Face Hair Removal Guide: Which Method is Best for Shaving Face?

Unwanted facial hair is common but easily managed. Discover the best methods for women's facial hair removal based on specific areas and skin types in this comprehensive guide.

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Popular methods of women’s facial hair removal include plucking, waxing, epilating, and shaving. While facial hair is harmless, it’s also completely safe to remove – just make sure you’re using the best technique to avoid skin irritation.

The best way to get rid of female facial hair depends on the area you want to de-fuzz. Eyebrows, upper lip, chin, and sideburns are common places women want to remove hair from, but there’s not one hair removal method that fits all. Let’s explore some of the best ways to remove unwanted facial hair from different areas of the face.

Facial hair removal methods

Shaving

Young woman looking straight at the camera, under a clear sky

Shaving is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of unwanted facial hair. The results will last a few days before the hair becomes visible again.

Before shaving facial hair, it’s essential to prep your skin to prevent skin irritation. Start by exfoliating your skin to remove any pore-clogging oil, dirt, and dead skin, then apply shaving cream if you’re wet shaving. Glide the razor gently over the skin in the direction of hair growth. Make sure you’re using a face hair removal razor for ladies – not the razor you use for other parts of your body.

After shaving, rinse and dry your face before applying a moisturiser to soothe the skin.

Tweezing

Tweezing and plucking tools

Tweezing (or plucking) is another popular method for women’s facial hair removal, and all you need is a pair of tweezers. Cleanse your skin with warm water to hydrate the hair and skin, then pull your skin taut before plucking out a hair from the root. Make sure you pull the hair out in the direction of hair growth.

Because hair is removed from the root, it takes much longer to grow back than shaving. It’ll be three to eight weeks before you need to reach for the tweezers again.

Waxing

Female hand holding a waxing strip with wax dripping from it

Like tweezing, waxing removes hair from the root – but you can deal with a whole area of facial hair at once rather than removing each hair individually. There are different types of wax available, including hot wax, hard wax and pre-made wax strips. They all work by gripping to the hair and pulling it out as the wax strip is removed.

Waxing is one of the best ways to remove facial hair for women as the results are long-lasting. To avoid skin irritation, make sure you exfoliate before waxing, fully remove any waxy residue afterwards, and apply a gentle moisturiser afterwards.

Epilating

Epilator for removing upper lip hair

Another ladies’ facial hair remover is an epilator. Like tweezing and waxing, epilation removes hair from the root. Epilators are electronic devices that grip hair and pull it from the root rapidly as you move it across your skin. Be warned, it can be a little painful, but facial hairs tend to be finer than other parts of the body so hurt less to remove.

One of the main perks of epilating is the minimal prep required, but it’s a good idea to exfoliate a couple of days before to soften the skin and keep pores clear.

Depilatory creams

Apply Shaving Gel or Cream and Help the Razor Blade to Glide Easier, Avoid Re-Shaving and Skin Irritation

Depilatory creams, or hair removal creams, are a pain-free way to remove unwanted facial hair. They contain chemicals to break down proteins in the hair, so after a few minutes on the skin, hair can be simply wiped away.

Before using depilatory creams for female facial hair removal, it’s vital you do a patch test. This checks if your skin has a reaction to the cream on a small area before you apply it properly. Be sure to follow the instructions for your depilatory cream.

After removing your facial hair, make sure you rinse away any residue cream, as this can cause skin irritation if left on for too long. The results last a little longer than shaving, but not as long as root-removal methods like waxing.

The right method to remove hair from different sections of the face

Eyebrows

Eyebrows Tweezing

Eyebrow hair is perhaps the most common facial hair women choose to remove. If you’re looking to remove unwanted eyebrow hair, tweezing is the best at-home method. It’s quick, easy and doesn’t require any professional skills. If you want a professional to take care of your eyebrow hair, threading and waxing are great long-lasting solutions.

Upper lip

Threading upper lip hair

Female hair on the upper lip can grow longer or darker than other hair on your face, depending on genetics. If you want to remove upper lip hair, shaving, waxing and threading are your best options. If you opt for threading, go to a professional for women’s upper lip hair removal. Shaving and waxing can be done at home, but shaving is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of unwanted upper lip hair.

Sideburns

Woman looking focused

No, it’s not just men who have sideburns – women’s sideburns are completely normal, too. Not sure how to get rid of sideburns? Shaving is by far the best option if you want to part ways with your sideburns. Make sure you use a clean razor designed for shaving women’s sideburns and remember the golden rule: always shave in the direction of hair growth. You can also epilate your sideburns for longer-lasting results.

Chin

Women with buzz cut

If the hair on your chin bothers you, it’s easy to remove. Not sure how to get rid of chin hairs? If you’re removing chin hair at home, shaving is the most fool-proof method. Just make sure you prep your skin beforehand to avoid irritation. To leave your chin hair in the hands of a professional, opt for in-salon threading or waxing for lasting smoothness.

How to choose the best facial hair removal method

Shaving tools collage

Debating how to remove facial hair? There are lots of methods to choose from if you decide to remove facial hair. The best way to remove facial hair for women depends on your skin type and the area you want to take care of.

If you have sensitive skin that’s easily irritated, you might want to avoid root-removal methods (like waxing) and stick to shaving. Waxing can be harsh on the skin and leave your skin red and bumpy. The chemicals in depilatory creams can also irritate sensitive skin.

You should think about how long you want the results to last, too. If you’re happy to shave a few times a week, this is a quick and easy way to remove facial hair. If you’d rather deal with your facial hair less often, a more time-consuming method that removes hair from the root (like waxing, tweezing, or epilating) will last for longer. Learn more about permanent hair removal methods for women.

Remove facial hair for women FAQs

Is it better for a woman to pluck or shave facial hair?

This depends on the area you want to remove hair from. It’s better to pluck your eyebrow area as it’s more intricate, but shaving is generally a better women’s facial hair removal technique for everywhere else. Shaving unwanted facial hair is faster, pain-free, and less irritating than plucking.

Is sugaring better than shaving facial hair?

Sugaring removes facial hair from the root, so the results last longer than shaving. However, sugaring is more painful and can be difficult to carry out yourself at home, so shaving is a more convenient and cost-effective method of female facial hair removal.

How many sessions does it take to remove facial hair permanently?

How many sessions you need depends on the method of women's facial hair removal. With laser hair removal, you’ll need between two and six sessions before hair stops regrowing. Waxing, threading, and sugaring won’t stop hair growing permanently, so you’ll need to go back to the salon every four to six weeks.