Being blessed with the sort of hair that grows in all places at all times, learning how to best remove facial hair quickly and effectively has become my life’s work. From bracing myself to pull off wax strips to dabbling in laser hair removal to trying to avoid inhaling the fumes of powerful hair removal creams, rare is the hair removal method I haven’t tried.
If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that finding best method for you depends on many factors: your threshold for pain, whether you’d prefer to do it yourself or see a professional, how quickly your hair grows back, and the sensitivity (or not) of your skin. Here’s a breakdown of the best way to remove unwanted hair, directly from the experts.
One caveat before we dive in: whether you choose to keep or remove facial hair is a personal preference. This is for people who are looking for advice on removing it in a skin-safe way.
What’s the best method to remove facial hair?
Waxing
One of the quickest ways to remove facial hair, waxing can leave skin noticeably smoother and hair-free for anywhere between two and four weeks. At home, wax strips are the most common way to remove facial hair, while in a salon, hot wax is more likely to be used.
“In addition to hair removal, waxing also gently exfoliates the skin by removing dead skin cells,” Monica Ella Botros, managing director at Strip Hair Removal Experts, tells Vogue. “However, facial skin is significantly more delicate and sensitive than the skin on the rest of the body, so it does require extra care.”
One concern about facial waxing is that some people experience bumps and small breakouts afterwards, something Botros says is avoidable with the right after-care routine. “Breakouts and bumps happen when bacteria enter the freshly ‘opened’ pores (the removal of the hair follicle leaves an opening in the skin),” she explains.
“For the first 12 to 24 hours, you must avoid using any perfumed products on the treated area, as well as refraining from hot baths, showers, sunbathing, sun beds, swimming and strenuous exercise.” Steam, sweat, and SPF are all things that can trigger post-wax irritation. This also applies to strong topical treatments, like retinol, potent exfoliators, and peels.
If you regularly deal with ingrown hairs, Botros says that gently exfoliating the skin three days after waxing can help to stop them from developing. Sloughing off the thicker layer of dead skin can make it easier for new, finer hairs to push through the skin, preventing them from doubling back on themselves and becoming ingrown. She also suggests exfoliating the area that’s due to be waxed 24 hours before your appointment, along with trimming the soon-to-be-gone hair to a length that can be waxed effectively. Whatever you do, avoid waxing sunburnt or irritated skin – the risk of further inflammation and infection is too high to warrant such an uncomfortable, painful risk.
Benefits of waxing
- Quick
- Cost-effective
- Easy to do at home
- Extended hair-free period
Drawbacks of waxing
- Depending on your pain threshold, it can hurt
- Possibility of post-wax breakouts
- Can increase the likelihood of ingrown hairs
- Can cause irritation in sensitive skin types
