I hate shaving my arms. And my legs. And my bikini line. I remember when I was around 11 or 12, there was a summer day when I was sitting outside with my little sister who pointed out my newly hairy legs and I was immediately annoyed when I realized I actually had to shave them for the rest of my life.
Well, I know now that don’t have to, but I prefer to. Societal norms got me here, ya’ll. A few years ago I did a lot of testing of the best razors on the market (I’m a Billie razor gal, in case you’re wondering) but I still find myself Google laser hair removal treatments on Groupon every couple of months.
So, when I saw the new Nood hair removal device all over TikTok, I hate to try it. Especially since other hair removal solutions are way pricier than the $200 for the device. In my honest Nood review I tried the device for 90 days to see if it’s actually worth it, and if it actually works against hair growth.
PS this isn’t a sponsored post. I paid for the Flasher with my own money (I did get it on sale, though) and have no affiliation with Nood. They have no idea I am writing this article.
About The Nood Flasher
According to their website, Nood is on a mission to create a better hair removal experience with the power of light.
The FDA-cleared Nood device is a small handheld ipl hair removal device that, over the course of many treatments, can work to remove unwanted hair. It’s aimed to be a replacement for a permanent hair removal treatment, which can easily cost a few thousands of dollars.
The device is a little larger than I expected, but easily enough to hold in your hand. It comes with 7 laser level settings to target areas to remove body hair at home from pain free to mildly stinging, depending on the level.
It’s recommended to flash each patch of skin 3 times before moving on, so it can be tedious since the laser area is quite small. It’s also helpful to do two passes on the area for better results, so if you are trying to never shave your legs again, this is a long, LONG process.
But it’s easy to do at home, and the cost per use is mere pennies compared to treatments at LaserAway. Plus, you can do this on. your own timeline.
In a trial, 92% of participants saw long-term hair reduction with the Nood Hair Removal Device which uses PrecisionPulse™ IPL technology. We saw a reduction of body hair after 3 months of use, making it a handy tool to have in your beauty routine.
- affordable
- can do at home
- works over time (3+ months)
- painful at high settings
- can result in scars if used incorrectly
Who Founded Nood?
Nood was founded by Sam Garst, a white man who quotes the Roman’s razor invention 2000 years ago as a source of inspiration for inventing the product. While their TikTok ads do frequently target men and boast smooth chests with the ipl laser, the Nood website is pretty centric around female-presenting bodies.
Do I love that a man created a product and brand aimed mostly at encouraging women to be hair free, which basically personifies the male stigmatization of female body hair? No, but here we are. I know it’s upholding the patriarchy but I do prefer to shave my body hair. And i’m just too cheap/lazy to get a professional laser treatment. (Though, I must admit I absolutely got the ick when I realized who started this company).
So, thank you Sam? Being able to do this at home is nice, but please don’t try to invent a pair of pink gloves for our tampons next.
How To Use The Nood Hair Removal Device
Nood boasts “Permanent Hair Removal in 8 Weeks” but does it really work? Despite the Flasher being FDA approved for at home hair removal, you have to use the ipl hair removal device properly for it to actually work.
First you have to do a skin test which takes about 48 hours. I used a patch skin on my leg since I figured it was easy to hide/heal if it went wrong.
You flash to the device 3 times (or set it on auto so it does the counts for you) and then do it again in 24 hours to see if you have a rash or not. This is also a good time to familiarize yourself with the device and how high of pain tolerance you have.
Nood doesn’t exactly say this in their materials, but I learned from TikTok and Nood Customer Service chats that the higher levels are the ones that actually get the work done, so try to aim for using level 5-7.
Then, assuming no rash happens, it’s time to start the treatment!
It Takes Months To See Results
I use my Nood device after showering since it’s recommended to only use it on clean skin that has been shaved with a razor so the laser can target the hair follicles. For this review, I used it on my armpits. I shower about 3 times a week and after during off will plug in my Nood device and run it over my armpits at level 5-6, depending on my pain tolerance.
I find that it’s easier to use a 6-7 level at the start but by the second pass my skin is sensitive and I need to bump it down to 5 so it doesn’t hurt as much. For some reason there’s a patch in my right armpit that is very sensitive and I have to use level 4 for that area, so a lot of this is getting to know your body and limits.
Doing the actual process takes some times since you have to flash 3 times per section and the area the laser covers is very, very small. And it’s recommended to do two total passes.
It takes me about 15-20 minutes for this process and then I always follow it up with Nood’s The Reviver serum, which has aloe to soothe the skin after the harsh treatment.
Then, repeat a few days later. And over and over again for a few months until you start wearing down the hair follicles. Many customer reviews on their site report that the legs are much quicker to see results on, while arm pits take more time.
The Aloe + Azulene soothe and reduce irritation from sunburn, chemical peels and IPL treatments. Use this after each laser hair removal treatment from the Nood device (also handy over areas treated my razors for razor burn!)
- soothing
- helps prevent bumps & rashes
- sticky
- pricey
- pretty sure plain Aloe would do the same thing
You Need Protective Eyewear
I think one of my biggest gripes with Nood is the flasher is you do need protective eyewear, but they don’t include that in the package or offer that at all on the site.
The laser flash is BRIGHT, and even when I close my eyes or look away when I press the button, I can still see the red light and I know that can’t be good for my eyes. I did just watch the total solar eclipse and read way too many horror stories around burning out retinas.
