7 Best Facial Hair Removal Products for Women, Tested & Reviewed

After years of being unsatisfied with my base makeup and countless tweaks to my skin care routine, I realized the answer to my problem was simple: I just needed to find the best facial hair remover. I learned that a fine layer of peach fuzz (a.k.a. vellus) was one of the culprits behind my cakey-looking complexion. This discovery led me down a rabbit hole of at-home hair removal methods, including waxing, tweezing, dermaplaning, and epilating.

In my hunt to find the best option, I turned to skin-care experts, makeup artists, and fellow beauty editors for their recommendations. The top pick overall was the Flamingo Refillable Dermaplane Razor, which editors love for its ultra-sharp, refillable, and reusable blade, as well as its weighty handle that makes it feel way more expensive than its $14 price tag lets on. In testing, I also fell in love with the Dermaflash Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning, an electric razor that whisks away hair, peach fuzz, and dead skin cells without irritation or nicks. Keep reading for in-depth reviews of the hair removal products that got our seal of approval.

The best facial hair removers for women, at a glance

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Best Overall: Flamingo Refillable Dermaplane Razor

Courtesy of brand
Original photo from Alexandra Pauly testing Flamingo Refillable Dermaplane Razor

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Flamingo Refillable Dermaplane Razor

$18

Amazon

Pros: Fast, effective, under $20
Cons: Some reviewers wish the razor folded shut instead of having a protective plastic cap that can fall off

This under-$20 face razor is a top pick among our testers. Skeptical about taking a blade to your face? “Shaving is the most effective with the least side effects for removing hair, which is great if you have sensitive skin,” says Melanie Abeyta, an aesthetic nurse practitioner, licensed master injector, longevity coach, and owner of Harmony Aesthetics Center.

While you can find alternatives for cheaper, it’s worth spending a few extra bucks on this pick. “I used to use disposable dermaplane razors—you know, the ones you can buy on Amazon for $5 a pack,” says Alexandra Pauly, founder of forthcoming luxury pet grooming brand Biche. “But since switching to Flamingo’s refillable version, I haven’t looked back. With a weighted handle and a super sharp blade, this razor feels luxe and sweeps away markedly more hair and dead skin than the disposable razors of my past.” She says each blade lasts through multiple shaves as long as you pop the protective cover on between uses.

Glamour contributor Mary Honkus seconds Pauly’s recommendation. “My peach fuzz can get really annoying. I know no one else notices it, but it bothers me and I know it’s time to grab my trusty dermaplaner when my makeup starts looking patchy,” she says. The Flamingo tool feels—and looks—luxe without the high-end price tag. I like how weighty it is, and the non-slip grip is a nice touch. I’m able to shave away all the fuzzies, and exfoliate in the process—and it takes less than five minutes.”

Best Electric Face Shaver: Dermaflash Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning

Original photo from AW testing Dermaflash Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning

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Dermaflash Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning

$199

Amazon

$200

Sephora

Pros: Gives a super-close shave; easy to use; effective exfoliant, cute packaging
Cons: Expensive; blades not recommended for multiple uses

I’ve had my eye on this electric dermaplaner for a while now, and my interest was further piqued when Abeyta called the tool “a foolproof way to remove excess hair without fear of nicking the skin.” After several weeks of testing, it’s a new staple in my routine. The Dermaflash Luxe+ comes with a charging cord, a light exfoliating gel for skin prep, and four blades. It has two levels of intensity that you can switch between with the press of a button. I have sensitive skin, so I stuck to the most gentle mode. Each time I used it, I was amazed by how soft, smooth, and, most importantly, hair-free my skin was. I realized I preferred using an electric trimmer over a manual tool because there’s less risk of nicking myself. Used with the included prep or another light moisturizer, the blade glides, not drags, across my skin for fuzz-free results every time. My complexion is glowing, my makeup isn’t cakey, and most importantly, I don’t have to worry about the hair on my cheeks, chin, or upper lip.

There’s just one issue—the brand recommends swapping the blade each time you shave. The refill kit is $29 for a four-week supply or $87 for twelve weeks. To avoid repurchasing a refill kit, I’ve been going against the brand’s instructions by carefully cleansing used blades with an alcohol wipe—so far, they’ve still worked well and I haven’t had any irritation.

