When it comes to learning how to use an epilator, there are just some simple things that you must keep in mind. It’s a pretty intuitive process.
You don’t need any prior experience or much knowledge but I still advise you to read this post just so you know exactly what to expect from epilation.
Contents
Top 3 Epilators that I Recommend
1. Best Price: Emjoi eRase e60
The Emjoi eRase e60 represents a powerful affordable epilator with an impressive number of tweezers (60), a corded model that can even be used on the bikini area and for facial hair removal thanks to its sensitive area cap. It only lacks a built-in light.
2. Best Value: Braun Silk Epil 7
The Braun Silk Epil 7 series is very good, especially the Braun 7561. It has all the needed accessories to make this an epilator for face and body (facial cap, sensitive area cap for the intimate area), it’s fast and powerful, and the price is good, too. The only con is that it’s cordless.
3. Best Overall: Braun Silk Epil 9
While I obviously love the Silk Epil 9, I can still admit that I’m frustrated with the fact that it’s cordless and that it lacks a sensitive area cap. It’s wonderfully fast and powerful but on the slightly painful side, making it a perfect model for more experienced users, not beginners.
How to Use an Epilator: How to Epilate Step By Step
- The most important step is to get the right epilator, whether you want a more affordable model or the best device out there.
- You must exfoliate before each hair removal session.
- The epilator must be kept at a 90 degrees angle, which is in fact the natural way of holding it.
- Holding the skin taut is essential.
- Epilate against the direction in which the hair is growing.
- Move the epilator slowly, don’t rush it, have patience if you don’t want to break the hairs instead of having them pulled from the root.
- Tips for reducing the pain.
- The skin is going to be a little red so it’s best to epilate at night.
- And always moisturize after each session to sooth the skin.
- A clean epilator is a must.
- Last but not least, be comfortable during each epilation.
1. Exfoliate before Epilating
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, it perfectly prepares the skin for epilation. Even more, exfoliation is tremendously important if you want to prevent ingrown hairs.
I recommend getting an exfoliating glove or a body scrub.
Chemical exfoliation is also an option for those suffering intensely from ingrown hairs, they’re such a nuisance that can ruin our self-esteem.
Exfoliate before each epilation session in order to remove the dead skin cells and after that once every 2, 3 days.
I do it daily, it has become part of my routine, and I enjoy it a lot. I love how my skin feels.
2. How to Hold an Epilator
The first actual step in how to use an epilator is to hold it at a 90 degrees angle to the skin.
It’s actually the natural and comfortable way of holding it. You don’t have to ask yourself if you’re holding it at the right angle or not.
Secondly, don’t press it against the skin, hold it loose because those rotatory tweezers will grab the hairs and pull them by the root.
That’s their job and you don’t need to press the epilator against your skin to get the hairs pulled out.
3. Hold the Skin Taut
Don’t forget to hold the skin taut.
It helps with the pain and it’s the key to an efficient epilation.
When epilating your underarms, raise your hands over your head and stretch them as much as you can if you don’t want to pinch your skin.
When I first used an epilator on my underarms there was a little bleeding.
I had coarse hair with pretty strong roots and that’s why it happened to me but that’s only in the beginning.
The skin gets used to it, the hairs become a bit less coarse if you epilate once every 2 weeks at most, and you get used to the pain.
4. Epilate Against the Direction of Hair Growth
This is a crucial aspect when you learn how to use an epilator:
Move the epilator slowly against the direction of the hair growth.
Don’t rush it.
Otherwise, the hairs will be cut at the surface of the skin, instead of being removed from their follicles.
5. Have Patience
Shaving is definitely a lot faster.
I have been epilating for many years so it doesn’t take too long to get my body hairless. As long as I epilate once every 2 weeks. That’s the optimal period for me.
Nowadays, on 40 minutes battery time (I use 2 cordless epilators), I can do my upper lip, underarms, and legs.
But it used to take quite a while. At least an hour only for my legs.
Thankfully, I was using a corded model at the time so I had all the time in the world.
In the beginning, if you want to cut the time short, epilate once a week. The fewer hairs you have the faster it will go. And the less painful it will be.
Or just watch a movie, a few episodes or listen to music. Time will go by so much faster.
6. What to Do When it Hurts
Well, the easy part about how to use an epilator is what I’ve shared with you above.
Now that you’ve turned on your epilator and some hairs are starting to come out, you might notice that it hurts.
The shorter the hairs, the less pain you’re going to feel. That’s why, on average, it’s best to epilate once every two weeks at most.
Some women have a higher pain threshold than others so, it depends how intense the pain is for you.
You can also read this post on how to reduce epilation pain.
Basically, you can take a shower before epilation, or choose a wet & dry epilator, like Braun Silk-Epil 7, that can be used under the shower/while taking a bath.
