I have something to tell you: I am a hairy beast. I bear no shame in saying so; I’ve made peace with it. This hasn’t always been the case though, and I began waxing my moustache at just eight years old. Eight! I’ve only just come to terms with how young that really is, after meeting an eight-year-old IRL and thinking she was maybe four.
My early-onset hair removal was due to a particularly mean gaggle of boys who chased me around the local soft-play while screeching, “Moustache girl! Moustache girl! Everybody catch the moustache girl!” It was then, after a tearful escape to my mother, that I began joining her on biweekly trips to the ‘waxing lady’.
Nowadays I don’t care so much about my facial hair. I do still remove most of it, but not as religiously as I used to, and I don’t feel bad about myself if I don’t have time. My eyebrows are now completely natural – I even let my monobrow grow in every now and then. But with each strand that I do decide to tweeze, I can’t help but think that facial hair removal is second nature to me. Which leads me to why we’re here: I’m going to use my years of being plucked and pruned to help you work out what’s best for you, because – whether you decide to get rid or not – it’s important to make informed decisions. Read on to discover my thoughts on the many different ways you can (safely) remove your facial hair, without having to try them all out for yourself first.
Before we get stuck in, I want to remind you that it’s okay to be hairy, and it’s also okay to get rid of your hair. It’s totally your decision. It can feel like a bit of a lose-lose situation: there’s pressure to remove your hair, but then there’s also pressure to embrace it, otherwise, you’re a bad feminist. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do; find what you’re comfortable with and stick with it.
WAXING
Waxing is my method of choice. Even though I shave most of my body, I choose to wax my most sensitive areas like my face and bikini area. I find it leaves the smoothest finish, and although fleetingly painful, actually isn’t the sorest method I’ve tried. (That’d be threading, but more on that below). Though waxing sounds scary, it’s over in a flash and the results are long-lasting. I personally wax just my upper lip, relying on hair bleach to tackle my sideburns. I have active acne on my cheeks, so I would never wax them as waxing pulls on the skin. You never ever want to wax aggravated, sensitive or sunburnt skin.
I personally love the Veet Easy-Gelwax Sensitive Skin Wax Strips – I’ve used them since I started waxing in my teens. First, you want to ensure your skin is clean and dry. Never wax with makeup on. Rub the wax strips together in your palms to warm the wax, cut to size and smooth onto skin, holding it so it’s taut. Pull away (swiftly and with confidence!) against the direction of your hair. Remove any stickiness with baby oil or a provided oil wipe, and apply aloe vera to soothe. Avoid washing your face that same day.
Gently exfoliating and then moisturising lots the day before will make for a more pleasant experience, but do not – under any circumstances – use retinol, retinoid or prescription acne creams at least five days before waxing. I can say from personal experience that you’ll find your skin, as well as your hair, left behind on your wax strip. Ouch.
hair removal cream
Needing the least amount of effort and causing the least amount of pain, hair removal cream can be a rather alluring method of facial hair removal. If you can get past the often dodgy smell (depending on the brand), then it’s really quite exciting. I mean, just whack on a cream and then take it off to reveal baby-smooth skin. Amazing. However, those with sensitive skin can struggle here too. I have personally had cheaper brands dissolve my skin as well as my hair, though I’ve never had a problem with Veet, and it’s only ever happened when I was lax enough to have used retinol, retinoids or acne treatments beforehand.
If you have sensitive skin in general, don’t be afraid; a handy tip (as given to me by my mum and practiced by every girl in our family with much success) is to apply a thin layer of Vaseline underneath the hair removal cream. From personal experience, this protects your skin and doesn’t make it any less effective at removing your hair. If you’re worried, always patch test first.
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is a trendy way to hit multiple birds with one stone. With nothing but a razor, you can get rid of peach fuzz, exfoliate your skin and get rid of dirt in one fell swoop. Famously, Huda Kattan is a huge fan of the technique because it leaves a smooth base that’s perfect for makeup application, and it’s recently re-found the spotlight on TikTok too. If you head to the app, you can spy users dermaplaning atop a thick layer of the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm to keep skin supple and hydrated while reducing the chance of friction or irritation.
@frishtaxx I think this is my MOST SATISFYING shave😍😍 using @sephora dermaplaning tool @ELEMIS pro collagen cleansing balm @Dr.Jart+ North America tiger grass cleanser @rhode skin glazing milk
However, as satisfying and easy as it may be, this technique isn’t for those with acne-prone skin either. Experts warn that it can cause a lot of irritation and inflammation as you spread acne bacteria all over the skin. It’s also quite a harsh method of exfoliation for someone with a reactive and breakout-prone visage.
Bleaching
Though it doesn’t actually get rid of your hair, bleaching makes your fuzz look lighter – blonde, if you will – and harder to see. The process, when done according to packet instructions, should be completely ouch-free and relatively straightforward. I personally love to use bleach on my sideburns and find the golden hairs make me look much brighter overall. I don’t mind that the hair is still there during makeup application, as it’s the darkness that I don’t love.
Bleaching works by breaking down the hair’s pigment (melanin) with hydrogen peroxide, though in a much lower dose than in the kind of bleach you’d find in a salon. This results in permanently lightened hairs, but your hair will become visible again after a few weeks when your roots grow out. The whole process is super quick and easy and should take less than fifteen minutes. Whilst it gets to work, a tingly sensation is totally normal, but if it’s burning then it’s time to take it off.
If you suffer from eczema, hair bleaching might not be for you. It can dry out the skin and exacerbate any active flare-ups. Make sure you hydrate your skin after bleaching by washing with a light cleanser and then applying aloe vera or rosewater spray.
My favourite weapon of choice is Jolen Creme Bleach, which also happens to come recommended by Ali Tobia and Edyta Jarosz – both revered NYC-based aestheticians – because it’s cheap, mild and reliable.
threading
Try as I might, I just cannot get the hang of threading myself. My aunties can twizzle their fingers at the speed of light, thread woven between them, magically making hairs disappear before my eyes. I have, however, had it done professionally many times and can tell you that it HURTS. This is, in my opinion, by far the most painful method of facial hair removal. I have done extensive research (read: asked my best friend for her opinion on the matter) and have found that others agree. It’s like you can feel every single hair being pulled out with a sharp sting. Like a teeny tiny piranha nibbling at your skin. However – and this is a biggie – it is the most acne-friendly method by far. It doesn’t irritate skin, it’s sanitary, its results are long-lasting, it’s precise (ideal for shaping eyebrows) and it doesn’t exfoliate or remove any skin. My advice? Keep your aloe vera nearby and drown yourself in its soothing, cooling sensation afterward. Although, I have also heard that the more you do it, the less it hurts…
