Sometimes a product comes along that just does it all. Its well made, it doesn’t cost a fortune, it does exactly what it says on the box, and it lasts a long time.
I can honestly say that the Braun Silk Epil 9 is pretty damn close to being that product.
This is the latest in Braun‘s long line of epilators, and it feels like they’ve combined everything they learned from previous models to make a powerful and well-rounded machine that won’t let you down.
Before we dive into the details, let’s have a quick overview of the pros and cons.
+ 40 Tweezers
+ Can be used wet & dry
+ Comfortable shape makes it easy to use
+ Wide head for efficiency
+ 7 different accessories
+ 2 speed setting
– Expensive
– Average battery life
Check price and reviews on Amazon for the Braun Silk Epil 9
So what makes it so great – Detail Aspects of Braun Silk Epil 9
In this section we’ll go into detail about all the notable aspects of the Braun Silk Epil 9 such as its design, the accessories that come with it, and general usage notes.
Design of Silk Epil 9
Wet & Dry
The Silk Epil 9 is a Wet & Dry epilator. This means you can use it in the shower or bath safely.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these methods but to break it down simply: an epilator is usually more effective in dry conditions because the hairs are easier to pick up, but its also more painful this way (see our 9 Tips to Reduce Epilator Pain for a bit of relief!). A lot of women prefer to epilate in the shower for convenience’s sake, so its nice to have this option available.
Unfortunately this also comes with the downside that it cannot be used when plugged in or charging. I’m not sure if this is simply a design drawback of the Wet & Dry capabilities or if Braun implemented it as a safety measure. Either way, if you run out of battery you’ll have to charge it up before using it.
40% Wider Head
Something that makes the Silk Epil 9 stand out from its predecessors is the 40% wider head.
In practice what this means is that the 9 offers much more efficient epilating. The head can cover a larger surface area and so for hair removal in places like your legs you really can get the job done quickly.
I found that in the 30 minutes it took to epilate my legs for the most part I only had to do one pass, and only needed a second pass if I wanted to be super thorough and pick up the much thinner hairs that were missed the first time.
Comfortable Shape
What really stood out to me about this epilator was that it’s so comfortable to use. Not only is it light and easy to move around but the shape of it felt natural in my hand even when I was using it at odd angles.
It has a pivoting head too, which means that it can adjust to whatever angle I am using it at. Epilating is truly much more effective when the epilator is at a right angle to the skin. It allows the tweezers to pick up the most amount of hairs and to pull them more cleanly. The pivoting head means that this can be the case even when the epilator isn’t at a right angle.
Microgrip Tweezer Technology
Sounds like some kind of flashy marketing term right?
What it translates to is the new way that the tweezers are designed and implemented into the device. They’re longer, deeper and are in a different layout to the older designs of the Silk Epil 7 for instance.
With this new design the epilator can pluck hairs as tiny as 0.5mm! If you currently wax, you’ll know that you have to wait a while before you can wax again as the hairs have to be of a certain length. With this you can pick up hairs around 4x shorter than you would with a professional wax.
Smart Light & Pulsating Massager
The smart light and the pulsating massager are bonus comforts that make this epilator a more complete device.
Sometimes those tiny light hairs are difficult to find right? The smart light was added so that you can shine directly onto the skin you’re epilating with the goal of making it easier to make sure you’re getting every single little hair.
The pulsating massager has actually been a pretty welcome addition since it appeared on the Silk Epil 3. It is intended to gently massage the skin as you move the device to reduce some of the pain. It doesn’t make a huge difference but it is noticeable.
Braun Silk Epil 9 Accessories – What’s in the box?
- Shaver Head – turns the epilator into a shaver
- Trimmer Cap – goes with the shaver head if you want a ‘not so close’ trim
- Power Cap – this one makes sure you get maximum skin contact for faster epilation
- Facial Cap – definitely handy for then you want to epilate smaller areas with a bit of precision
- Facial Brush – a really nice addition that works for makeup removal and exfoliation
- Charging Stand
- Cleaning Brush
Silk Epil 9 Battery
Battery is probably the only real disappointment with the Silk Epil 9.
It doesn’t work plugged in and so you have to have it readily charged whenever you want to use it, which requires a little planning.
I would recommend you charge it fully before using it because nobody wants to be in the situation where they are halfway through epilating and suddenly the epilator dies.
It takes about 1 hour to charge fully and from that you’ll get approximately 40 minutes of continual use. The green light will be flashing while it charges and you’ll know it is full when the flashing stops.
You should expect the battery to start getting weaker over time too. At around the 8 month mark it it unlikely to last the full 40 minutes anymore so please be aware of this.
Epilator Usage & Common Questions
The general feel of this epilator is really good. It works well and the wide head is a very strong attribute.
It is light to hold and easy to use in a variety of different angles. The 2 speed setting is great too, especially if you’re a beginner and want to start slow!
Some common questions we hear about this epilator:
Can men use it?
Absolutely! Don’t be fooled by the purple and white design. This is a powerful epilator and will have no troubles with a man’s hair. If you want to learn more about epilators for men check out our article here.
Where can it be used?
Everywhere. Having the variety of different caps means that this epilator is customisable and can be used on the body, face, bikini line etc.
Is it less painful than other epilators?
Epilating is painful. I’m sorry to say it but its the truth. There are ways to help reduce the pain, including the massager that comes with the Silk Epil 9 and in desperate situations: wine!
Check price and reviews for the Braun Silk Epil 9
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Jorge says
Great review! I’ve had this epilator for about a year now and I’ve been really happy with the results. It’s so much faster than my old epilator and I love the fact that it’s waterproof!
Louise Vermaak says
Can the battery be replaced after 8 months/ a year?
asmoothlife says
While I have seen some tutorials online that claim to show you how to replace the battery, they really are not meant to be replaced. They are rechargeable and should last for the life of the device. Mine is over a year old and shows no sign of slowing down!