If you're new to epilating, though, it can be quite an intimidating process, especially when it comes to determining what epilator to buy. That's why we researched the best epilators on the market for seamless, pain-free hair removal and silky smooth legs, arms, bikini lines, and more. To put together this list, we looked at each epilator's head, tweezers, speed settings, and power source. The Braun Silk-Epil 9 9-579 Wet & Dry Epilator is a great choice no matter your experience level because it comes with tons of extra attachments and features a wide head for fast yet precise epilation. You'll want to take a look at how many tweezers are inside the epilator. Epilating larger skin areas like the arms and legs will be easier and faster with a device that has more tweezers, but it may also create more pain if you have sensitive skin. You should also look for tweezers that are wide and long as they will have a better chance at getting in deep as well as reaching short, stubby strands. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

Between treatments, keep your skin hydrated (both with skin care and by drinking plenty of water/ avoiding excess caffeine or alcohol) dehydrated skin will not yield results as effectively. Epilating is known for being slightly painful (you are pulling hair right from the root, after all) but the good news is any pain normally decreases each time you epilate. Most epilators work best on hairs that are between 3-5mm long. You may prefer to start epilating as soon as hair is visible though, as this is less painful and should avoid ingrown hairs. How do I prepare my skin for epilation?

How often should you epilate?

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As with most things you’d rather avoid — say, an unreasonably early morning meeting — the more often you epilate, the easier it gets.An epilation device removes body hair directly from the follicle to give you smooth skin for up to four weeks,” explains Dr Anita Sturnham. As the hair is removed from the root, you can get rid of shorter hairs more effectively than other hair-removal methods. Does epilating hurt? Device size: Dr. Frieling suggests using smaller epilators for hard-to-reach areas, including facial hair — like eyebrows, upper lip and peach fuzz — while a larger device might be best for bigger areas like arms and legs. With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work. Waxing can be irritating, shaving doesn't last, and laser hair removal can be super pricey and require a lot of in-office sessions. If you can relate, you may want to try epilating.

An epilator won’t catch every single hair though (like a high-quality razor would), so if you’re looking for perfection, epilating may not be the right choice. Shaving is also pain-free, whereas epilating pulls hair from the root, which can cause slight discomfort. Do epilators permanently remove hair?

How we tested

For obvious reasons, delicate areas (hello, bikini line) may be a bit tender or just a general no-go area for some. Wedderburn advises using a lower setting or speed on these more sensitive areas. Blend, combines both technologies. Offering some of the speed of SWD along with the effectiveness of galvanic, giving your treatments a double targeted approach. Taking around 7+ seconds per hair, it is considerably faster than galvanic but gives a better regrowth rate when compared to SWD, alone.

Apply the recommended post treatment gel, containing witch hazel or aloe Vera regularly. If you wish to wear makeup, pure mineral make up is safe.be sure to wear an SPF daily, to avoid pigmentation. Unlike some other hair removal methods, epilating does provide long-term results, leaving you hair-free for up to four weeks. It won’t banish hair for good, but it will give you significantly more time in between treatments than shaving would. Epilators contain rotating tweezers, which remove hair straight from the follicle to prevent any tugging or pulling on the skin. They can also remove smaller hairs compared to your average wax, leaving you with smoother, better results. There are a number of ways you can prep skin before epilating. Exfoliating with a scrub will help avoid ingrown hairs and bathing in warm water will help to open up pores –just make sure the water isn't too hot, as this could lead to skin irritation.In the ELLE Lab, our beauty pros asked testers to try a range of epilators to see how effective they were at removing hair. After something even more long-lasting? You need to consider IPL hair removal. Sensitive soul? Maybe it's the electric shaver for you. Typically, epilating causes some minor discomfort,' says Wedderburn. 'This is considerably reduced with repeated use as your skin adjusts to the process and the hairs become thinner.' But since each hair is being pulled out by its root, King admits that it can initially be a bit uncomfortable. That said, since it’s essentially tweezing each individual hair, epilating can keep skin smooth for up to two weeks at a time. While it’s still not as effective as laser hair removal, which permanently reduces the amount of hair growth, it’s definitely a viable alternative to both waxing and shaving.