Tweezing is an effective and inexpensive method to remove facial hair. Tweezing works differently than shaving because it removes the entire hair by the root, versus cutting the hair with a blade.
Hair that has been removed from the root generally takes longer to grow back and leave your face smoother for a longer period of time, typically three to eight weeks.
Tweezing works on all facial hair. It's particularly helpful when shaping your eyebrows because you can remove hair with very high precision.
Where Tweezing Works Best
Tweezing is the perfect way to keep brows looking sharp and removing unruly facial hair. Because it goes one hair at a time, tweezing can be arduous if you want to eliminate a significant amount of hair, so it might be best to just use a razor or wax when it comes to legs, underarms, or other areas where hair tends to grow thicker.
That being said, if you're a perfectionist, having tweezers on hand post-wax or shave can be helpful to shape the area or remove and missed hairs.
Tips for Plucking Unwanted Hair:
- Don't dig tweezers into the skin if you can't grab the ultra-short hairs. Wait until they grow out, which may be only a day or two. Otherwise, you risk scraping the skin, which can cause scabs or dark spots and is usually damaging to the hair.
- By pulling the skin taut (meaning firm) with your free hand while tweezing with the other, there will be less tugging on the skin, which helps reduce irritation.
- If you're worried about pain, use a numbing spray by applying it to a cotton swab or square, and then to the facial area where you're plucking hair. Make sure not to get the spray near your eyes!
How to Eliminate Facial Hair
- Stand in front of a mirror with ample lighting.
- Pull the skin taut with a free hand and grab the hair as close as you can near the skin. Gently tug the hair to remove it.
- Start with only the thick, dark hair first, and check the area to see if you're satisfied.
- If the finer hairs are still annoying you, then remove them in the same precise way. If you're having a tough time seeing them, apply a little baby powder to the area and the hair will be more noticeable. While working, dust off any hair with a towel to keep the area you're working on clean and clear.
- When finished, apply facial toner or some alcohol-free witch hazel. These aid in preventing pimples and irritation. You can also use your favorite facial moisturizer with a cotton square to keep skin looking soft.
Tweezing can cause slight pain, but it's not usually painful. If you have pain, try rubbing an ice cube over the area to decrease redness and inflammation.
Be sure to sanitize your tweezers with alcohol before and after plucking. Like shaving, tweezing can also induce ingrown hairs.