Jennifer Lopez hates waxing and plucking out hairs one by one. She said so in an interview with Allure. We agree because waxing is messy and takes too much effort, and plucking takes forever. Honestly, once we found the best epilator for coarse facial hair, life got better.
Yes, epilating hurts at first. But weirdly, it hurts less after doing it a few times. And the fact that it keeps hairs from growing back for two to four weeks makes it totally worthwhile.
Even when the hair grows back, it’s softer unlike after shaving. Plus, using an epilator can gradually reduce facial hair so that it becomes sparser. That’s good news if you have PCOS or a genetic predisposition for extra body hair.
Here are our favorite facial epilators. You can learn more about each one in the reviews below.
The best epilators for coarse facial hair | Why we love them |
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Braun Epilator Silk-épil 9 9-985 |
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Braun Face Epilator Facespa Pro 911 |
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Philips Satinelle Essential Compact Hair Removal Epilator |
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Philips Satinelle Advanced Wet & Dry Cordless 10-Piece Epilator Kit |
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Panasonic Cordless Epilator ESEL7AP |
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Epilady Legend 4 Rechargeable Epilator - EP-810-33A |
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Contents
- 1 How to pick the best epilator for facial hair
- 2 How to use an epilator for facial hair
- 3 Best Epilators for Coarse Facial Hair in 2024
- 3.1 Braun Epilator Silk-épil 9 9-985 Deluxe Beauty Set
- 3.2 Braun Face Epilator Facespa Pro 911
- 3.3 Philips Satinelle Essential Compact Hair Removal Epilator
- 3.4 Philips Satinelle Advanced Wet & Dry Cordless 10-Piece Epilator Kit
- 3.5 Panasonic Cordless Epilator ESEL7AP
- 3.6 Epilady Legend 4 Rechargeable Epilator – EP-810-33A
- 4 Conclusion
How to pick the best epilator for facial hair
First, what is an epilator? It’s an electric device that pulls hair out by the roots. The result is similar to waxing, but an epilator can remove very short hairs. That means you don’t have to wait for all to grow out.
There are different types of epilators: some are made for the face, others for the body, and still others for hair removal anywhere on the body. If your skin is sensitive, be sure to get a facial epilator even if you have coarse facial hair.
Next, there are dry and wet epilators. As you can guess, the latter can be used in the bath. In either case, the method for using the epilator is the same. (More on that in a moment).
After that, it’s time to consider cordless versus corded epilators. Battery-powered epilators are convenient but usually less powerful.
Also, take into account the size of the device to make sure you can do your upper lip and around the eyebrows.
Now, you may have heard that there are three different types of epilators: tweezer, rotating disk, and electric spring. Honestly, they all hurt no matter what the promotional material says. We suggest going with tweezer-style epilators with as many tweezers as possible so that the job is over and done quickly.
Speed settings are surprisingly useful. High speed removes coarse hair more easily.
Lastly, it’s a nice touch the epilator has a built-in light.
In summary, here are the features to consider when shopping for an epilator:
- Wet or dry
- Battery or corded
- Size
- Method of hair removal: tweezing, rotating disk, electric spring
- Speed settings
- Light
Now that you’ve picked your new favorite hair removal device, here’s how to use it.
How to use an epilator for facial hair
Beauty experts recommend exfoliating before epilating. This gets rid of dead skin to prevent ingrown hairs. However, doing both things at once could pull a double whammy on your face, leaving it red and irritated. We suggest maintaining your regular exfoliation routine – like once a week – to keep your skin smooth and healthy. There’s no need for extra exfoliation if you’re already doing that.
Whether or not you’ve chosen to epilate in the shower or on dry skin, the technique is the same. Hold the epilator at a 90° angle to the skin – in other words, straight out. Use the other hand to pull the skin taut while you slowly move the epilator in the same direction that the hair grows. Don’t press hard so that you don’t abrade the skin.
Try a low speed setting first if you’ve never used an epilator before.
Don’t pull it against the direction of hair growth because you might snap off the hairs instead of pulling them out.
Pro tips:
- If you epilate at night, any redness should be gone by morning, especially if you moisturize once you’re done.
- Remember to clean your epilator each time to prevent infection.
- Try applying anesthetic cream like Dr. Numb 15 to 30 minutes before hair removal
Best Epilators for Coarse Facial Hair in 2024
Now, let’s take a look at the best facial epilators for coarse hair.
Braun Epilator Silk-épil 9 9-985 Deluxe Beauty Set
There are several different models of the Braun face epilator. The device we reviewed is a popular choice because it comes in a beauty set with exfoliating brushes, a shaver, and a trimmer.
When you use this facial epilator, you can expect to enjoy smooth skin for a maximum of 4 weeks. The average reviewer says they get at least two weeks or longer before hair growth is visible. That’s excellent compared to shaving which has to be done every two to four days.
Braun also points out that by using the epilator at home, you can save a ton of money by not having to visit the hair salon for waxing or laser treatments. Plus, the epilator can pull out hair that’s four times shorter than the length you need for waxing.
So, why this epilator instead of something else? To begin with, it’s waterproof, and that’s good news because it seems to hurt less to do epilation in the water with wet skin.
Next, it’s designed with SensoSmart Technology so that you don’t have to press as hard to use it. There are more tweezers on a wider head, too. On the downside, it can get a little tight on space on the upper lip.
