IPL skin tone and hair colour: what each maker says
Last checked 2026-09-24.
Per each maker's own manual or product page, all three makers' IPL devices are for dark hair, and none is stated to suit every skin tone: FOREO and Braun each say up to skin tone 5, each on its own chart, and Ulike says the Air 10 is not suitable for very dark skin. Each maker uses its own scale, so the words are quoted as written rather than converted into one chart; converting them would be our guess, not theirs.
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| Device | Skin tone (maker's words) | Hair colour (maker's words) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulike Air 10 | “not suitable for very dark skin”; its SkinSensor “stops flashing in areas that are too dark” | “least effective on blonde, gray, and red hair”; its compatibility checker answers “Not compatible” for red, light blonde and gray/white hair: “IPL is not suitable for lighter hair colors” | Ulike's product page for the Air 10 |
| Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (IPL5137) | “intended for use on light, medium and dark skin tones up to and including skin tone 5” on Braun's own chart, which Braun says does not relate to the Fitzpatrick scale; “DO NOT use the device if you have very dark skin” | “intended for use on naturally black or brown hair”; “not recommended for use on red, grey, white or blonde hair” | Braun's US manual for Type 6031 (21311839/V-25) |
| FOREO PEACH 2 + Cooling Prep Gel | “suitable for use on light, medium and dark skin tones, up to and including skin tone 5” | “suitable for use on naturally black or brown hair”; “not recommended for use on red, grey, white or blonde hair” | FOREO's PEACH 2 manual |
| FOREO PEACH 2 go | “suitable for use on light, medium and dark skin tones, up to and including skin tone 5” | “suitable for use on naturally black or brown hair”; “not recommended for use on red, grey, white or blonde hair” | FOREO's PEACH 2 go manual |
The FDA summary for the Ulike Air 10's clearance (K241998) lists Fitzpatrick skin types I–V. Braun says its skin-tone chart does not relate to the Fitzpatrick scale.
Kinds of claim on this page: the 510(k) rows are product evidence from the FDA database; skin-tone and hair-colour suitability, flash counts and warranty terms are manufacturer claims, quoted from each maker's manual or product page; prices and sellers are from the Amazon US listings. All read 2026-09-24. Anything no source states is marked unknown.
By hair colour
| Hair colour | Device | What the maker says | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black or brown | Ulike Air 10 | no restriction stated | Amazon → |
| Black or brown | Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (IPL5137) | Braun manual: intended for naturally black or brown hair | Amazon → |
| Black or brown | FOREO PEACH 2 + Cooling Prep Gel | FOREO manual: suitable | Amazon → |
| Black or brown | FOREO PEACH 2 go | FOREO manual: suitable | Amazon → |
| Dark blonde | Ulike Air 10 | Ulike: compatible in its checker, but “least effective on blonde” | Amazon → |
| Dark blonde | Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (IPL5137) | Braun manual: not recommended on blonde | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Dark blonde | FOREO PEACH 2 + Cooling Prep Gel | FOREO manual: not recommended on blonde | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Dark blonde | FOREO PEACH 2 go | FOREO manual: not recommended on blonde | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Light blonde, red, grey or white | Ulike Air 10 | Ulike: “Not compatible”, “IPL is not suitable for lighter hair colors” (its checker's answer for red, light blonde and gray/white) | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Light blonde, red, grey or white | Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (IPL5137) | Braun manual: not recommended | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Light blonde, red, grey or white | FOREO PEACH 2 + Cooling Prep Gel | FOREO manual: not recommended | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
| Light blonde, red, grey or white | FOREO PEACH 2 go | FOREO manual: not recommended | not recommended for this hair colour: no link |
Without JavaScript every row shows; with it, only your choice. A device a maker does not recommend for a hair colour carries no buy link on that row. This is the makers' guidance, summarised; it is not personal medical advice, and a skin photo or chart here would not make it so. Read the full instructions, including contraindications, before use.
Head to head: Ulike Air 10 vs Braun Silk·expert Pro 5.