I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Remington. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and as a thank you for participating.

We are nearly a week into some steady hot, humid, sticky summer weather and I already know how the next few muggy months are going to go when it comes to making sure my legs are always shorts- and swimsuit-ready.

Let me bring you into my world; specifically, into my bathroom. Just the other night I was taking a bath when my fiance came in to talk to me. We’re shameless like that.

Me: Heavy sigh
Him: What’s wrong?
Me: Do I really need to shave my legs?
Him: Nah… well, wait. The pool will be open and ready for swimming tomorrow, so maybe?
Me: Dammit!

That pretty much sums up the spirit of summer for me. Begrudgingly shaving my legs if I dare to put on a pair of shorts or a bathing suit and venture out of the comfort of my non-judgy home.

The first time I shaved my legs, I was 10 years old. While even I would consider 10 to be a little too young for a girl to begin her journey into shaving (especially because it never ends), I was a particularly hairy child and by then, I was really starting to take some major issue with it. Needless to say, shaving has been a constant part of my life since I was a tween, and boy am I sick of it!

This summer will undoubtedly include me questioning how long I can get away with not shaving my legs before anyone would really notice (sadly no more than a day or so) and sitting on the edge of the bathtub with razor in-hand because I didn’t plan on having to make my legs look presentable, but people are coming over and we’re all likely to jump in the pool. After the next six weeks, however, I’m hoping that I won’t be shaving nearly as much.

Just in time for shorts, dresses, skirts, and swimsuits, I was asked to try out the Remington i-LIGHT Pro, an Intense Pulsed Light hair removal system that promises professional hair removal results at home.

The Remington i-LIGHT Pro has been cleared by the FDA and is clinically proven to help remove and reduce the growth of unwanted hair on arms, legs, bikini area, underarms, stomach, and chest. Using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), it works below the skin’s surface to disable active hairs and prevent new hair from growing.

To get started, it is recommended that you prep the area you will be treating by shaving  to allow the most direct path to the hair follicle. Second, touch the area you will be treating to the skin tone sensor located at the top of the machine to make sure your skin tone is compatible with the i-LIGHT Pro, as it is not suitable for everyone and cannot be used on dark skin. It is also worth noting that this method of hair removal also cannot be used on grey or white hair, and is less effective on lighter hair like blonde and red. If your skin is compatible with the system, you can begin treating.

I did my first i-LIGHT Pro treatment a couple of days ago and honestly, I was a little intimidated knowing the power that must be housed in this machine in order to produce such big results. I read the instructional manual twice just to make sure I understood everything, but if I did have any additional questions, a handy instructional DVD is also included for the more visual learners out there. I think it’s a testament to how easy the i-LIGHT Pro is to use that I didn’t need to watch the DVD in order to be completely certain I was doing what I was supposed to.

I have read a few reviews over the last year or so from bloggers I know and trust about IPL hair removal devices and every single one of them mentioned the rubber band snapping sensation that occurs when you treat an area. Because of this, not only was I a little nervous when I first started up the i-LIGHT Pro, but I was also scared. Yes, I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to voluntarily inflicting pain upon myself.

The very first time I used the i-LIGHT Pro, pressing the flash button at the top of the handheld device when the machine chirped alerting me that it was properly placed on my skin and ready for treatment, I flinched when the light was emitted from the device and I felt the faint rubber band snapping sensation. And that is exactly what it felt like. It took a little getting used to, but once I did I hardly felt the small pinches as I treated both of my legs below the thigh. Because this was my first time using the i-LIGHT Pro, I didn’t want to treat too wide of an area at one time just to be sure that my notoriously sensitive and fickle skin wouldn’t have a bad reaction. Luckily, the only thing I experienced after treatment was a faint, intermittent itchiness that subsided after about 15 minutes.

While the machine has five levels of intensity, and we’ve already confirmed that I’m a big baby, I only experienced its lowest level throughout my first session, so I can’t comment on how the higher levels of intensity feel.

With my first i-LIGHT Pro session behind me, I haven’t noticed any changes in my skin or hair growth, but I shouldn’t expect to. According to Remington, the real results will begin to show after the third treatment — six weeks after my first treatment — when my unwanted leg hair should be gone and stay gone for up to six months!

Can you imagine six months of not having to shave in order to enjoy smooth, sexy legs? Neither can I, so I can’t really convey in words how excited I am to see my results in the coming weeks and I’m hopeful that it actually works to remove my stubborn unwanted hair. Either way, you will hear all about my experience with the Remington i-LIGHT Pro this summer!

The Remington i-LIGHT Pro retails for $249.99 and is available at Amazon and iLIGHTPro.com.

What is your preferred method of hair removal? Have you ever used an IPL hair removal device before?