From Cooling to Electric Tweezing to Near-Infrared: How 3 At-Home Hair Removal Devices Are Solving the Pain Problem

The competition among at-home hair removal devices these days is no longer just about power output—it's about how to deliver high power without the pain. These three latest models each offer a different solution: cooling, improved plucking mechanics, and segmented flashes to reduce irritation. A beauty writer at Vogue Japan actually tried them out, and her hands-on impressions are worth more than any spec sheet.

YA-MAN Ray Bootes Cool Power: Cooling the Contact Surface Down to 5°C

YA-MAN has been developing professional-use hair removal devices for over 45 years. Its latest release, the "Ray Bootes Cool Power" (レイボーテ クールパワー, priced at ¥121,000), features two xenon lamp tubes commonly seen in salon-grade equipment, using IPL technology—officially billed as the most powerful model in the lineup. The higher the power, the more noticeable the burning sensation tends to be during the flash, so this device cools the contact surface down to as low as 5°C to reduce the sting of high-intensity flashes.

The beauty writer described how, in areas with coarser hair, past experiences with light-based flashes came with a dull, sinking ache that seemed to penetrate deep into the skin—but with this device, that sensation was noticeably gentler. That said, another tester with coarse body hair reported, "It's not sharp pain, but there's a prickling sensation," suggesting that pain perception still varies from person to person. This model also comes with a new pinpoint attachment head (about 0.64 cm²) that fits snugly into detailed areas like between the brows and around the nose. The device also incorporates YA-MAN's "Bi-Hada Beauty Light" technology, drawn from years of beauty device R&D, with a wavelength designed to target both skin firmness and hydration. Paired with a continuous glide mode that lets you flash while sliding along the body's curves, larger areas like the legs and arms can be treated more quickly, making full-body treatment—including the VIO area—possible at home.

Panasonic's Electric Eyebrow Tweezer: Plucking Without the Pulling

Panasonic's "Eyebrow Smooth Pick ES-EF10" (アイブロウ スムース ピック, open price ¥6,930) takes an entirely different approach—rather than using light, it reworks the plucking motion itself. The device applies pressure to both sides of the skin around the hair root simultaneously, reducing the strain of pulling on the skin and allowing hairs to be removed at the root more smoothly. It also enables continuous, fast treatment—simply glide it along the brow line to shape your eyebrows as desired. An added LED light on the head illuminates fine, fuzzy hairs, helping to catch strands that might otherwise be missed.

This device isn't limited to eyebrows—it also works on fine facial hair around the upper lip, chin, and cheeks. Compact enough to fit in a makeup bag, it's handy for quickly touching up any spots you may have missed. The tester noted that using regular tweezers on eyebrows in the past often left pores red or even led to breakouts, but with this device, that kind of irritation was noticeably reduced, making it feel much gentler to use.

STELLA BEAUTE IPL&NIR Beauty Device PRO: Breaking Pain Down Into Three Stages

STELLA BEAUTE's "IPL&NIR Beauty Device PRO" (priced at ¥78,000) is an upgraded version of the brand's existing IPL&LED beauty device, now with an added near-infrared (NIR) function. While excessive near-infrared exposure can potentially accelerate skin aging, it's also a technology widely used in medical aesthetic devices, with specific wavelengths known to act on the dermis layer and stimulate collagen production. This device combines NIR firming care, green LED light for enhanced radiance, and an IPL hair removal function that splits each flash into three stages to reduce pain—all in one unit.

The key to reducing pain lies in a feature the brand calls "Double Ice Protection" (Wアイスプロテクション). During testing, the pain reduction was clearly noticeable, and online reviews frequently mention positive feedback about minimal pain and heat. The writer notes that while combined hair removal and skincare devices are common, the skincare function is often just an afterthought—but this device delivers skincare results good enough that you wouldn't feel shortchanged even buying it purely as a beauty device on its own. After about two weeks of continuous use, she noticed tangible changes in her skin. The design features smooth, flowing curves that look like a home decor piece even sitting on a countertop, and it comes with an automatic UV sterilization charging dock. The grip feels similar to a showerhead, and it's suitable for use on the face, underarms, arms, legs, back, and VIO area—including the back, which is normally hard to reach on your own.

Each of the three devices tackles pain in its own way: YA-MAN relies on physical cooling hardware, Panasonic redesigns the mechanics of plucking, and STELLA BEAUTE uses segmented flashes combined with ice protection. Priced at ¥121,000, ¥6,930 (open price), and ¥78,000 respectively, availability and purchase channels should be confirmed through each brand's official information.