How to Pluck Facial Hair

Co-authored by Marlon Rivas

Last Updated: September 22, 2024 References

If you have unwanted facial hair, plucking offers a cheap and effective way to deal with this problem. In order to make the process of plucking your hairs as pain-free and efficient as possible, there are steps you’ll need to take. First, you’ll want to make your skin receptive to plucking. Second, you’ll want to have a good pair of tweezers, and use a good technique when plucking the hair. Finally, you can take steps to soothe your skin to get rid of any pain, redness, and inflammation that might occur.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing for Plucking

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1
Clean your skin. It is important to start with clean skin because dirt and bacteria can get into the pores where you have plucked the hair and cause breakouts. Additionally, you will probably be touching your face with your hands, so it’s good to start with a clean palette.
- Use a mild facial cleanser and lukewarm running water. Begin by splashing a bit of water on your face so it is wet. Then apply a dime-sized amount of cleanser. Use your fingertips to gently massage the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. When you are finished, rinse the skin thoroughly using fresh, lukewarm, running water.
- If you don’t have time to wash your face properly, you can also apply a bit of toner or micellar water to a cotton ball and gently swipe it all over your face to remove some of the bacteria and dirt on your skin.
- Don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face!
2
Place a warm washcloth over your face. Your pores will already be a bit more open if you have washed your face. However, applying a warm wet washcloth to the skin will help open up the pores even more. You want your pores to be as open as possible. This will make it easier to pull out the hair.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist

Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- A good time to pluck your facial hair is right after a shower, since your pores will have been opened already by the warm water and steam.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Marlon Rivas
  Facial Hair Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- Make sure the warm washcloth is not too hot. You want to open your pores, but you don’t want to burn your skin.
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3
Dry the skin thoroughly. Wet skin can make it difficult to grasp the hairs; therefore, it is important to make sure you dry your skin well. Use a clean towel, and gently pat your skin dry.
- Avoid rubbing your skin to dry it. This can cause irritation and redness.
4
Apply a small amount of powder to the skin. Applying a talcum powder to the skin where you plan to pluck will help remove any excess moisture, but it will also make it easier to see the hair.
- Just take a tiny amount of powder and gently rub it onto the skin using your fingers. You don’t need to rub it in completely, just enough so that it sticks.
- Talcum powder comes in lots of products, but you may know talcum powder as “baby powder.” If you don’t want to use talcum powder, you can use a different product such as corn starch or even a bit of powdered foundation that will make the hair stand out from your skin.

Part 2

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Plucking The Hair

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1
Use slanted tweezers. You may not realize it, but there are actually three different types of tweezers. Slanted tweezers are great for plucking hair. The end of this tweezer will be flat, but will be slanted down at an angle. This is ideal for plucking hairs, especially if they grow close to the skin.^{[3]
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- Other types of tweezers include needle-nosed tweezers and a hybrid version which is pointed at the tip, but also has a slanted edge. You may be able to manage plucking a stray hair with these in a pinch, but having a pair of slanted tweezers for regular use will be ideal.
- To be extra careful, you can clean your tweezers with a bit of rubbing alcohol before each plucking session.
2
Draw lines to help guide you. If you are trying to pluck all the hairs in a particular area (e.g. your chin or above your lip), this may not be necessary. However, if you’re plucking an area where you want to leave some hairs behind (e.g. eyebrows), drawing guidelines can help keep you from overplucking.
- There are different ways to do this. For example, if you are trying to shape your eyebrows, use a brow pencil and shape your eyebrows the way that you want them to look. Then, all you have to do is pluck the hairs that stand outside of the desired shape.
- You can also use a makeup pencil that contrasts with your skin. For example, if you are trying to shape your sideburns into a particular shape, you can use the pencil to draw the guidelines. Then, simply pluck the hairs that are on the wrong side of the line and leave the rest.
3
Pluck the hair with the grain. When you’re ready to pluck a hair, use the tweezers to grab the hair as close to the base as possible. Then, pull the hair quickly from the skin in the direction it grows. This will make the hair come out as easily as possible.
- If you pull the hair in the opposite direction that it grows, you will probably experience more pain than necessary as it is more difficult to pull the hair out this way.
- Do your best to grab the hair as close to the base as possible without pinching your skin. This will make the process as painless as possible. Additionally, if you don’t grab it from the base, the hair may simply break off when you pull leaving you with stubble.
- Place your finger against the skin where you are plucking the hair to keep it from stretching. This will help to ensure that it stays taut and minimize discomfort when you pluck the hair.
4
Use a mirror in a well-lit spot. You may think you should use a magnified mirror so that you can see every little hair, but this can lead to overplucking. Instead, use a mirror that is in a very well-lit area.^{[4]
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- If you can’t see the hair easily in front of a well-lit mirror, then neither can anyone else.
5
Check your work. If your plucking the hairs while sitting or standing very close to a mirror, there is a danger that you will lose sight of the bigger picture (your face), and overpluck. This is especially true if you are plucking your eyebrows, and you want them to be even.
- Pluck a few hairs and then lean back to take in your whole face. When it comes to plucking eyebrows and sideburns especially, less is more. Check after every few hairs to make sure you aren’t overdoing it.

