Everything You've Ever Wanted to Ask About Epilating, Answered

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Epilating has been around forever, but what the heck even is it? If you’ve never really understood or given it a go, here’s everything you need to know.

You’ve almost certainly tried at least one form of hair removal in your life—shaving, waxing, tweezing and laser are the most common ones—and frankly, it’s not a chore that any of us particularly relish. Depending on the method you choose, it takes time, costs money and even hurts.

Now, we’re not promising that epilating will do away with those, but if you’re over the short-lasting effect of shaving, the mess of waxing and the expense of laser, it might be time to look into epilating as an option.

Everything You Need to Know About Epilating

What Do Epilators Do?

Much like waxing or tweezing, epilating involves pulling the hair out at the root. It keeps skin smoother for longer and actually reduces regrowth. However, unlike waxing, there’s no messy wax to make you all sticky and potentially burn you.

Instead, an epilator looks (and sounds) like a man’s electric shaver. The difference is that instead of tiny vibrating blades that cut the hair, an epilator has several tiny tweezers controlled by a wheel that pluck out your hair when you press the device against your skin. Think of it as tweezing—including a similar pain level—but much faster so you can use it for larger body parts.

Epilating can pull out hairs as short as 0.5mm—much shorter than waxing, which is more like 2mm, though it lasts for a similar amount of time and has the same result of the hair growing back finer.

However, unlike waxing, there’s no sticky residue—you can even get devices that let you epilate in the shower for a one-and-done beauty sesh. Bonus: epilating in a hot shower makes the hairs easier to pull out because the hair follicles will be more relaxed, much like a facial steamer before you pluck your eyebrows.

How to Use an Epilator

Before you begin, give yourself a good exfoliation with a body scrub or a shower glove to help prevent ingrown hairs, smooth your skin and make it more receptive of any tanning or moisturising products you apply afterwards. Be aware that your skin may look red and irritated after you finish, so plan your hair removal for at least twelve hours before an event.

If you’re using an in-shower or bath epilator, you can get started right away. Otherwise, hop out of the shower and dry your skin—but don’t apply any products. If you can, use your towel to dry against the hair growth to fluff up the hairs and make them easier to catch.

Sit down in a comfortable position—and don’t be afraid to start with a very large glass of wine. Start with somewhere easy like your lower leg, so you can get used to the process. Hold skin taut and move the epilator over patches of skin—don’t be alarmed if you see tiny spots of blood, that’s very normal.

Only plan to do one area your first time round—but do it on both sides so you’re even. If you can do more, great, but don’t push yourself. You may want to epilate a small part of your body every day; when you’ve done the whole body, start again. This will help to slow hair regrowth and eventually you’ll notice there’s almost nothing there to epilate.

When you’re done, give yourself a rinse and a pat-down, then apply a fragrance-free aloe lotion to soothe.

Your legs, underarms and bikini line are all great candidates for epilating but go with caution if you plan on doing it on the sensitive skin on your face.

If you’re keen to give epilating a go, try one of these devices.

The Best Epilators Available in Australia

Braun, Silk-épil 9 Flex Epilator

braun epilator — braun, Silk-épil 9 Flex Epilator with Exfoliation Brush ($219)

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This handy little gadget has a flexible head, making it easier to tackle areas like underarms and bikini lines, and a wider head than most, so you can speed through larger areas. Plus it comes with an exfoliation brush to help you buff your way smooth.

Panasonic, Wet & Dry Epilator

If epilating in the shower or bath appeals, this tool will appeal. With sixty tweezers and a pivoting head, it’ll get you hair free from the comfort of the tub.

Want to give your freshly epilated legs a bit of glow? Check out the best self-tan drops to give you the perfect sun-free tan.