This is a guest post by Jackie – the founder of A Smooth Life, a blog dedicated to providing tips and tutorials on various hair removal-related topics as well as the best in-depth epilator reviews.
We’ve all heard of waxing, shaving, and even laser removal as time tested ways to get rid of unwanted hair. A method that doesn’t get mentioned all that often is a pretty nifty little device called the epilator.
Maybe your mom has one and maybe even one or two of your friends, but they really don’t get much consideration compared to waxing or shaving.
Which is a shame.
Epilators, as with waxing, pull hair straight from the root. They are able to pick up the tiniest of hairs and can be used for your whole body. When an epilator takes a hair out, it damages the hair follicle. What this means is that after using one for an extended period of time the follicle has been damaged enough that the hairs grow back far less frequently, and are much weaker and thinner than before. The result is hair that takes longer to grow back, and is easier to pull out when it does.
Let me tell you about three aspects where I think epilators shine brighter than other methods:
- Price – You’ve seen the R1 000+ epilators in stores and online. That’s definitely not cheap. But if you consider the long term, they’re actually way more cost effective. You’ll never again have to buy refill shaving heads, shaving cream, professional waxing sessions, waxing strips, etc.
- Convenience – One of the best things about epilators is their ability to be used at any time. My number one hate about waxing is that you have to wait until the hair has grown back to a certain length before you can pull it out. With an epilator you can pull the hair out as soon as you see it poking through. Most epilators these days can pull hairs as short as 0.5mm!
- Skill required to do an excellent job – Most of the best hair removal methods require a professional to get the best results. With laser treatment you have to go in for a number of sessions, and with waxing it’s hard to beat a salon job. Epilators produce similar results to professional waxing, and can be done at home without an expert. There are, of course, some things you can do to get the best results from your epilator but its fundamentally quite straightforward.
I think a large part of why a lot of girls don’t use epilators is likely because they’re terrifying. I mean, who wants to put a spinning disc of snapping tweezers anywhere near your skin?!
The hesitance is understandable, but I assure you the only thing these devices are built to kill is hair. If you’re unsure, here’s a simple but comprehensive guide to using your epilator that’s sure to give you some fantastic results.
But are they not sore!?
I cant cause myself pain. I wuss out 🙁
Hey Gina,
I suppose you get used to it. I have a decent pain threshold – just tend to itch a little bit; nothing a good moisturising cream can’t fix, except I don’t like using cream.
Hi Gina!
The reason epilators are so effective and leave you hairless for such a long time is because they pull the hairs out from the root. Unfortunately, this does mean stomaching a bit of pain!
Thankfully, most people say that the first time epilating is the worst. As your skin gets used to the sensation it becomes less and less painful. Also, the hairs that grow back are thinner and weaker than before so they’re easier (and thus less painful!) to remove.
They are sore but save so much time and effort with other removal methods, my Epilator keeps me smooth for weeks and I don’t have to worry about shaving. It is worth it if you can deal with a bit of pain.
I personally use Brown silk epil 7 and I am totally satisfied with my epilator. The pain is totally tolerable, and I personally think, like you said in the article that this is the cheapest hair removal method. You don;t have to buy razors, wax or anything, it is a one-time investment that lasts for years.