Part 3

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Soothing Your Skin

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1
Splash cool water on the skin. This will help soothe your skin where you have plucked the hairs, and it will also help to reduce redness and inflammation. You don’t need to wash your face with soap again, just simply splash the cool water on, and pat the skin dry gently.
- If you don’t want to dry the skin with a towel, you can also let it air dry.
2
Apply aloe vera. Aloe vera is commonly sold in stores to treat sunburns, but it has many other uses. If you have a bottle of Aloe vera, rub a tiny amount onto the skin where you have plucked to help get rid of any pain and redness.^{[5]
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- If you have an Aloe vera plant at home, you can cut off a tip of one of the leaves and use the clear gel that comes out. This is the same thing they sell in stores, but it doesn’t have any of the added chemicals and colorings of commercial products.
3
Apply a cold compress. If you are feeling a lot of pain after plucking, applying a cold compress to the area will feel soothing, and may also be helpful in reducing any inflammation.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist

Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- If you are using a cold compress or ice cubes, be sure to wrap them in a towel. Applying something that cold directly to the skin can cause an ice burn, which is just as painful and dangerous as a burn caused by heat.^{[7]
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4
Apply a cortisone cream. If you are worried about swelling, you can apply an over the counter cortisone cream to the area. This will help reduce swelling.^{[8]
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- Be careful when applying a cortisone around the eye. If it gets in your eye, it could cause irritation.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Is it safe to pluck facial hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Yes, plucking is a very safe method of hair removal for men and women. Just grasp each hair firmly as close to the root as possible and pull in a smooth motion. Women's facial hair is often softer than men's and easier to tweeze.

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Can you permanently remove hair by plucking it?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Unless you damage the follicle, tweezing is not a permanent solution. Hair that is plucked will grow back. You may notice some reduction in density over time.

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Question

Will plucking facial hair eventually lead to permanent hair removal?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Tweezing can sometimes damage the follicle, but generally it doesn't lesson the hair's density or thickness the way waxing does and it isn't permanent.

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Tips

Skin is more sensitive right before and during your period, so you may want to avoid plucking then.^{[9]
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Remember to always wash your face before removing any hair as this helps prevents dirt and bacteria from entering the pores where you have plucked the hair and cause breakouts. Additionally, make sure to use a new washcloth and wash your face daily.

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Warnings

If you are plucking your eyebrows, be sure not to overpluck! Unless you are going for very thin eyebrows, it is best to keep your brows as natural looking as possible. If you aren’t sure how to shape your brows, consider going to a salon or brow bar at first. They will show you how to shape your eyebrows correctly.

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