Best Facial Hair Removal for Upper Lip: Finishing Touch Flawless Painless Hair Remover

Original photo from Alanna Martine Kilkeary testing Finishing Touch Flawless Women’s Painless Hair Remover

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Finishing Touch Flawless Painless Hair Remover

$20 $14

Amazon

Pros: Discreet, travel-friendly, allows for precision
Cons: Some reviewers find the blades and storage compartment difficult to clean

This battery-powered electric trimmer removes hair, dead skin cells, and peach fuzz quickly and without pain. “The hand piece is tiny, so it gets in tiny spaces, like the nose, ears, and around the brows,” says Abeyta. It also has an LED light to allow you to quickly spot stray hairs in more discreet areas, as well as a storage compartment at the bottom for all of the hairs.

Glamour commerce editor Alanna Martine Kilkeary is a longtime fan of this electric razor. “I’ve been using this hair remover for years now, and no matter what other device I try, I always go back to this one,” she says. “It’s completely painless, easy to use, and totally ergonomic, making it easy to get into any crevices like around the nose and upper lip. It takes no time at all, and I always use it to buzz off any peach fuzz before makeup application—it leaves my skin soft, velvety, and never irritated.”

Best Tweezers: Tweezerman Slant Tweezers

Original photo from Ariel Wodarcyk testing Tweezerman Slant Tweezer

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Tweezerman Slant Tweezer

$25

Amazon

$22

Sephora

$25

Ulta

Pros: Effective, precise, and easy to use
Cons: Takes a bit of practice; hold these at a slight angle for best results

My mom, who has coarse, curly brows, has relied on the Mini Slant Tweezers for eyebrow touch-ups for the past 20 years. “They’re the sharpest, best tweezers I’ve ever bought,” she says. “Quick, precise, and no pain.”

She introduced me to the tweezers when I was in high school, and they’re since become my go-to for whenever I go too long between a brow-threading appointment, too. The slanted tip is comfortable to use and removes every hair right from the follicle—seriously, I can see the bulb come out each time I pluck, and it’s so satisfying. Every brow artist I’ve asked swears by these, too.

Best Drugstore Electric Face Shaver: Gillette Venus Mini Facial Hair Remover

Courtesy of brand

Gillette Venus Mini Facial Hair Remover

$25

Amazon

Pros: Gentle, easy to use, travel-friendly
Cons: Requires multiple rounds to remove hair, better for smaller areas

Abeyta recommends this shaver “because it’s small enough to travel with and glides easily around the contour of your face targeting fine facial hair.” The device is battery-powered and comes with a tiny, dual-ended brush you can use to clean the head between uses. It’s also equipped with an LED light so you can easily spot stray eyebrow and chin hairs.

I particularly liked this option for shaving smaller areas of my face, like the tiny hairs closest to my upper lip or the fuzz between my brows. The blades were gentle and didn’t drag, even when I forgot to prep my skin with a cream or serum before use. Because of its size and gentleness, though, it was less effective at quickly removing peach fuzz on the larger planes of my face, like my cheeks. Still, I’ll definitely pop this in my makeup bag before my next trip.

Best At-Home Wax: Sliick At Home Microwave Waxing Kit

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Original photo from Alanna Martine Kilkeary testing Sliick At Home Microwave Waxing Kit

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Sliick At Home Microwave Waxing Kit

$23 $17

Amazon

Pros: Gentle, good for those with a low pain tolerance, doesn’t require a wax warmer or strips
Cons: May take some trial and error to get the wax perfectly melted

This kit contains everything you need to wax at home: hard wax beads, a microwaveable cup, and a reusable applicator. Unlike soft wax, which requires cloth strips to rip the hairs out, this wax is applied directly to the skin and hardens into a strip of its own. Dr. King prefers hard wax because it “adheres to the hairs, rather than to the skin,” so you can wax regularly with less risk of irritation. “It’s gentler, less painful, and less messy, because it’s easier to remove and there won’t be a residue left behind,” she says. “I particularly like the hard waxing products from Sliick because they are fun and easy to use, as well as safe and effective.”

Glamour’s Kilkeary doubles down on this wax’s gentle claims. “I’ve found this wax to be extremely effective and pain-free since the very first time I tried it,” she says. “I have a low pain tolerance (especially when waxing my bikini area), and this was probably the most comfortable wax I’ve ever used—it barely stings! I’d recommend this to anyone who has a lower pain tolerance or finds waxing uncomfortable in general.”

