10+ Proven Tips To Make Epilating Less Painful - WikiHow

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10+ Proven Tips to Make Epilating Less Painful Download Article Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Take a painkiller 45 minutes before you start. 2 Take a warm bath or shower before epilating. 3 Exfoliate your skin. 4 Get your skin wet if your epilator is waterproof. 5 Use a numbing cream. 6 Set the epilator at the lowest speed. 7 Hold the epilator at a 90-degree angle from your body. 8 Pull your skin taut. 9 Keep going. 10 Soothe your skin with aloe vera after epliating. 11 Do small touch ups throughout the week. + Show 8 more... - Show less... Other Sections VideoWATCH NOW Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Alicia Ramos and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 10, 2023 References

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This article was co-authored by Alicia Ramos and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Alicia Ramos is a Licensed Esthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 122,179 times.

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!

Steps

1

Take a painkiller 45 minutes before you start.

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1. Painkillers can help reduce swelling and inflammation. 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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1. When you’re warm, your pores are more open, which makes epilating hurt less. 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.[2]

3

Exfoliate your skin.

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1. Lots of dry skin can make the epilator hurt more. Rub an exfoliating cream over your legs, face, or arms, then rinse it off thoroughly.[3] [4]
   • 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).[5]
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4

Get your skin wet if your epilator is waterproof.

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1. If your epilator is waterproof, use it in the shower or the bath. Make sure your skin is dripping wet before you start.[6]
   • 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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1. Topical numbing cream can reduce pain by numbing your skin. 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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1. Going too fast can lead to a lot of pulling and tearing. 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]

7

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

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1. Tilting it too much could lead to pulling and tearing. Make sure your epilator sticks straight out when you first put it on your skin.[8]
   • 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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1. This will give the epilator a smoother surface to work on. Use your free hand to hold your skin tight against your body as you go.[9] [10]
   • 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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1. The more often you use your epilator, the less it will hurt. Try to use your epilator every time you remove hair to get your skin used to it.[11]
   • 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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1. Your skin might look a little red and bumpy afterwards, and that’s okay. Use a bit of pure aloe vera or aloe vera based moisturizer to soothe any stinging or burning.[12]
   • 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).[13]

11

Do small touch ups throughout the week.

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1. Epilating a small area is usually less painful than a big one. 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.[14]
   • 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.[15] Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• If your epilator isn’t waterproof, make sure your skin is fully dry before you start to avoid breaking your epilator.[16] Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

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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. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
3. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
4. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
5. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
6. ↑ https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/fashion/10-top-epilation-tips-1.790029
7. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
8. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
9. ↑ https://hair.lovetoknow.com/hair-removal/upper-lip-hair-removal

More References (7)

10. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
11. ↑ https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/fashion/10-top-epilation-tips-1.790029
12. ↑ https://www.download.p4c.philips.com/files/h/hp6401_50/hp6401_50_dfu_aen.pdf
13. ↑ Alicia Ramos. Skincare Professional. Expert Interview
14. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
15. ↑ https://www.oglf.org/how-to-use-an-epilator/
16. ↑ https://www.usa.philips.com/c-f/XC000004908/my-skin-is-irritated-after-using-my-philips-satinelle-epilator

About This Article

Co-authored by: Alicia Ramos Skincare Professional This article was co-authored by Alicia Ramos and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Alicia Ramos is a Licensed Esthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients. This article has been viewed 122,179 times. 9 votes - 100% Co-authors: 8 Updated: August 10, 2023 Views: 122,179 Categories: Featured Articles | Hair Removal Article SummaryX

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. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Alicia Ramos Skincare Professional Co-authors: 8 Updated: August 10, 2023 Views: 122,179 100% of readers found this article helpful. 9 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote

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