Smooth underarms without hassle? Where do I sign up? Credit: Corbis
Yes, I was an IPL virgin.
That was until I was convinced by my beauty writer colleague to try out the IPL (intense pulsed light) hair removal treatment at Ginza Calla. The hair removal specialist is well-established in Japan where it has 30 outlets. After venturing into Shanghai and Hong Kong, Ginza Calla has now set up shop in Singapore. It has so much faith in its technology that IPL is the only form of hair removal it offers here.
I’ve always relied on tweezing to keep my underarms fuzz-free although admittedly, sometimes I’m too lazy – tweezing can take up much time and energy – and reached for a top with sleeves instead. Apparently, IPL was painless and quick. I was told it would take around two hours to remove all hair from my entire body – if I was to go truly hair-free.
Well, they didn’t lie. Ginza Calla’s IPL hair removal session was truly pain-free and so quick that I was in and out of the treatment room in half an hour, with smooth armpits fit to see the light of day. Plus my underarm skin was happy – i.e. not traumatised the way waxing and tweezing would leave it. Turns out the Japanese specialist doesn’t only pay attention to hair removal but also taking care of your skin in three ways.
Ginza Calla's skin loving lotion - Bihada-Junbi. Credit: Ginza Calla
1. Bihada-Junbi lotion
Ginza Calla has collaborated with dermatologists to develop its own moisturising lotion that’s applied before and after the hair removal treatment. The Bihada-Junbi lotion is packed full of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and collagen that beauty junkies swear by to keep skin supple and moisturised.
Credit: Ginza Calla
2. High-pressure jet spray mist shower
But what good is a moisturiser if it’s not absorbed by the skin? Besides Bihada-Junbi, Ginza Calla has also developed a proprietary high-pressure jet spray to make sure the hydrating goodness of the lotion penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin for a 95 percent moisture retention rate. The mist shower was actually a fun experience – it felt like my underarms were being blasted by cold refreshing mist.
3. Five pulses of light
While other IPL treatments deliver three pulses of light each time, Ginza Calla’s in-house IPL machine blasts five pulses of light. According to the therapist, this makes the treatment more effective and after 12 to 18 sessions, hair growth is greatly reduced. I couldn’t vouch for the efficacy as I only did one treatment although all I felt was tiny pricks during the IPL process. I have to admit, I was really surprised when my skin that’s somewhat sensitive, didn’t emerge red and bothered at all.
Although the session for my armpits was quick, the process was greatly detailed. There was cleansing, shaving and the high-pressure-jet-spray-Bihada-Junbi-lotion-mist-shower before the cooling gel was applied to the area that required hair removal. Then it was on to the actual IPL, following by another bout of high-pressure-jet-spray-Bihada-Junbi-lotion-mist-shower, the application of cooling pads and finally a last douse of Bihada-Junbi lotion.
It’s been more than five days after my visit to Ginza Calla. My underarms are still smooth – I had a field day wearing tank tops over the weekend. I’m not sure whether it’s a tall order to kiss my trust tweezer goodbye but I might just take the gamble.
Total score:22/25
Ginza Calla is at #04-55 Plaza Singapura. Get three sessions of lower arm and lower leg IPL hair removal sessions at $40 (usual $800) or unlimited sessions for either underarms or bikini line IPL hair removal treatments at $40 when you sign up for the promotions before June 30, 2014. You can also get up to 35 percent off other hair removal packages. Go to www.ginza-calla.com.sg and www.facebook.com/pages/Ginza-Calla-Singapore/237558429701568 for more information.