the rare home IPL side effects.
Schedule, effort & results
All home laser and IPL devices demand effort and commitment. There’s a start-up routine to get you to smooth, and then top-up sessions maintain your results. This schedule is longer if you have darker skin and will use the lower IPL intensities.
On lighter skin tones using the higher intensities, it’s easy and one of the least effort home IPL devices. You need around 4 sessions, 1 every 2 weeks. A whole-body session takes around 40 minutes. Continue these every 2 weeks until smooth. Then, once smooth, do monthly sessions. After around 3 monthly sessions you’ll likely be able to go longer between these top-ups. Do them as frequently as you feel you need.
However, on darker skin tones using the lower intensity levels, it’s more effort. To get smooth, you need around 12 sessions, 1 every 2 weeks. It’s the same 40 minutes for a full body session . So you must commit this time and effort for a little longer to see your best results. Then, do top-up sessions as often as you need them (typically monthly) to keep you smooth.
Therefore, for darker skin tones, it’s important to have realistic expectations about the effort required. You must have patience and commitment to the cause. Stay strong!
TIP: If you can’t fit in the full 40 minutes for your whole body, you can zap different body areas on alternate days. Just remember to keep track of what you’ve done!
What results can you expect?
The following outlines results on lighter skin tones using the higher intensity levels. For darker skin tones, the results appear slower and more gradually during the 12 sessions.
Hairs still grow during the first few weeks. However, the rate slows. Shave before your next sessions.
A few sessions in you’ll notice fewer hairs growing. They’ll be softer, finer and lighter too. And much easier to shave. Around this stage, you may not need to shave in between sessions.
After 4 or 5 sessions you should be smooth, or have just a few patches of hair remainig. You can continue treatments every 2 weeks until you have totally smooth skin, or switch to monthly sessions to manage the stragglers.
Keep going with monthly sessions as you need them i.e. if soft growth appears. You can eventually increase the time between these top-ups to 6 or even 8 weeks. But keep doing them. Because if you don’t the hair will grow back! And the more you do the longer lasting your results become. Learn more about the importance of top-ups here.
The negatives
There are just a few negatives with the Infinity device. And then a few more with how Silk’n advertise it.
First up, the Infinity device.
A bit bulky
The business-end of the Infinity is a bit bulky compared to the size of the flash window. This makes it tricky to position and flash on awkward areas like your upper-lip and jawline.
Face-pulling helps. Puff-out your cheeks and flatten your lips for a ‘flashable’ surface. It takes a bit of practise, but still works.
Next, the skin tone sensor baffles a few dark skin tone users because it won’t flash on the higher intensities. Silk’n do explain it activates just the safe intensities for your tone, but they do this only very briefly in the user manual. It’s easy to miss and thus cause confusion and frustration. So, Silk’n should make it much clearer (I hope it’s clear in this review 🧐).
If you want a more sophisticated design with improved comfort, better flash windows, and sensors that automatically select your best IPL intensity, then try the Lumea Prestige, Smoothskin Pure or Braun Pro 5. But if your skin is dark, or affordable simplicity is what you need, then you can’t beat the Infinity.
Silk’n niggles
Next, a few niggles with how Silk’n promote the Infinity.
First, the guidance on safe skin tones differs in the US. In the UK and Europe, Silk’n promote it safe for types I to VI. But in the USA the range is I to V. It’s confusing, but there is a simple reason. It’s because of the FDA-clearance required for home IPL devices in the USA. Learn more about Silk’n Infinity and FDA-clearance here.
Second, Silk’n do a very poor job explaining what to expect on darker skin tones. It takes much longer to see results when using the lower intensities safe for dark skin, compared to lighter skin using the highest intensities. You’ll also need more regular sessions to stay smooth. This isn’t a defect with the Infinity, it’s just how the science works. But Silk’n don’t mention this anywhere in the user manual or in their sales materials. Learn more about it in the Silk’n study results on skin type V and VI.
And finally, if you live in the UK or Europe, you don’t get a money back guarantee with the Infinity. Boo. However, buy from Silkn.com in the US or Silkn.ca in Canada, and you get a 60-day money back guarantee. Hurrah! So, you can buy and try without risk on fair hair or dark skin to see if it works for you.
Silk’n Infinity Review Summary
Yup, the Infinity is rather special because sessions are quick, and the clever, combined technology means it’s gentle and safe for dark skin tones too. It’s well-made, comfortable to hold, and easy to manoeuvre. And whilst not the easiest to flash on more awkward areas, it just takes a bit of practise to get right.
Here’s a summary of my Silk’n Infinity test scores, and pros and cons to help you decide:
Lamp lifetime
⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡
It’s well-made and super value with flashes to last 15+ years of use. One of the best.
Ease of use
👍👍👍👍
Simple, light-weight & comfy, corded design. Clever skin tone sensor detects darker tones and activates only the lower, safe intensities.
Effort & Results
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gentle to medium power IPL. Get smooth with 4 treatments, 1 every 2 weeks, then switch to one per month to stay smooth. However, it takes longer on dark skin using the lower intensties.
Pros
- Fast & affordable
- Gentle IPL for painless sessions
- Safe for ALL skin tones including dark & black with clinical data
- Sturdy zip-up storage case
- Level 1 intensity safe for tanned skin
- Clinically-proven, FDA-cleared & CE certification
- 60-day money back guarantee from silkn.com & silkn.ca
Cons
- Not FDA-cleared in the US for black skin
- Quite bulky, so tricky on upper lip
- No money back guarantee in the UK & Europe
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