10+ Proven Tips to Make Epilating Less Painful

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Epilators are a great alternative to tweezing or waxing—but man, using one can be uncomfortable! If you’ve tried epilating before and are considering giving up because of the pain, there are a few things you can do to make your experience a little less excruciating. The good news is that epilation gets less painful every time you do it, so practice makes perfect!

1

Take a painkiller 45 minutes before you start.

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    Try taking ibuprofen or aspirin before you start epilating to help with the pain.
    • If you forget to take a painkiller before epilating, you can take one afterwards to help reduce the swelling.
    • Always follow the dosage recommendation on the back of the bottle.
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2

Take a warm bath or shower before epilating.

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    Indulge in a soothing, warm shower or bath before you begin. [1]
    • As a bonus, your skin needs to be clean before you start epilating, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
    • Soaking in warm water also helps loosen the follicles, which means you'll have to do fewer passes overall.
3

Exfoliate your skin.

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    Rub an exfoliating cream over your legs, face, or arms, then rinse it off thoroughly. [2]
    • This is especially important for areas on your face, since those tend to get the driest.
    • You can use a chemical exfoliator or a physical one; it’s your choice!
    • It can feel like a habit to put lotion on after exfoliating, but save that until after you’re done epilating. Lotions and body butters can clog your epilator up.
    • Exfoliating beforehand also helps the device get closer to the skin (every fraction of a millimeter counts here).
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4

Get your skin wet if your epilator is waterproof.

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    Make sure your skin is dripping wet before you start. [3]
    • The moisture will help the epilator glide over your skin more easily, leading to less pain and irritation.
    • If your epilator isn’t waterproof, make sure your skin is really dry to avoid damaging your device.
5

Use a numbing cream.

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    Look for over the counter cream with Lidocaine in it, then spread a pea-sized amount on the area you're going to epilate.
    • Numbing creams can get kind of expensive, so save them for the really painful areas of your body, like your face and bikini line.
    • Always read the instructions on your numbing cream before you use it.
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6

Set the epilator at the lowest speed.

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    When you first start out, set your epilator to the lowest speed by moving the dial on the side.
    • Using a low speed will also help you get a closer, smoother tweeze.
    • If you feel like your speed needs an adjustment, you can turn it up after a few minutes.
    • It also helps to start on a less sensitive area, like the calf area of your leg. This helps you get used the sensation.
7

Hold the epilator at a 90-degree angle from your body.

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    Make sure your epilator sticks straight out when you first put it on your skin. [4]
    • It can also help to start in an area that isn’t as sensitive, like your lower leg. Then you can work up to more sensitive areas, like your bikini line.
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8

Pull your skin taut.

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    Use your free hand to hold your skin tight against your body as you go. [5]
    • This is especially important in areas that have looser skin, like your face.
    • It will also help the epilator grab shorter hairs in hard-to-reach places.
9

Keep going.

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    Try to use your epilator every time you remove hair to get your skin used to it. [6]
    • Take a break in the middle of epilating if you need to!
    • Your first time epilating is always the worst, but it can only get better from here.
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10

Soothe your skin with aloe vera after epliating.

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    Use a bit of pure aloe vera or aloe vera based moisturizer to soothe any stinging or burning. [7]
    • Most skin irritation disappears overnight. If you don’t want to deal with red skin during the day, try epilating close to bedtime.
    • Make sure the moisturizer you’re using doesn’t have alcohol in it, as that can irritate your skin more.
    • Try to avoid using scented products for the first 24-48 hours while the skin heals, as your skin will be extremely sensitive (it may even bleed a little).
11

Do small touch ups throughout the week.

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    If you notice a few stray hairs here and there, epilate them as you see them. That way, you can avoid epilating your entire body at once. [8]
    • Some hair might grow faster than others, so you could vary which parts of your body that you epilate.
    • If your hair is growing back faster than it normally does after epilating, it might be because you snapped the hairs instead of pulling them up by the roots.
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      Tips

      • If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, exfoliate your skin a few days after you epilate. [9]
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      Warnings

      • If your epilator isn’t waterproof, make sure your skin is fully dry before you start to avoid breaking your epilator. [10]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.philips.co.in/c-e/beauty-tips-for-women/hair-removal-tips/hair-removal-methods/epilating-tips-for-pain-free-hair-removal.html
      2. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
      3. ↑ https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/fashion/10-top-epilation-tips-1.790029
      4. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
      5. ↑ https://hair.lovetoknow.com/hair-removal/upper-lip-hair-removal
      6. ↑ https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/fashion/10-top-epilation-tips-1.790029
      7. ↑ https://www.download.p4c.philips.com/files/h/hp6401_50/hp6401_50_dfu_aen.pdf
      8. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
      9. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
      1. ↑ https://www.usa.philips.com/c-f/XC000004908/my-skin-is-irritated-after-using-my-philips-satinelle-epilator

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Epilating is an effective method for removing hair, but it can be a little painful. To take the edge off, take a painkiller, such as ibuprofen, about 45 minutes before you start. It also helps to have warm, damp skin, since this will soften the hair and reduce friction from the epilator. Take a shower first and use a moisturizing exfoliator to keep your skin soft and supple. If your epilator is waterproof, you can even use it in the shower. If you’re still feeling a lot of pain, rub a small amount of a numbing cream, such as lidocaine, over the really sensitive areas before you epilate. Read on for more tips, like how to hold and move the epilator in a way that minimizes pain.

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