Nobody loves tweezing, but it shouldn't leave you wincing or with angry, red skin. A few small tweaks can make a big difference.
1. Tweeze after a warm shower
Warm water softens the skin and relaxes your pores, so hairs slip out more easily. No time for a shower? Hold a warm, damp cloth over the area for a minute or two first. It's the biggest comfort upgrade on this list.
2. Keep skin taut and pull with the growth
Use your free hand to pull the skin tight, then grip close to the root and pull slowly in the direction the hair grows. Yanking or going against the grain hurts more and can snap hairs off, which can lead to ingrown hairs. One hair at a time also means more precision and less tugging.
3. Start clean
Wipe your tweezers with rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant wipe, and wash your hands and the area you're tweezing. It keeps things hygienic and helps avoid irritation and breakouts.
4. Check your tweezers (the sneaky one)
If tweezing has started to hurt more than it used to, your tweezers might be the culprit. Dull or misaligned tips slip off hairs, squash them, or only catch part of them, so you end up going in for a second and third try, and every extra attempt means more irritation.
You don't need a new pair. A quick pass with a tweezer sharpener like TweezerFile brings the tips back to a crisp, precise grip. Not sure if yours need it? Try picking up a single fine hair. If it slips away, it's time.
5. Finish with a little TLC
Soothe the skin with a cooling gel, a dab of aloe vera, or a fragrance-free moisturiser, and go easy on heavy makeup for a bit. Give your tweezers a quick wipe before putting them away.
The quick recap
Warm the skin, keep it taut, pull with the growth, start clean, keep your tweezers sharp, and soothe afterwards. Do that and tweezing becomes quicker and a lot more comfortable.
Got a tweezing tip that works for you? Share it with us on social media, we'd love to hear it!
Photo by Reece van der Merwe