Practical Epilating Tips
Some people swear by hair epilators while others consider a form of self-inflicted
torture. To get the best results that last longer, follow these
epilating tips to
achieve smooth skin with less pain.
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General Tips
- The first time, when you're at your hairiest, epilating is
going to hurt. The good news is that the more you do it,
the less it hurts.
- Epilating will result in dry skin since the device may abrade
the skin ever so slightly. Use a good moisturizer.
- Epilators
do not work on long hair. Consider epilating after another treatment, such as using
hair removal wax
or laser hair removal.
- Help the unwanted hair stand up by brushing against the direction
of hair growth before epilating.
- Change the speed of the rotating head to match the thickness of the
hair. Coarse leg hair requires a faster speed. Fine hair on the arms
can be extracted with a slower setting.
- Move the device in the direction of hair growth so the hair can
be extracted as straight as possible.
- Use your other hand to stretch the skin and to help the hairs
stand up straight.
- The smooth skin may be red and inflamed after treatment so give
yourself a day or two to heal.
Wet Epilation Tips
- Warm, wet skin is more relaxed, making hair removal less painful.
Take a warm bath or shower for 5 minutes to open pores. The hair roots
are more easy to dislodge from the follicle when the skin is relaxed.
- Use a wet epilator
that is specifically designed to be submerged in water. These cordless devices are less
powerful than dry epilators but are more convenient since they aren't connected
to the wall.
- In the shower, use a foaming shower gel
to help lift the hair so it can be more easily grasped by the epilator. A
moisturizing gel
also helps make the device glide more smoothly over the skin.
- In the bath, fully submerge the body part so the hair will be
lifted by the water.
Dry Epilation Tips
- A dry epilator
is usually more powerful and can epilate faster, which is especially good when doing larger
body parts such as the legs. These units are more convenient for seasoned pros but may be
painful for novices.
- Only use on dry skin. Do not apply oil or moisturizing creams. You want
the hair to be free to stand up straight instead of being slicked down against
the skin.
- To help the device glide more smoothly, apply talcum powder
first.
What Not to Do When Epilating
- Do not apply moisturizing creams before epilating as this will
prevent the hairs from standing on end.
- Try to avoid moving the device against the direction of hair growth. The
strand will bend and may break below the surface of the skin as it's pulled backwards.
After Epilation Tips
- Apply moisturizing cream
after epilating to help smooth rough skin.
- Avoid the use of any clogging oil-based lotions as this may plug the tender pores and result in pimples.
- Exfoliate with a loofah or bath sponge
to remove dry skin and to avoid ingrown hairs.
Hair epilation is a convenient
at home hair removal technique. Follow
these epilating tips to help reduce the pain as much as possible.