We’re going to make a quick assumption here: if you regularly remove your facial hair, chances are you wish it would NEVER grow back. Right???
Dealing with unwanted facial hair springing up is the worst, but sometimes the irritation and discomfort traditional hair removal methods cause can be just as bad.
And yes, female facial hair is normal. But if you’re dealing with excessive PCOS-related facial hair or you simply can’t stand how your peach fuzz makes your makeup look, you should know that you CAN get rid of unwanted facial hair without damaging your skin… and you can even get rid of it for good.
We’ll evaluate ALL of the most common ways to remove facial hair, including a few of the *worst* ways and the most effective ways. (Including some that provide permanent facial hair removal with minimal discomfort!
How to Remove Facial Hair
“Removing facial hair” might be synonymous with “shaving” in your mind. But there are a TON of ways to remove facial hair, and each of them involves its own quirks and benefits. We’ll go over the most common ways, the most dreaded ways, and the most effective ways to remove facial hair.
Most Common Ways
Shaving
It’s the devil you know, right? It works, it’s cheap, it’s simple. It’s not perfect – hair grows back fast and doesn’t get any sparser with removal, plus it can result in breakouts and irritation. But as long as you wash your face, use a clean razor (not the one you use on the rest of your body!), and use a straight-edge, single-blade facial razor, shaving facial hair does the job.
Waxing
Professional waxes can be expensive, DIY waxing can be messy, and all waxing is notoriously painful, but there’s a reason it’s such a staple: waxing it removes hairs from the root, so results last a matter of weeks instead of days.
Threading
Threading uses an antibacterial cotton thread and nothing else to remove hairs at the root. Results last a few weeks, same as waxing. But compared to waxing, threading is rather affordable, less painful, and more suitable for sensitive skin. Plan on leaving the house for this one – it’s notoriously difficult (if not impossible) to achieve the right angle and technique to thread your own face, so you’ll need to visit a pro.
Tweezing
It does the trick. Tweezing is easy, fast, and arguably the most affordable (those tweezers you got when you were a tween are probably still kickin’!). Tweezing happens one hair at a time, so it’s ideal for tackling just a few errant facial hairs.
Depilatory creams
Hair removal creams do work for getting rid of facial hair – just be sure to use one that’s formulated for facial skin, and do a patch test first to make sure your skin doesn’t react adversely to it. Depilatory creams remove hair at the surface of skin, so hair grows back rather fast.
Most Dreaded Ways
Waxing
Waxing leaves your face super smooth, but it can be painful, expensive, and tricky. Plus, you need to let hair grow to ¼-½ inch in between appointments – not ideal if you’re dealing with coarse hairs on your face!
Threading
Threading may not be the MOST painful hair removal method, but it still ain’t fun. Plus, there’s no DIYing this one – you have to go to a pro instead of getting rid of unwanted facial hair from home.
Epilating
Epilating is an increasingly popular alternative to waxing. Think of it like plucking 100 hairs at once – efficient, yes, but not the most pleasant! It’s painful but rather effective – results last as long as waxing. You can do it yourself with a handheld epilator or go to a salon.
Tweezing
Tweezing a couple of stray hairs between your brows isn’t so bad… but if you need to remove hair all over your face? Be sure to set aside 5 hours or so to tweeze each individual hair!
Most Effective Ways
Laser hair removal
Laser hair removal targets hair follicles and destroys them with laser light pulses. After 6-12 sessions, it provides a permanent reduction of body hair. Laser hair removal is a safe procedure, but due to the equipment used it should only be performed by a professional.
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
IPL works similarly to laser hair removal, only it uses broad-spectrum light pulses instead of lasers. This makes it able to treat a larger area at once and safe to use at home, with an FDA-approved IPL handset.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis uses a thin needle to target individual hair follicles and heats them with a small electrical current. Electrolysis also requires multiple follow-up appointments for optimal results. It’s FDA-cleared to offer permanent hair removal.
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is a low-cost, DIY hair removal method that’s recently become more popular. It effectively removes peach fuzz as well as dead skin cells. It’s virtually painless and can have additional skin-resurfacing benefits as well. It isn’t a permanent hair removal method, but it’s effective without a lot of the downsides of traditional methods. If you’d rather not try dermaplaning on your own, book an appointment at a salon!
Why Should I Use the Lumi IPL for Facial Hair Removal?
What is Lumi? Lumi is an at-home IPL handset that provides permanent hair removal. It works on your face (below the cheekbones) and just about anywhere else on your body. Treatment takes just 10 minutes, or even less if you’re just targeting a very small area on your face. With 1-2 sessions a week, you’ll notice a difference in facial hair growing back in 4 weeks and full results in 6-12 weeks. It’s a pain-free, affordable, safe, highly effective way to remove facial hair permanently.
You can get Lumi for $189, with none of the recurring costs of traditional hair removal methods.
Facial Hair Removal FAQs
Which facial hair removal method is the least painful?
It’s hard to say since pain is subjective, but we’d say either dermaplaning or IPL.
How long does it take for facial hair to grow back?
It depends on the hair removal method you use – with shaving, for example, you might notice some infamous five o’clock shadow. Waxing, epilating, and other hair removal methods that remove hair at the root typically last 2-4 weeks. But with a permanent method like IPL, electrolysis, or laser hair removal, most won’t ever grow back after a full treatment regimen, or will grow back really sparse.
Should you clean your face before or after removing facial hair?
Washing your face before or after facial hair removal is always a good idea! Washing your face before facial hair removal can prepare your skin, remove bacteria, and keep your hair removal device clean. Washing your face after can remove any stray hairs and clean up any residue.
What is the best method for sensitive skin?
Less painful methods like dermaplaning and IPL can be a good fit for sensitive skin. It really varies though – consider doing a patch test to see how your skin reacts whenever you try a new hair removal method.
Can facial hair removal cause skin irritation or acne?
Yes, but it doesn’t have to. Using a dirty razor, performing hair removal on already irritated skin, and not cleaning skin before or after notoriously cause skin irritation and acne.
How much does laser hair removal cost?
The average cost of laser hair removal treatment is $587, per treatment. It typically costs upwards of $2k for full results.
Lumi is a popular alternative to laser hair removal. It uses similar technology and provides similar results, but it’s safe to do on your home at home. Lumi costs $189.
