Tweezing for hair removal

Tweezers via Wikimedia
Basic facts

Description: Metal forceps used manually to pull hairs out by the root, one or a few at a time.

Advantages: Very useful for eyebrows or stray hairs on face.

Disadvantages:

  • Should not be used for nose hairs. Always trim nose hairs to avoid potentially dangerous infections.
  • Can be painful.
  • Difficult for large areas.
  • May cause ingrown hairs.
  • May cause pitting or scarring.
  • Requires use of mirror.
  • Some areas are difficult to do yourself.
  • Care must be taken when shaping brows: one or two hairs can make a big difference in brow shape.
Purchasing information
  • $2.00 – $30.00

I rarely make a wholehearted recommendation, but I feel the best tweezers are made by Tweezerman. Their products are really first rate, and they offer realigning and resharpening on many models. I prefer the wide grip slant models:

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Background facts

Government regulation:

  • Many states require a cosmetologist or aesthetician’s license to do hair removal like tweezing.

Care Tips on Tweezers

  • Clean Tweezers after each use.
  • Disinfect tips of tweezers in alcohol.
  • Protect the tips of tweezers with cap and keep in storage box or tube.
  • Spring tension can be increased by gently pulling the two halves of the tweezer apart. Once you have increased the spring, you cannot decrease it.
  • Never drop tweezers. Dropping will dull the tip and throw your tweezers out of alignment.

Five Easy Steps To Accurate Tweezing

1. Brush hair in the direction of hair growth.
2. Isolate the hair you are about to tweeze.
3. Tweeze in the direction of hair growth.
4. Pull one hair at a time.
5. Pull gently and smoothly, making sure not to yank.

Shaping Your Brows

The shape of your brow should follow the natural line of your brow bone. The arch should be highest at the outer corner of the pupil. To determine where the brow should begin, place a pencil straight up from the side of the nostril. To determine where it should end, hold the pencil diagonally against the outer corner of the eye pointing up to the brow bone. Brow should extend slightly beyond the eye at which point it should taper slightly down.

Not Sure How Much to Tweeze?

Be sure to step back from your mirror and check your brows periodically. Tweeze a few hairs from one brow and then the other so they remain symmetrical. Remember that it’s better to tweeze too little than too much.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do tweeze in the direction of hair growth.
  • Do open your pores with a hot washcloth to make tweezing easier.
  • Do use a make-up concealer to draw your desired brow shape, then tweeze the hairs that fall below the line.
  • Don’t use creams or moisturizers that can cause the tweezer to slip.
  • Don’t tweeze nose hairs or hairs growing out of moles.

How to Keep Your Brows Looking Great Every Day of the Year

Try what make-up artists and beauty professionals use and recommend. Browmousse will keep groomed brows in place with the flick of the wand. The clear, non-sticky gel styles and conditions brows beautifully. Hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free.