Facial hair removal: the best methods

2 Min read

From peach fuzz to the odd stray whisker, we all have hair on our face. Facial hair on women is natural and something to be proud of (especially if you’re blessed with voluminous statement brows), but there’s also no shame in exploring your facial hair removal options if you’d rather your skin was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. But as your face is front and centre there’s little room for error, which is why getting your facial hair removal method right is key. From waxing and plucking to shaving and sugaring, here we demystify the methods and weigh up the pros and cons of each. 

1. Decisive action: facial depilation with wax


If you’re feeling brave, facial waxing with warm or cold wax works well for cheek or upper lip hair removal, as well as for stray eyebrow hairs. In this approach, the hair is pulled with the follicle right out of the pores.

 

Master the art: Heat the wax to an even, skin-friendly temperature. Apply over the hair you want to remove in the direction of growth. Waxing works best when there is enough hair for the wax to grip onto – preferably 5mm in length. Cover the warm wax with a small piece of cotton. Let it cool down and – tadah! – remove the strip along with the wax and your hair follicles with a quick movement, in the opposite direction of growth. Cold wax stripes work in a similar way: rub them briefly between your hands to warm the wax, apply them and pull them off. 


Pros: Lasts for several weeks, hair is said to grow softer.
Cons: Not a pain-free technique and it may irritate the skin. 

Facial depilation with wax img

2. Home remedies to remove facial hair naturally: the sugar paste method


Swear by home remedies? Here’s a method of facial hair removal for women who prefer a natural solution. Sugar paste is made from natural, kitchen cupboard ingredients and its gentleness makes it ideal for removing hair around the face. The tiny sugar molecules settle in the follicle around the hair surface. When the sugar paste is pulled off quickly the hair is removed including the root, but in the direction of growth, so it is more gentle. It can take several weeks for the hairs to start growing back. 

 

Master the art: Clean your skin with an alcohol solution and apply baby powder, so that the paste sticks better. Mix 200g sugar and 30ml lemon juice, add water. Heat in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the consistency is thick. Knead the lukewarm sugar mass and spread it against the hair. Then remove the paste with your hands, in the direction of growth. 

Pros: 
Less irritating and painful than wax, ingredients in the kitchen cabinet.
Cons: 
Sticky, and as with waxing, hair should be 0.5cm in length.

Facial hair removal by epilation img

3. Fast: Facial hair removal by epilation


While waxing and sugaring pull away hairs along with skin cells in one fell swoop, epilating is more precise – but you still benefit from the long-lasting effect of removing hair from the root. An epilator removes areas of facial hair using rotating tweezers or epilator discs to pinch the hair and pull it out of the pores with the follicle. This might make you wince, but follow our tips and you can be smooth in no time with minimal discomfort. 

 

Master the art: Exfoliate the skin 24 hours before epilation to brush away dead skin and avoid ingrown hairs. Before epilating, make sure that your skin is free from moisturiser which can block pores. The Satinelle Advanced Wet and Dry Epilator  features a massager cap which you can use to stimulate blood flow before epilating. The face cap can be used for facial hair removal on wet or dry skin – attach this next, and place the epilator at an approximate right angle to the skin so that the attachment covers the target area well. Tighten the skin with your free hand and drive the device slowly against the direction of growth over your skin. The epilator head has a structured ceramic surface for extra grip and quickly removes even short and fine hair.

Pros: Works fast and thoroughly even with short and fine hair, results last for 2-4 weeks.

Cons: Mild discomfort and not suitable for eyebrows.

See more below ↓

What you need

Epilator Series 8000 Wet & Dry epilator

BRE710/00

Powerful epilation. Gentle on skin

The Philips Epilator Series 8000: world’s first epilators with ceramic tweezers for more comfortable epilation. Catches even the shortest hairs with Double Action Technology to stay smooth for weeks.

See all benefits

Unfortunately this product is no longer available

MRP: Rs.6,495.00

4. Targeted: Facial hair removal by plucking


Everyone knows this one: use tweezers to pluck the hairs manually, staying close to the root. For small-scale facial hair removal projects like upper lip hair removal or tidying up your brows, tweezers are a simple and effective choice.

 

Master the art: The easiest tweezers to use on facial hair have wide tips; make sure these are firm and closely aligned for the most effective facial hair removal. The best time to tweeze is after a shower, as your pores are steamed open and plucking will be less painful. Tighten the skin with your hands and grip the hair with the tweezers as close to the root as possible, pulling it out in the direction of growth. Repeat as needed. If you like, you can use an ice cube to soothe the area of skin afterwards.

Pros: 
All you need is good tweezers.
Cons:
Can sting, only suited to small areas.

Whether you prefer high tech or home remedies to remove facial hair, with this know-how and a bit of practice, you can perfect your knowledge of how to get rid of facial hair thoroughly and easily with a method that suits you.

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