Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** This review examines the Ulike Air 10 Pro, an IPL device that combines a wide light window, cooling technology, and a skin sensor for enhanced comfort and safety. While it performs well in practical tests, it is not suitable for very light, gray, or red hair, nor very dark skin. Priced at around 500 euros, it offers premium features but comes at a significant cost.
Like any IPL device, unsuitable for very light, gray, or red hair, as well as very dark skin.
connect practical test: very good. The Air 10 Pro is currently one of the most comfortable IPL devices for home use. The ice cooling works very well in daily use, the skin sensor provides safety, and the ergonomics are right. However, the price of around 500 euros is a statement.
For those who regularly use razors or wax strips, the promise of IPL technology sounds tempting: permanently less hair growth, salon-like results, all conveniently in your home bathroom. IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. This is a light technology that, unlike lasers, does not emit focused light of a single wavelength, but rather short, intense flashes with a broad light spectrum (similar to a camera flash). The light is absorbed by the melanin in the hair, converted into heat, and thus damages the hair follicle. The result: the hair is weakened and grows back slower and finer in the long term. In cosmetics/dermatology, IPL is also used for pigmentation spots or skin redness; however, with home devices like the Ulike Air 10 Pro, the focus is on hair removal.
CE-certified medical device Class IIa (MDR)
The core of the Pro version is a split light system, where two flash sources stacked on top of each other in the device head work together, instead of using only a single light source as in simpler IPL devices. Practically, this means: per trigger, a larger, more evenly illuminated area is covered, resulting in fewer overlaps and gaps when moving over the skin compared to narrower light windows. In combination with the higher energy density in USHR mode, the manufacturer claims this increases effectiveness on denser hair and reduces the number of individual flashes needed for a body area.
An important factor remains regardless of the model generation: IPL physically only works reliably on darker hair and lighter to medium skin, because the light targets the melanin in the hair follicle. If this pigment is missing—for example, with very light, gray, or red hair—the light energy finds no target and dissipates uselessly. With very dark skin, the contrast between hair and surroundings decreases, causing the built-in skin sensor to significantly reduce the energy or refuse to trigger altogether. This physical limitation applies to the Air 10 Pro just as it does to any other IPL device on the market, and the larger light window does not change that.
What sets Ulike apart from cheaper devices: The Air 10 Pro is certified as a Class IIa medical device under the European MDR (Medical Device Regulation). This classification applies to devices with a medium risk potential and requires, among other things, testing by an independent body before the device can be sold in the EU. The safety mechanisms mentioned by the manufacturer, such as the skin sensor and contact trigger, have therefore not only been tested internally but had to be externally verified for approval—a difference from some no-name IPL devices without comparable certification.
The second major plus point in daily use is the cooling. In the test, we consciously paid attention to possible heating of the contact area during a longer session, as known from some older IPL devices—with the Air 10 Pro, the contact surface remained consistently pleasantly cool even after many flashes on the legs. Especially on sensitive areas like the bikini line or armpits, this makes a noticeable difference. Instead of the typical short sting known from other devices, the Air 10 Pro leaves mainly a mild feeling of warmth that is easy to tolerate.
Ulike advertises visible results after about two weeks with consistent use. Success does not occur quite so quickly for everyone, but after three to four weeks of regular use, hair should grow back slower and finer—complete hairlessness is still more the exception than the rule. And as with any IPL device, success depends heavily on the contrast between hair and skin color, as well as the consistency of use. It is recommended to use three sessions per week in the first month, after which a touch-up every two to four weeks is sufficient.
The Ulike Air 10 Pro makes a thoroughly well-thought-out impression in the test: the combination of a wide light window, constant cooling, and grippy workmanship ensures that full-body applications can actually be completed in a manageable time without becoming uncomfortably hot. Details like the long power cord and the included protective goggles show that daily use was considered. The premium over entry-level devices is mainly justified by the noticeably shorter treatment time and higher application comfort. Those who have already gained experience with older IPL devices and are tired of longer sessions or declining cooling get a noticeable upgrade with the Air 10 Pro. Those investing in IPL for the first time should first realistically assess their own hair-skin combination—the best technology is of little use if the physical prerequisites are not right.