Everyone has some kind of hair on their face and while its thickness and visibility are highly individual and vary from person to person, facial hair is simply a part of the human experience so it is only natural that some people don’t like the way it looks and choose to remove it. For women, the main areas of concern are typically the upper lip area, the space in between eyebrows, and the “peach fuzz” on the chin, sideburns, and cheeks. We’ve ranked our top 4 best facial epilators you can use for the face.
Removing hair in those areas results in making our faces look brighter, more youthful, and it also helps with make-up application, making it smoother and easier. Epilation means pulling out the hair by their roots using an epilator, which is an electric device equipped with dozens of build-in, high-speed operating tweezers. When it comes to female facial hair, it is the best method of hair removal because it doesn’t make the hair appear thicker and darker as it regrows.
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Does it hurt?
The short answer is yes, but not as much as we might think. The finer the hair, the less painful it is to pull it out, so for women at least, the face is actually one of the least painful body parts to epilate. With the right prep and aftercare, the whole process becomes slightly unenjoyable at worst.
On top of that, when epilating regularly, the pain diminishes over time. That is because your body gets used to it and also because the hair does regrow thinner after being pulled out.
Do I need an epilator specifically for the face?
It is not recommended to use regular epilators on the face due to their head size — larger heads that are made mainly for arms and legs make the epilation less precise, which may at times be straight-up dangerous on the face. Some epilators come with a multitude of caps for different body parts, so if you’re planning to get or already own one of those, you will be fine.
Designated face epilators are a good choice though, because they are usually more gentle, have smaller heads that allow for more precise hair removal — some you can even use for shaping your eyebrows, and sometimes they double as skincare tools.
What is the best practice for face epilation?
Before you even start, exfoliate your face. That can be done mechanically with a scrub or a cleansing brush, or by using chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid. Removing dead skin cells, dirt, residual make-up and excess oil from your face beforehand prepares the hair for smooth epilation and minimizes the occurrence of ingrown hair in the future.
Then, use your epilator to remove facial hair in the areas where it needs to be removed. If it’s your very first time, try using the epilator on a less sensitive body part first to test your pain levels and to make sure that your skin doesn’t freak out. When removing facial hair, make sure to go slow and don’t tug on your skin too much during the process.
After the epilation, it is normal to experience some temporary redness or sensitivity. If that happens, apply a moisturizer, facial oil, or a soothing agent such as aloe vera gel to help your skin go back to normal. Some people’s skin is very sensitive to the point where it can’t handle epilation so if your face reacts worse than expected, consult your beautician or dermatologist before trying again.
What are the Best Facial Epilators?
Pampering & skincare — Braun FaceSpa
The Braun Face Spa is not just an epilator, it is a tool meant to overall improve our skincare routines. Apart from the hair removal head, it also comes with a cleansing brush head and a microvibration head designed for helping with applying a serum or cream and evening out the skin tone.
The device also has a built-in “Smart Detection” sensor that helps the user put the right amount of pressure for even more precise hair removal. Like most Braun epilators, the FaceSpa is waterproof and rechargeable.
Being more of a luxury item, The Braun FaceSpa’s price point is quite high for what it is, taking into consideration the fact that it’s not meant to be used on any other parts of the body apart from the face.
Braun is the biggest player and the leader on the epilator market, bringing the most innovation into the industry. Based on its status and reviews, it is safe to say that the FaceSpa is the best face epilator out there. On the other hand, its price is quite hefty and the skincare tools might seem too excessive or unnecessary to some. Unfortunately, Braun does not offer the option to purchase the epilator only.
Affordable dupe — Gilette Venus Face Perfection
Judging by its design and parameters, the Venus Face Perfection by Gilette is very, almost suspiciously similar to the Braun FaceSpa epilator, and when looking at its packaging, it does clearly say “powered by Braun”, which suggests that the two products are very similar if not identical.
The only major differences between the two are that the Venus Face Perfection is non-rechargeable battery powered and does not come with all the fancy add-ons.
On the flipside, the price reflects the straightforwardness of this product very well, as it costs less than half of the price of the Braun FaceSpa. Gilette is also a brand that most drugstores and large retail stores carry and that makes this epilator widely accessible, which is definitely a plus.
Standard — Emjoi Epi Slim+ e18
The Emjoi Epi Slim is considered a good standard choice among facial epilators. It provides the most bang for your buck, as it is fairly affordable and it does get its job done. Apart from the face, it can also be used on the bikini line. It runs on removable 2AA batteries.
The pros of this epilator are definitely the affordable price point, the simplicity and user-friendliness, and the fact that its tweezers are strong enough so that it can be used on other sensitive areas apart from the face.
The cons would be the fact that it is very basic — it does not come with any add-ons, accessories, versatility, or innovative technologies, it does tend to use up the batteries pretty quickly, and people who own it often report it causing more pain than other epilators on the market. It is also too wide and too powerful to be used on eyebrows.
Versatile — Braun Silk Epil 9 SensoSmart Skin Spa
While this is not a designated face-only epilator, it can be used for facial hair removal as it comes with a head for the face. Braun itself claims that this is their best epilator and it, just like other products from Braun’s main line, comes with many accessories to ensure that it can be used on the entire body.
Apart from the regular head and the facial cap, the package includes a bikini cap, shaving head, two exfoliating brushes, massage head, and a separate trimmer. It is designed to accommodate all hair removal needs in one device, and the skincare tools are a nice cherry on top.
Similarly to the FaceSpa epilator, the Silk Epil 9 also has a built-in technology called SensoSmart, and flashes a signal whenever there‘s too much pressure being put on it. By applying the right amount of pressure, we can make sure that we are removing as much hair as possible and that our skin is not being compromised.
This Braun Silk Epil 9 is ideal for anyone who is interested in epilation on various different body parts, including the face, and does not want to purchase multiple different products. It is rechargeable, waterproof, has 2 different speed options, and can be used on both, wet and dry skin. Based on its reviews, it does work very well, on the face as well as on the rest of the body.
Summary
When it comes to women’s facial hair removal, epilation is the best way to go. It has more long-lasting effects than shaving, does not irritate the skin as much as chemical-based depilatory creams, and it is cheaper, less painful and more effective than waxing. When using a quality epilator and following the general advice, you will be left with a smooth face for weeks to come while experiencing minimal pain and/or irritation.
When picking the best epilator for the face, there are many to choose from based on your preferences and needs. If you just want the basic job done, the Emjoi Epi Slim and the Gilette Venus Face Perfection are both solid, affordable choices. If you’re after a more luxurious, spa-like experience, or are really into skincare, the Braun FaceSpa is the right pick for you. And if you want an all-in-one full body epilator, the Braun Silk Epil 9 is the best one currently available on the market, plus it comes with some nice facial accessories as well.