Anyways, the results are totally worth it:
- no more hairs growing back after just 2 or 3 days
- no more money spent on beauty salon waxing
- no more stubble
- no more dark shadows on the underarms
7. Epilate at Night
It’s best to epilate at night since redness is a side-effect.
Use a moisturizer after epilation, whatever type you prefer. In the morning, your skin should be perfect, back to its natural color minus the hairs.
8. Keep a Clean Epilator
Clean your epilator thoroughly, by using the cleaning brush and by washing the tweezers head.
Even if the head is not washable, if you let it dry long enough nothing is going to happen the next time you plug it in.
If you have a cordless epilator,
Charge it full at least once a month if you want the battery to last those 40 minutes for many years to come.
There’s no need to change your epilator once a year if you wash it, clean it, and charge it properly if it’s cordless.
However,
With cordless models there’s still a chance that the battery won’t hold a charge, it’s just a matter of when it might happen.
Corded epilators are much more reliable.
9. How Often Should You Epilate?
Is it possible to have amazingly lovely smooth skin after using an epilator? Yes, it definitely is.
However, there’s the fact that epilators do not remove 100% all hairs from the root.
Some get broken as they are grabbed by the rotating tweezers and some are too thin to be grabbed and pulled.
But the smooth skin will still feel great under your fingertips after you’ve ended you’re done epilating.
From my experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that epilating once every two weeks is the best time frame.
After a week or so you can feel tiny hairs when you move your hand against the direction in which the hair is growing. I am doing that right now since it’s been more than a week since I last epilated and I can feel the tiny hairs on my legs.
It doesn’t bother me because it’s not a harsh sensation, it’s not disturbing.
Also, the hairs are soft, not prickly like it happens when you shave. They can only be seen if you look closely.
It also depends from person to person. For some, a week and a half might be a better option. It depends on how fast your hairs regrow.
Some women can even go up to a month without needing to plug in their epilator.
10. Choose the Best Epilator for You
You’ve got all the facts you need to know about how to use an epilator but the device matters, too.
I like epilation because it’s an affordable hair removal method.
Almost anyone can easily afford a very good model, like the Philips Hp 6401, which is very good and one of the cheapest epilators at the moment.
My Top 3 Epilator Recommendations
Having a good epilator is a must, that’s why I’ve decided to compile a list with a few devices for all budgets. Here are a few epilators you should consider.
1. Emjoi eRase e60
The Emjoi eRase e60 is one of the most affordable epilators.
The cheap price shouldn’t keep you from considering it.
Here are my reasons for recommending the Emjoi e60:
- as the name suggests, this epilator has 60 tweezers
- it’s quite impressive, powerful and fast
- it’s quite an adorably looking device
- the design is attractive but it’s affordable price is even more so
- it has a sensitive area cap and it can be used to remove hairs from the bikini area and it can even be used for facial hair removal
- shaver/trimmer head
- 2 speeds
It doesn’t have a built-in light, that’s pretty much my only complaint about this epilator.
It’s totally worth it, for beginners as well as experienced users.
2. Braun Silk Epil 7
The Silk Epil 7 is at the top of my list.
Even more so, when it comes to recommending an epilator to people who will try this hair removal method for the first time.
Why?
Because it’s well-known as a slightly more gentle model.
Epilation will still be painful but it’s a bit more easy when you’re using the Silk Epil 7.
Its main features are:
- 40 tweezers
- even though I said it was gentle it’s still one of the most powerful epilators at the moment
- built-in light
- the accessories are amazing: efficiency cap, sensitive area cap, and facial cap
- cordless, it needs to be charged for an hour and works for 40 minutes
- 2 speeds
The 40 minutes operating time is pretty much standard but if you don’t care for cordless epilators, check out the above model.
If you want to epilate most of your body and you’re a beginner, you will need to recharge it once before you can complete your session.
3. Braun Silk Epil 9
At the moment,
This is one of the best epilators on the market. And one of the most expensive.
Let’s see what you get for your money:
- 40 tweezers
- a wide epilation head
- a really fast and powerful epilator
- it removes almost all of the hairs from the first pass
- it’s great for both coarse and fine hairs
- accessories: massage rollers attachment, facial cap, skin contact cap, shaver head and trimmer cap, facial cleansing brush
- cordless, it works 40 minutes and it needs 1 hour for a full charge
- it can be used under the shower or in the bathtub but that’s not very practical
- built-in light
- 2 speeds
I cannot understand why the sensitive area cap wasn’t included among the accessories. It’s quite beyond my comprehension and it’s pretty much the only flaw for this Braun Silk Epil 9.
Besides the fact that it’s cordless and it only runs on battery.
You can check out the above Braun Silk Epil 7561 if you want to epilate your intimate area and are not used to pulling hairs from the root in this sensitive area. The Silk Epil 7 has a sensitive area cap.
And that’s everything you need to know about how to use an epilator, nothing complicated about it.
