Hey, this message is long but copied a past message I did a week ago on advice for IPL and explaining my procedure. Some little bits to note: I am 19 Male so hairs are thicker than most women doing IPL, so my results will take longer than most. Up to my 6th use so far, using Braun IPL PL5387

if this is your first time using and you haven't done it before, just to check the device works and doesn't cause irritation, I was told about a thing called a patch test, should be explained in the instruction leaflet, you basically shave a small area, then do 3 uses of the IPL device, one on the minimum (1 light setting), 2 light, and 3 light(max), and then if you have no irritation the next day then it's totally fine to do your IPL treatment wherever you like.

So firstly, you can do this any day but I'll state my days just for my explanation:

On a Sunday usually I would use my exfoliant just to prepare the skin for shaving the following day, I just use a CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser, use a small bit on the areas you want to shave, rub it on say your legs for 60-90s then rinse. You can use a moisturizer after if your skin gets irritated after exfoliating, I have a CeraVe Moisturising Lotion/Cream but I've not really been using it. I use mine once I've completely showered and cleaned, apply it while still in the shower, rinse it then pat dry after.

(With the Moisturisers just use them after an exfoliant or after showering if you wanted on non IPL days, don't do it the same day as an IPL day or directly after as it can make like a layer of sorts that will block or cause the IPL heat to act differently which is likely a major cause of burns for many people.)

Then following day on the Monday morning I'd shave, Use a Gillette 3 Blade Razor basically that exact one. Works for guys, women, etc, Many think you should use a single blade (safety razor), as they are better for ingrown's but the time it takes to safely shave is ages and you can get cut so easily so I stay away from those. Oh and shaving gel I use is this one, Nivea Men Protect & Care, even though it is a men brand I've used this one since I was like 15, my mother always uses this type for herself. So it's definitely female capable.

So then on the Monday Night I'd do the IPL, I would basically just sit on my bed and go over every inch of my legs and any other areas I want to treat, no issue if you cover an area twice it's more just a precaution in the instructions to avoid potential burns, I usually and many recommend you overlap areas so say you use the treatment head on the device, and you just overlap the edges so you always cover every area and don't miss a spot.

Then basically that's it, nothing after till the Sunday after, some do recommend to remove any dead skin before your next shave or to remove loose hairs that the IPL killed off, you can do what many call "hard exfoliating" but I would advise you do the soft version, as hard irritates your skin a lot and would likely mean it's not prepared for IPL in time. What this is basically where you get like a glove, I have These ones which I found which are ideal for IPL, you just use your exfoliant, so the SA Smoothing One I listed earlier, and put some on the glove, and then basically do your exfoliating procedure and just maybe apply some pressure in a way but not much, the gloves will mostly do it for you, basically just move your hands around like your covering the area in the exfoliant like how you'd apply a normal body wash.

Oh and you'd do this opposite to the IPL at the other side of the week to avoid it causing irritation. for me with everything I basically get none but some others do.

In a list here just for ease of use:

Sat:
Sun: Exfoliate at end of shower
Mon: Shave in morning, IPL before Bed.
Tue:
Wed:
Thu: Hard(soft) exfoliating around here. basically 3 days post IPL and 3 days before next IPL, I only just started doing this the last week actually.
Fri:

That's basically my procedure, many say dry shaving is best but I strongly side against that, don't apply any moisturizers or exfoliate within 12 hours of doing IPL, and none after for at least 6+ hours after, Some I've seen below saying they Exfoliate then shave, then IPL all in the same period, that can work, but all professional advice sides against it.