When you use the device NEVER look at it when pressing the button and try to look away or close your eyes.
Nood Reviews – Does It Really Work?
Yes and no. This isn’t a laser hair removal scam, but it takes time and patience to see results.
I used it for 3 months and it wasn’t until around 60 days that I started to notice a decrease in hair growth And now, my under arm hair isn’t totally gone but it’s a whole lot thinner and doesn’t grow back nearly as quickly. I especially like this for when I’m traveling, as I hate to pack a razor with me.
Do I still have to shave my underarms? Totally.
I honestly do not think I would use this on my legs, as the device heats up really quickly when using and I think my legs would just be too much skin area to cover comfortably. But I plan on using it on my bikini line next to hopefully decrease the hair growth there. I’m sick of razor burns!!
Oh, and it hurts. They are lying when they say it is pain-free. The higher levels (5,6,7) which are crucial for actually penetrating the skin to remove hair follicles, do sting. It feels like a sharp bee sting and the pain does go away quickly, but keep that in mind.
Frequently Askes Questions About Nood
In a trial, 92% of participants saw long-term hair reduction with the Nood Hair Removal Device which uses PrecisionPulse™ IPL technology. We saw a reduction of body hair after 3 months of use, making it a handy tool to have in your beauty routine.
- affordable
- can do at home
- works over time (3+ months)
- painful at high settings
- can result in scars if used incorrectly
Does It Cause Permanent Results?
No. But professional hair removal doesn’t either. These treatments are destroying hair follicles but your body grows new ones. Nood claims proper treatment cycles will lead to about an 80% permanent hair removal rate.
Just like with LaserAway, after the initial treatment cycle you will have to use Nood periodically for maintenance but not weekly and only a little to keep things smooth.
How Is the Customer Service?
Some folks on TikTok have terrible customer reviews. When I interacted with them, they replied back to my email within 24 hours and answered my question, but some folks had different experiences.
One girl reported she just wasn’t seeing results at all and tried to return the device under their warranty program. But, the customer service agent told her to keep using the device, but use it more and at a higher level instead of accepting the return. The TikTok user felt like this was a tactic to bump her out of the return window instead of actually processing a return.
So, keep that in mind if you feel like you need to return your device. Don’t let them talk you into keeping it!
What Is The Nood Return Policy?
There is a 90 day return window, unless you buy the Nood ipl laser hair device on Amazon then you have to abide by their window.
Does Nood Leave Scars?
I saw some content on TikTok with folks who had terrible scaring from the device which almost made me want to chuck the whole device out my window, but I stuck with it. Just very, very carefully.
I think the problem with Nood is that, despite being FDA approved and a small wee little device you can use in your bathroom, it’s still a laser. And lasers can damage your skin. Even small handheld wands emitting red light like the SolaWave can do harm to some people.
The key here is to always take it slow and not push yourself to limit the changes of scaring. And if you start to develop any sort of reaction to the laser, stop the whole thing right away. It’s not worth it. This is, at the end of the day, a skill that people get trained to do at places like LaserAway, but in the hands of regular consumers. We are bound to make errors sometimes.
Can I Use Nood For All My Body Hair?
Yes! You can use this for your upper lip, bikini line, armpits, legs and anywhere else you want to remove hair from. But, remember, this is not pain-free hair removal and you may not be ok with lasers on all areas of your body.
Do I Have To Shave Every Time I Use Nood?
Yes, you should always shave the area you wish to use your Nood device before and make sure it is clean. According to the Nood site, ” the Flasher light safely penetrate your skin and be absorbed by the melanin in your hair. This light is then converted into heat, which, over time, will permanently and safely destroy your hair follicles and prevent them from growing back.”
This means you need to first shave hairs back so the light can easily penetrate into your skin barrier.
What Is The Best At Home Laser Hair Remover For Black Skin
Unfortunately, there isn’t an at home laser for Black skin on the market (that I can find). It seems that ND:YAG lasers are the most effective for hair removal in darker skink, vs the IPL laser that Nood uses.
Is that racist? Totally. I understand that darker skin makes it harder for lasers with shorter wavelengths to work properly. But I also feel like they could figure it out, if they wanted to (not just Nood, any of the at-home laser companies). If you have darker skin, not only will Nood probably not work, but it may leave scaring.
Instead, you will need to seek professional treatment.
In a trial, 92% of participants saw long-term hair reduction with the Nood Hair Removal Device which uses PrecisionPulse™ IPL technology. We saw a reduction of body hair after 3 months of use, making it a handy tool to have in your beauty routine.
- affordable
- can do at home
- works over time (3+ months)
- painful at high settings
- can result in scars if used incorrectly
The Aloe + Azulene soothe and reduce irritation from sunburn, chemical peels and IPL treatments. Use this after each laser hair removal treatment from the Nood device (also handy over areas treated my razors for razor burn!)
- soothing
- helps prevent bumps & rashes
- sticky
- pricey
- pretty sure plain Aloe would do the same thing
I hope this has been a helpful report for you on the device! If you read this whole thing and still have questions, drop a comment below!
Do you have your own Nood hair removal reviews to add? Leave a comment below so we can all see it!
1 comment
What kind of protective eyewear did you use with nood?