In 2007, when Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone, he defined it as a device combining a touchscreen, an iPod, and an internet communicator. But what truly drove the iPhone’s birth was not some grand technological ambition — it was a “small problem” that almost everyone had complained about for years: the physical keyboard took up too much screen space. To solve this dead end, Apple developed multi-touch technology. The rest is history.
A similar narrative runs through modern consumer tech history: James Dyson founded his company simply to solve the problem of suction loss in vacuum cleaners, leading to cyclone separation technology. SpaceX rose to become a benchmark in commercial spaceflight, initially aiming to cut costs and make space travel accessible to more people.
The logic of business success is universal. These stories are not about the ambition to “create a great product” from the start, but about the unwillingness to accept small unsolved problems, using technology to fix them from the ground up. The home hair removal industry is witnessing the same story.
By 2025, China’s home-use hair removal device market has reached approximately 14.4 billion yuan. However, behind this billion-dollar market, tens of millions of consumers still have “hidden troubles.” What they want seems simple: an effective, comfortable device. But when these “small problems” combine, they form a complex technological challenge spanning optics, thermodynamics, and sensor algorithms — a density of technology comparable to consumer electronics.
In the past, the answer was almost monopolized by foreign brands. Now, a Chinese company — Ulike — stands alongside DeepSeek and Yushu Technology, breaking foreign tech hegemony, starting from those “small problems” and driving a complete technological upgrade of the hair removal industry.
From China to the world, Ulike actively sets standards for the industry, launching the "2026 Home-Use Hair Removal Industry Science and Standards White Paper" in collaboration with Xinhua Net. It redefines beauty with Chinese power, paves the way for followers, and builds a global beautiful sample as a value leader.
The "Hidden Troubles" of the Self-Care Economy: Consumers Refuse to Compromise
To understand an industry transformation, we must first see the true landscape of the market. Driven by the "self-care economy," hair removal has evolved from a niche aesthetic pursuit into a new essential body care infrastructure covering young women, white-collar millennials, and Gen Z — an undeniable habit of body care.
Yet, while tens of millions seek hair removal each year, their profiles are rapidly diversifying and becoming more complex.
In the new consumer era, users are no longer the early adopters from a decade ago who tolerated product flaws for the sake of novelty. As hair removal devices move step by step from professional clinics to dressing tables, the evaluation standard has changed — no longer "just usable," but "I want it all."
At the Ulike Global Technology Launch, industry experts shared real pain points of hair removal. Meanwhile, in front of CCTV cameras, several real consumers shared their hair removal journeys candidly.
Some said, "I often use a razor for emergencies, but it scratches the skin easily and leaves dark stubble that feels prickly." Others complained, "I’ve tried hair removal creams. Not only do they fail to remove hair completely, but they also cause allergic irritation and sting — and the smell is very harsh." Salon/clinic hair removal delivers relatively better results, but the economic and time costs are high, and sharing devices with multiple people raises hygiene concerns.
These authentic voices unveil the “hidden troubles” of the hair removal market. Mildness, no rapid regrowth, convenience, safety — each word alone seems basic, but combined they form a demanding standard system that has become an industry bottleneck.
Most products on the market might be adequate in one dimension, but consumers don't want to choose. They genuinely expect an “all-rounder” that perfectly balances efficacy and comfort — an ultimate solution that automatically matches all personalized needs.
And that should never have been a trade-off, but a frontal challenge to the limits of technology.
Using Technology as a Blade: Rewriting the Code of "Beauty"
Based on today's demanding users and market evolution, these fragmented "small problems" have turned into a "major project" — a mountain standing before product managers and engineers.
The answer starts from the most fundamental facts, rebuilding the knowledge framework and solving problems creatively and logically. That's the first principle of business. A great product lies not in flashy marketing, but in whether it thoroughly solves the user's fundamental needs.
What does a truly high-quality hair removal device look like? The answer has long come from users: two key points — effectiveness and comfort. Yet behind these simple words lies years of technical polishing and countless experiments, a dual test of precision hardware and core technology.
Behind every hair removal device lies the silent empowerment of cutting-edge technology. For a long time, home beauty devices have been habitually classified as "small home appliances," their tech content severely underestimated. However, when we disassemble a premium device, we find that although it doesn't fall into traditional "consumer electronics," it carries a technical density no less than that of consumer electronics. It serves the emotional pursuit of “beauty,” but hardcore technology is the underlying driving force.
"Ulike was founded to solve the hair removal troubles of global consumers. Through technological innovation, we aim to make humanity more beautiful and healthier." In 14 years, Leo Pan, CEO of Ulike’s parent company, stated the brand's attitude and commitment to technology: "We have always believed that whoever solves the user's pain points will win this market."
With technology as a blade, at the Ulike Global Technology Launch we found the answer to reshaping “beauty.” Through scientific experiments and patents, we saw the four core technologies that truly differentiate the brand, precisely responding to every real consumer pain point, delivering smoothness with technology.
For many users, coarse hair in areas like armpits and bikini lines is the toughest enemy, and traditional solutions often fail. For this, Ulike developed USHR (Ultra-Smooth Hair Removal) technology. Using multi-stage heating, it quickly targets melanin in hair follicles through heat accumulation, removing coarse hair more thoroughly without harming the skin.
A hundred users have a hundred skin types and hair characteristics. The skin condition and hair thickness of face, limbs, armpits, bikini line vary greatly. Using the same energy output either fails to remove due to insufficient energy or causes thermal damage due to excessive energy.
