10+ Proven Tips to Make Epilating Less Painful

Co-authored by Alicia Ramos and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 10, 2023 References

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Epilators are a great alternative to tweezing or waxing—but man, using one can be uncomfortable! If you’ve tried epilating before and are considering giving up because of the pain, there are a few things you can do to make your experience a little less excruciating. The good news is that epilation gets less painful every time you do it, so practice makes perfect!

1

Take a painkiller 45 minutes before you start.

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Painkillers can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Try taking ibuprofen or aspirin before you start epilating to help with the pain.
- If you forget to take a painkiller before epilating, you can take one afterwards to help reduce the swelling.
- Always follow the dosage recommendation on the back of the bottle.

2

Take a warm bath or shower before epilating.

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When you’re warm, your pores are more open, which makes epilating hurt less. Indulge in a soothing, warm shower or bath before you begin.^{[1]
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- As a bonus, your skin needs to be clean before you start epilating, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
- Soaking in warm water also helps loosen the follicles, which means you'll have to do fewer passes overall.^{[2]
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3

Exfoliate your skin.

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Lots of dry skin can make the epilator hurt more. Rub an exfoliating cream over your legs, face, or arms, then rinse it off thoroughly.^{[3]
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- This is especially important for areas on your face, since those tend to get the driest.
- You can use a chemical exfoliator or a physical one; it’s your choice!
- It can feel like a habit to put lotion on after exfoliating, but save that until after you’re done epilating. Lotions and body butters can clog your epilator up.
- Exfoliating beforehand also helps the device get closer to the skin (every fraction of a millimeter counts here).^{[5]
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4

Get your skin wet if your epilator is waterproof.

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If your epilator is waterproof, use it in the shower or the bath. Make sure your skin is dripping wet before you start.^{[6]
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- The moisture will help the epilator glide over your skin more easily, leading to less pain and irritation.
- If your epilator isn’t waterproof, make sure your skin is really dry to avoid damaging your device.

5

Use a numbing cream.

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Topical numbing cream can reduce pain by numbing your skin. Look for over the counter cream with Lidocaine in it, then spread a pea-sized amount on the area you're going to epilate.
- Numbing creams can get kind of expensive, so save them for the really painful areas of your body, like your face and bikini line.
- Always read the instructions on your numbing cream before you use it.

6

Set the epilator at the lowest speed.

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Going too fast can lead to a lot of pulling and tearing. When you first start out, set your epilator to the lowest speed by moving the dial on the side.
- Using a low speed will also help you get a closer, smoother tweeze.
- If you feel like your speed needs an adjustment, you can turn it up after a few minutes.
- It also helps to start on a less sensitive area, like the calf area of your leg. This helps you get used the sensation.^{[7]
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7

Hold the epilator at a 90-degree angle from your body.

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Tilting it too much could lead to pulling and tearing. Make sure your epilator sticks straight out when you first put it on your skin.^{[8]
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- It can also help to start in an area that isn’t as sensitive, like your lower leg. Then you can work up to more sensitive areas, like your bikini line.

8

Pull your skin taut.

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This will give the epilator a smoother surface to work on. Use your free hand to hold your skin tight against your body as you go.^{[9]
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- This is especially important in areas that have looser skin, like your face.
- It will also help the epilator grab shorter hairs in hard-to-reach places.

9

Keep going.

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The more often you use your epilator, the less it will hurt. Try to use your epilator every time you remove hair to get your skin used to it.^{[11]
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- Take a break in the middle of epilating if you need to!
- Your first time epilating is always the worst, but it can only get better from here.

10

Soothe your skin with aloe vera after epliating.

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Your skin might look a little red and bumpy afterwards, and that’s okay. Use a bit of pure aloe vera or aloe vera based moisturizer to soothe any stinging or burning.^{[12]
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- Most skin irritation disappears overnight. If you don’t want to deal with red skin during the day, try epilating close to bedtime.
- Make sure the moisturizer you’re using doesn’t have alcohol in it, as that can irritate your skin more.
- Try to avoid using scented products for the first 24-48 hours while the skin heals, as your skin will be extremely sensitive (it may even bleed a little).^{[13]
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11

Do small touch ups throughout the week.

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Epilating a small area is usually less painful than a big one. If you notice a few stray hairs here and there, epilate them as you see them. That way, you can avoid epilating your entire body at once.^{[14]
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- Some hair might grow faster than others, so you could vary which parts of your body that you epilate.
- If your hair is growing back faster than it normally does after epilating, it might be because you snapped the hairs instead of pulling them up by the roots.

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Tips

If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, exfoliate your skin a few days after you epilate.^{[15]
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Warnings

If your epilator isn’t waterproof, make sure your skin is fully dry before you start to avoid breaking your epilator.^{[16]
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