Best Dermaplane: Kitsch Dermaplaning Tool

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Original photo from Ariel Wodarcyk testing Kitsch Dermaplaning Tool

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Kitsch Dermaplaning Tool

Amazon

Pros: Easy to use, inexpensive, comes in a multi-pack
Cons: Best for small areas of the face

“This is a great tool for removing facial hair and dead skin. Plus, the handle is angled for ease of use around the face,” says Abeyta. Compared to other plastic dermaplaners I’ve tried, this one had slightly more weight to it, which made it feel sturdier and easier to navigate around the corners of my mouth and brows. In a pinch, this is a fast, effective way to slough off dead skin cells and remove small amounts of facial hair, especially if you just want to do a quick touch-up before you apply makeup. For larger areas of the face, I still find using an electric shaving tool to be faster and gentler.

Your questions about facial hair removers, answered

Which method is best for facial hair removal for women?

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The best hair removal method will vary based on your skin type and where you’re looking to remove hair. Here are a few of the most popular options.

Dermaplaning

“Dermaplaning is the use of a single-blade razor on dry skin. It is a way to exfoliate, getting rid of the top layer of dead skin cells and those pesky, fine vellus hairs,” says Jodi Logerfo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, a doctor of nursing practice and family nurse practitioner at Orentreich Medical Group. She recommends dermaplaning as a gentle option to remove hair on all skin types.

Oilplaning

“Oilplaning is dermaplaning after the application of an oil. It is considered a gentler way to dermaplane,” says Dr. Logerfo. “Some benefits of oilplaning is that the razor glides more easily after the oil is applied (as opposed to using a dermaplaning razor on dry, rough skin). It more gently removes dead skin cells and facial hair and is a great way to dermaplane on older skin or skin that is more sensitive.”

Tweezing

Tweezers are intended to precisely pluck individual stray hairs. They’re great for removing stray hairs on the chin or upper lip, as well as the brows. They are not recommended for removing peach fuzz or for use on large areas.

Waxing

“Waxing eliminates both vellus and terminal hairs (the dark, thick hair that covers our body). It is longer-lasting than shaving or chemical depilatories because the hairs are removed from the bulb,” says Dr. Logerfo. “Some advantages to waxing include that it can slow the rate of regrowth compared to shaving or depilatories and it is advantageous to wax larger areas.”

When waxing your face at home, Dr. Logerfo recommends exercising caution. “Some issues that can occur after waxing include folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicle), burns, irritation to the skin, and allergies,” she says. If you are on Accutane, she recommends avoiding waxing altogether. If you use retinol, it’s recommended to discontinue use several days before and after you wax.

Epilating

Epilators use hundreds of tiny tweezers to pull multiple hairs from the root at once. The higher the tweezer head count, the faster the epilator will be able to remove the hairs. Epilators are typically preferred for removing body hair rather than facial hair, since they’re bigger than most facial trimmers. There are also cream-based epilators, also known as depilatory creams, which dissolve hair at the root.

What hair removal method is best for before makeup?

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“I absolutely recommend dermaplaning,” says makeup artist Shreni Patel. “Because it gently takes off excess hair and dead skin cells, it creates a better canvas for not only makeup but better skincare absorption. Makeup goes on so much smoother and doesn’t cling to any peach fuzz or skin patches. My favorite part is that you can do it at home—and it’s painless.”

How do you prepare for facial hair removal?

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Proper prep is essential for avoiding irritation and ingrown hairs, whether you choose to shave, wax, or pluck. “You should always cleanse the area you are going to remove the hair from thoroughly with a gentle cleanser,” says Dr. Logerfo. “Lightly exfoliating is also helpful. You can do this the day before hair removal.” If you plan to shave or dermaplane, you can apply an oil or a light moisturizer before doing so.

As for waxing, you should only apply wax to clean, dry skin in order for the wax to adhere properly. “Before waxing, make sure your hair is about one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch long,” says Hadley King, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Hadley King Dermatology. “Trim it if it’s longer to make the process less messy and painful.” Heat up the wax according to the package instructions, then test a small amount on your wrist before applying to your face. “It should feel warm but should not hurt or burn”, says Dr. King.

Meet the experts:

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Melanie Abeyta, an aesthetic nurse practitioner, licensed master injector, longevity coach, and owner of Harmony Aesthetics Center
Jodi Logerfo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, a doctor of nursing practice and family nurse practitioner at Orentreich Medical Group
Shreni Patel, a makeup artist
Hadley King, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Hadley King Dermatology

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