Based on hundreds of real human clinical measurements, Ulike precisely calculates the optimal energy range for four major hair removal areas and equips AI smart skin tone recognition. The moment the device touches the skin, the algorithm automatically identifies skin tone — light skin gets higher energy, dark skin gets lower energy.
Meanwhile, consumers’ expectations have gone beyond just "removing hair." Whether the device also provides skincare benefits, achieving a "smoother and more beautiful" effect, has become a new core consideration. Ulike's Photon Ice-Cold technology is not just a hair removal device, but also a photorejuvenation device — its wavelength covers 550 to 1200 nanometers, perfectly encompassing the effective band for photorejuvenation.
“Fear of pain” has been one of the hardest barriers between consumers and home hair removal devices, but now Ulike breaks it. With sapphire ice-cool technology, an ice film condenses on the light outlet upon startup. The continuous cooling drastically reduces thermal pain, allowing even sensitive skin users to feel completely at ease.
Responding to every real consumer pain point with scientific evidence, Ulike’s four core technologies form a complete, hard-to-copy tech matrix, letting skin truly feel the density of technology in a hair removal device.
Pushing Physical Limits: Another Victory of "Intelligent Manufacturing in China"
Technology should never be a cold pile of parameters; its ultimate value lies in benefiting everyone. Using the warmth of hardcore technology to give more people the freedom of “self-care” on their beauty journey is what Ulike has been doing for the past 14 years.
Leo Pan believes, “If you don't revolutionize your own product, your product will surely be revolutionized by competitors. Rather than waiting for others to disrupt us, we must first disrupt ourselves.”
From the first home hair removal device in 2016 to the revolutionary miniaturization and home-use adaptation of sapphire ice-cool painless technology in 2018, Ulike has measured the depth and breadth of home optical skincare step by step, bringing professional-grade precision optics to homes and leading technological innovation and category upgrades in optical hair removal and optical skincare.
Public data shows Ulike has been the national sales champion for 9 consecutive years and has become a sample of Chinese tech brands going global. Just as DJI dominates the global drone market, Ulike ranks first in South Korea and has achieved omni-channel coverage online and offline in Japan. Its products are sold in 49 countries and regions worldwide. Ulike’s parent company has brought beauty experiences to over 10 million users, making it the world’s best-selling hair removal device brand.
"We aim to make the world's best hair removal device, freeing every consumer from hair removal troubles and allowing them to become beautiful effortlessly. With this original intention, we have been focusing on hair removal for over a decade," said Leo Pan. "Being **** in sales is the market's recognition of Ulike and the fulfillment of our original aspiration."
Consistently creating blockbusters and leading the industry is never an accident of luck. Ulike’s practice once again proves the reliability of "simple business principles."
If sales are the “effect,” then R&D investment is the “cause.” Huawei and Apple continue to lead because of their continuous investment in technology. Ulike is the same — from day one, it has embedded the drive to push the boundaries of underlying technology into its DNA.
As of 2025, Ulike holds over 1,000 global patents, ranking first in the global hair removal device industry in patent count. Among them, 20% are overseas patents, and it has obtained more than 30 multi-country safety certifications worldwide.
Moreover, Ulike has built an R&D team of over 300 people, established two global R&D centers in Shenzhen (China) and Seoul (South Korea), and specially invited the father of modern phototherapy, Harvard Professor Michael R. Hamblin, as chief scientist, solidifying the theoretical foundation of R&D. It is through continuous exploration in “uncharted territory” that Ulike has turned each consumer pain point into exciting selling points, building unassailable competitiveness through strong products.
Of course, the ultimate value of technological accumulation lies in accurately responding to real human needs. Ulike has always adhered to the principle that “users are the first principle of the enterprise.” Leo Pan also emphasized, "Always maintaining a 'user perspective' — that's the first article of our corporate values and the starting point of all decisions." Standing from the consumer’s perspective, perceiving pain points, and using technology to solve them keeps Ulike on the right R&D path.
Worth mentioning is Ulike’s tenacity in pushing physical limits. Using technology to solve every “small problem” transforms thinking into product strength, making Ulike the largest optical technology platform in China. It stands alongside DeepSeek and Yushu Technology, and was named to TIME magazine’s "Best Inventions" list, becoming the first Chinese brand in the beauty and personal care sector to receive this honor. This not only validates the high-tech value of home hair removal devices but also vindicates Ulike’s break from overseas monopoly, proving itself with scientific evidence.
Furthermore, in the context of lacking industry standards, Ulike takes the initiative to launch the 2026 Home-Use Hair Removal Industry Science and Standards White Paper. Just as Huawei participated in the formulation of 5G standards, Ulike wants to “set the rules” for the entire industry. This demonstrates both confidence and responsibility, showcasing the power of Chinese intelligent manufacturing.
Steve Jobs once said, "Innovation is not just an ability, but an attitude." From solving the "small problem" of hair removal to reshaping the home optical technology industry, Ulike has used technology to crack user pain points and deliver the tech code of "hair removal freedom" to global consumers. Bringing cutting-edge technology to the pocket and professional clinic experience back home is another victory for "Intelligent Manufacturing in China."
Over 14 years, from a fledgling brand to a global powerhouse, Ulike has written a distinct footnote about "beauty" infused with technological texture. Of course, Ulike’s business is never just about hair removal devices, but about the cause of beauty. It is foreseeable that starting from hair removal, Ulike will extend optical technology to more fields, allowing global consumers to become beautiful efficiently and creating a Chinese sample of global beauty.
