Many of us get stuck with the nervous and jerky epilating techniques from our beginning days full of shaking hands and apprehension. I was having issues with my epilator breaking the hair instead of pulling it up, and less-than-smooth skin after epilating. I was on the verge of buying a new one (epilator, not skin) when I realised that the problem was me: I was still using quick, jerky passes instead of slow smooth movements.
Whether the epilator breaks the hair off at skin surface or pulls them out by the root depends greatly upon your epilating technique. Hair that is just broken, not plucked, re-grows the next day just like it would if it were shaved.
Here are tips to epilate right, and get the smoothest skin and longest-lasting results possible:
- Exfoliate before epilating, but not right before. Try a couple of hours or one day earlier. If you do exfoliate right before epilating, keep it dry (see below).
- Don't shower right before since that makes the hair softer and more prone to breaking.
- Drag the epilator slowly along your skin. From ankle to knee it should be a span of 15 seconds. If you go faster the hair will break and it will cause ingrowns. And you'll have to repeat the area more times.
- Hold the skin taut !
- Don't press the epilator down. Touch it lightly on your skin, it will work better.
- Keep the epilator perpendicular to your skin, not at an angle.
- Moisturise after epilation ! Use a gentle ie. fragrance-free and alcohol-free product. I recommend Aloe-vera, or Jojoba oil with a drop of lavender (to soothe the skin).
What are your tips on getting a smooth epilation ?
