On May 3, I shared that Bed Bath and Beyond was running a Silkn Long Life Lamp Sale, and that combined with their common 20% off an item discount, you could get it at almost 40% off – a steal!
The Bad News
I ordered one, having had the following conversation with them back when I originally ordered the device at the beginning of the year:
@SilknSolution Can you clarify the difference between the Flash&Go and the Flash&Go Freedom? I’m not sure which to buy, but I am interested.
— Beauty Skeptic (@BeautySkeptic) January 15, 2015
@BeautySkeptic They are the same product. The only difference is that the Freedom is sold exclusively at Sephora and Nordstrom! :)
— Silk’n (@SilknSolution) January 15, 2015
@SilknSolution Perfect, thank you for your response! So the long-life upgrade cartridges are compatible with the Freedom, correct? — Beauty Skeptic (@BeautySkeptic) January 15, 2015
@BeautySkeptic Correct! — Silk’n (@SilknSolution) January 15, 2015
At the time, Flash n Go Freedom-specific long-life cartridges were not available Sephora or Nordstrom’s sites, so I didn’t know they were selling a unique one.
So I received it in the mail several days later. Removing it from its packaging (I should have taken pictures, but I’m an idiot), I could already tell its shape differed from that of my current lamp and cartridge. The connector was still in the right place, and it did actually click into place – but the plastic housing was not flush with that of the handle, so it looked weird. Okay, whatever – that doesn’t really matter to me as long as it works.
I plugged in the A/C adapter and powered it on. Orange lights all around. Flash, flash, flash, “What the hell is this? No, I’m not turning on so you can enjoy a lifetime of hair reduction,” orange lights, they blinked, they turned off. I reseated the cartridge, power cycled, what have you. No dice.
There was little info online, so I reached back out to Silk’n to see if it wasn’t compatible or if it was a dud. Unlike our first correspondence, I didn’t get a response immediately. I decided, on my own, that I would be returning it to my local BB&B. It wasn’t until I complained, on Twitter, that I was going to have to fight through traffic to fuss with this return, feeling disappointed by the incorrect advice I had received, that I received a response:
@BeautySkeptic We are sorry you felt mislead! That is never our intention. We hope you get everything worked out at BB&B. So sorry!
— Silk’n (@SilknSolution) May 12, 2015
It was nice to hear back from them, but it was still disappointing not to have gotten a clear answer about the Silkn Long Life Lamp the first time. I understand that no one was trying to cause inconvenience, but it is so important that PR and social media managers can thoroughly speak to products if they will be answering questions about them via those channels. Hopefully this was a learning experience.
Thankfully, I was able to return it without issue despite it being opened (no flashes were ever used, so I don’t think there would be an ethics issue when it comes to re-selling), and double-thankfully, I can use my 10% VIB Welcome Coupon at Sephora to knock a little off the price of the proper lamp (though nowhere near as much).
SO – this was not a bash session, just a heads-up that my previous advice to buy this is not correct IF you are using a Flash n Go Freedom model. It is compatible with other Flash n Go models (the original one(s)), but I’d suggest doing research first if you have little time on your hands to fuss with returns.
The GOOD News
The Silk’n Flash n Go Freedom is working – slower than I anticipated, but I’m not in a rush and am happy to wait for full results. I’m still happy and still recommend it!