On the bright side, the epilator can be used anywhere on the body, not just the face. Go ahead and enjoy the exfoliating brushes before you epilate, and feel free to use the trimmer and shaver where you just can’t tolerate plucking hairs. In any case, the device runs up to 50 minutes on two AA batteries.
Reviewers say that this is one of the best epilators they’ve used and one of the least painful. Although you may have to pass over an area a couple of times, it still seems to work faster than competing models.
Pros:
- SensoSmart technology requires fewer passes and less pressure
- 100% waterproof
- Cordless, runs on AA batteries
- Comes in a kit with exfoliating brushes, shaver, and trimmer
Cons:
- Price is a little higher because it’s an epilator with other accessories
Braun Face Epilator Facespa Pro 911
Forget the big clunky epilators and check out this magic wand for hair removal. The precision epilator head gets between eyebrows with no trouble at all.
Moreover, it’s not just for hair removal. You can use it daily to pat serum into the skin with the vibrating head and remove makeup with the cleansing brush attachment. Just this one device cleanses, tones, and smooths the skin. Plus, it’s rechargeable, so you never have to worry about running out of batteries as long as you plug it in on occasion.
The epilator knows which head you’ve attached and behaves accordingly. Just click the button to change the speed and intensity.
What’s the downside? The little epilator only has 10 micro-openings which slows down hair removal over large areas like the cheeks.
Pros:
- Hair removal wand with cleansing and toning attachments
- Rechargeable battery
- Adjustable speed/intensity
- Excellent for tight spots
Cons:
- Compact head is best for small areas
Philips Satinelle Essential Compact Hair Removal Epilator
Here’s an epilator for the budget-minded. It’s the least expensive one we reviewed, but we picked it because it’s the 2021 ELLE Editor’s Choice. Trust us, it doesn’t disappoint.
This little corded device can remove hair from anywhere on the body. The whiskers only need to be 0.5mm long. Go ahead, grab a ruler and look at how small that is. Try it with the sensitive cap on first, and put it on the low speed setting. It’s not awful after all.
The epilator is compact but it has an ergonomic grip. Furthermore, you can pull the head off and wash it.
Pros:
- ELLE Editor’s Choice winner 2021
- Compact and ergonomic
- Removable, washable head plus sensitive cap
- Adjustable speed
- Affordable and never needs batteries
Cons:
- Corded design means you’ll need to be close to a power outlet
Philips Satinelle Advanced Wet & Dry Cordless 10-Piece Epilator Kit
This epilator comes with a shaver and trimmer plus combs. It’s the ideal body grooming kit for women.
The wide head is capable of grabbing really fine peach fuzz, but be careful using it around the eyebrows. It’s big and hard to target. Although it’s recommended for the face and body, the size of the epilator head is better suited to legs, armpits, and so on.
However, it can be used wet or dry for up to 40 minutes before needing a charge. There is a battery indicator light so you won’t get caught off guard in the middle of hair removal.
The two speed settings give some control over how much it hurts. Thankfully, the ceramic discs with micro-ridges that pull out the hair do a good job so you don’t have to run over the same spot over and over.
Pros:
- Complete face and body grooming kit with epilator, trimmer, shaver, and combs
- Wet or dry use
- Runs up to 40 minutes before charging
- Two speed settings
- Micro-ridged ceramic discs remove fine hair as well as coarse
Cons:
- The epilator head is a little large for managing eyebrows and tight spots
Panasonic Cordless Epilator ESEL7AP
The Panasonic epilator gives Braun, Phillips, and Epilady a run for the money. Here are the biggest advantages we saw.
First, it has a “soft” setting for beginners and sensitive spots. Then, there are two more speed settings on top of that.
What’s more, the head pivots to follow contours and the body of the epilator is comfortable to hold. All in all, it makes for a better experience as it’s easy to control.
Next, at this price point, it also comes with a protective cap for sensitive skin, a shaver head, and a precision trimmer with a comb. The epilator head is an inch and a quarter wide and has 60 rotating tweezers that grip hair as short as half a millimeter in length.
You can use the device wet or dry as it’s waterproof and straightforward to clean. It also runs up to 30 minutes and recharges within only one hour.
Pros:
- Three speed settings including a “soft” speed
- Protective cap for sensitive skin
- Includes shaver and trimmer attachments
- Can be used wet or dry
- Recharges in an hour, runs up to 30 minutes
Cons:
- The epilator head is a little big for small spots
Epilady Legend 4 Rechargeable Epilator – EP-810-33A
Here’s the classic epilator from Epilady – a brand name that’s synonymous with hair removal. Did you know that it performs 32,000 tweezing actions per minute? It runs through coarse facial hair like a John Deere through tall grass.
However, even though it’s recommended for combination skin, it’s not the best choice for treating the face unless you can handle the sting.
On the bright side, it runs up to an hour on a charge, or can be used with the included cord. There are two speed settings.
Pros:
- Powerful tweezers quickly tackle coarse hair
- Operates for up to an hour on a charge or can be used while plugged in
- Two speed settings
Cons:
- Not the most gentle option for the face
Conclusion
We hope our reviews of the best facial epilators for coarse hair helped you find what you need today. Check back soon to discover other handy products for quick and easy skincare.
If you love your new epilator, we’d be happy to hear about it. Feel free to leave us a comment below.
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