Hair Removal 101: The Best and Worst Techniques, Rated
Smooth sailing
From epilation to shaving to hair erasers, we’re here to help you discern which methods of hair removal are right for you.
Are you sick of nicking yourself when you shave your legs? Have you grown tired of the pain that comes with waxing and epilating? Do you wish there were a better way to get smooth, silky skin? Fret not—we’re here to help.
To help you find the right method for you, we’ve rounded up all the best (and worst) hair removal techniques for your consideration, weighing up the options so that you don’t have to. Ahead, find the full rated tier list.
Shaving
Shaving is typically the first method of hair removal one encounters in life, usually discovered by one’s tween self and carried out in shame behind the locked doors of the family bathroom, with a razor borrowed from the men of the house. It’s easy to get the hang of and is convenient for sure, but, in our humble opinion, it’s nowhere near the best method of hair removal.
Pros:
– Can be done on any part of the body, including pubic, armpit, leg and arm hair.
– Shaving is the most common form of hair removal, so it’s easy find a razor and shaving cream on the go.
– Can get a really close and smooth finish with the right technique, making it a great option in a pinch.
Cons:
– Can be extremely cumbersome and time-consuming, especially if you have a lot of hair.
– The results don’t last long, and growout is usually spiky and coarser-looking.
– Ingrown hairs are inevitable (even with great aftercare!). Plus, inflamed ingrown hairs mixed with aforementioned coarse, spiky growth is made worse tenfold in sensitive areas like the groin or armpit.
Rating: 4/10
Hair removal cream
This is a wholly underrated method of hair removal. The humble hair removal cream is often overlooked in lieu of epilation or shaving, but it’s a really great option for those looking for a quick, no-effort hair removal alternative.
Pros:
– Really easy and convenient to use hair removal cream
– Hair removal cream works really quickly and is generally painless (especially if it’s formulated for sensitive skin).
Cons:
– It’s advised to avoid deodorant for up to 24 hours after using hair removal cream, which puts you at risk of stinky pits.
– For those with especially sensitive skin, hair removal cream may cause irritation. However, this is easily avoided with a simple patch test.
– Hair removal creams are considerably more expensive than other methods of hair removal, such as shaving.
– Hair removal cream cannot be used all over the body.
Rating: 7/10
Epilation
Epilation is a daunting method for most, but it’s a foolproof, cost-effective solution to hair removal. At least, it is once you get past the intimidating, Saw trap appearance of most epilators!
Pros:
– Epilation is an extremely effective, convenient and quick method for hair removal.
– Epilators tend to come with many attachments to cater to different parts of the body and different needs.
– Over time, hair growth is stunted, and there is no stubby regrowth as the epilator removes hair from the follicle root.
– It’s a one-time investment, making it more economical in the long run.
Cons:
– It can be quite painful, especially for those who are not used to waxing, though the pain does improve with repeat use.
– It cannot be used in areas like the groin, so it doesn’t completely replace all hair removal methods.
Rating: 9/10
Waxing
A lazy girl’s dream, waxing is a hands-off, quick way to remove unwanted body hair, whether you’re heading to a professional studio to get your wax or you’re DIY-ing it at home.
Pros:
– Waxing delivers super clean results that last a very long time, and the growout is very fine and thin.
– Can be done all over the body, including sensitive areas like the armpit and groin.
– If you go to a waxing appointment, someone else does all the work for you while you just lie there.
Cons:
– Waxing can be very expensive and time-consuming if you go to a studio.
– At-home waxing strips and kits can also be very expensive.
Rating: 6/10
Laser Hair Removal
If you’re looking for a more permanent solution to your body hair issues and you’re willing to shell out some big bucks, laser hair removal is a great option.
Pros:
– Very long-lasting, smooth results.
– Very hands-off experience, where someone else shaves and lasers you while you kick back and relax.
Cons:
– There is a little discomfort associated with laser, especially in sensitive regions of the body.
– Only works on dark hair as the laser needs contrast to work.
– It is a generally very expensive method of hair removal.
– It’s not fully permanent, and it’s possible that some hair may grow back.
Rating: 8/10
Hair Eraser
A hair eraser, also known as a crystal hair remover, is a handheld, reusable hair removal tool made from a nano-crystalline etched glass surface. It uses friction to remove hair as well as exfoliate your skin, making it a neat two-in-one body care product.
Pros:
– Good, smooth results that leave your skin feeling soft
– Works great on bigger, flatter parts of the body like the arms and legs
– It is an extremely cheap one-time purchase.
Cons:
– Using a hair eraser can be very tiring for the arms (but it’s a great workout nonetheless).
– Hair erasers cannot be used on the whole body.
Rating: 6/10
Tweezing
If you’ve got the time and the patience, tweezing is a great way to remove hair on smaller areas of your body. Just make sure you’re prepared to sit there for hours!
Pros:
– Tweezing is great for small areas of the body like armpits and eyebrows.
– The results of a big tweeze last as long as a wax or an epilation.
– Tweezing each body hair one-by-one is a very meditative process that could be considered a fun activity for couples!
Cons:
– Tweezing can hurt, especially if you’re not used to it. Plus, having to contort your body to be able to get at stubborn hairs is a backache in the making.
– Super slow process to tweeze each individual hair out, and it’s likely you’ll miss spots.
Rating: 6/10
Threading
The roots of threading can be traced back all the way to the ancient Middle East, India, and Central Asia, and it has continued to be a favoured hair removal method. With little more than a piece of thread, you can tackle your brows, pits, and more!
Pros:
– Threading is significantly faster than tweezing.
– It’s not too hard to pick up, so you can do it at home instead of going to a beauty salon.
– It’s very cheap, especially compared to waxing and shaving.
Cons:
– Threading can hurt a lot—almost as much as epilation or tweezing!
Rating: 7/10
Electrolysis
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If you’ve got a hot minute and you’re looking for a very permanent solution to your hair removal woes, look no further than electrolysis. This treatment goes hair by hair, destroying each follicle with an electric current to make sure no growth occurs.
Pros
– Electrolysis is fully permanent, so good luck if you ever want your body hair back! Fortunately, if you’re reading this tier list, we can assume that you don’t.
– You don’t have to do anything during your electrolysis appointment except lie there.
Cons:
– By far the most expensive hair removal method on this list, requiring multiple sessions for perfect results.
– Can be extremely uncomfortable or even painful in sensitive areas.
Rating: 10/10
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