Beauty blogger Amerley Ollennu reveals why it’s so important for women with darker skin to do their homework. “The first time I tried laser, I was really excited by the prospect that I’d never have to wax my bikini line again or my underarms. And I thought, 'While I’m at it, why don’t I zap those little hairs on my fingers that only I seem to notice?' My background is Ghanaian and German so I opted for a pain-free laser that was meant to work on all skin shades (but what they should have said is that it works to varying degrees). Yes, it was pain-free and while I was undergoing a 10-session course, I barely had any hair, but as soon as I stopped it all came back and then some on my fingers (big mistake). It therefore seems there is still an optimum skin tone for laser hair removal. I am currently trying the Nd:YAG at Debbie Thomas clinic and am seeing better results this time, but I do believe not all lasers are created equal and there are a lot of elements to consider when choosing the right one for you, especially when you have darker skin.”