1. Plucking
Safe and cheap as a pair of tweezers, this method is fine to shape brows or pluck a random hair here and there. Plus, it lasts a while — the hairs can take up to a couple of months to grow back. But reserve tweezing for the smallest jobs. Too much plucking can cause scarring or ingrown hairs. Higher-tech tweezer epilators, which use electric current, get rid of more hairs faster. But with the speed comes less precision.
2. Threading
An esthetician skims two twisted cotton threads over your skin to zip off hairs. The effect can last for 4 or 5 weeks. Threading is a good option if you have acne, as it tends not to rile up the skin. Women in Asia and the Middle East have long threaded to remove fine vellus hairs on their faces. While a study found the practice does make the skin smoother and brighter, in the U.S. it’s usually done in smaller spaces like the brows.
