AIBU to want my epilator to give me smooth fucking legs?!

[GammonAndEgg]

I look like a plucked chicken.
What am I doing wrong?

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I don't think epilators work for everybody. They only ever worked on my armpits, never my legs. I'm sure somebody will have an explanation.

[SweetAndFullOfGrace]

They never work for me. I have lots of fine hair, so it all just breaks off.

[Millie3030]

I epilated for about 5 years and to be honest it never made my legs feel smooth, took ages, and hurt!

Do you hate shaving? If you can shave and get smooth legs for a few days I would stick with that. If you can't shave due to ingrown hairs etc, the best things (in my opinion) is laser.

[Fluffyears]

I epilate then shave then it stays smooth for days and I have seriously fast growing leg hair. I can shave in the morning and by the same evening I feel stubbly :( using the epilator then razor I get about a week out of each session. Hate the ingrown hair though I tried wee sorta sandpaper discs that were meant to help but just gave me a rash.

[suzannecanthecan]

after a while the hair follicles die, I have far fewer hairs growing on my legs than I used to!

[UnsolvedMystery]

I love my epilator. I did take quite a while to get the hang of it. At first it hurt so much that I was doing it too quickly and getting a really patchy finish. However, I persevered and it stopped hurting so I got a better result.
I think it does depend on your hair type. I can only use it on my legs.

[GammonAndEgg]

It doesn't hurt, I just look pimply and get bumps and ingrowing hairs. I've used an epilator for years but I can't drop a silk scarf down my leg like they do in the adverts!

[NeedABumChange]

I think you must be doing it too quickly or holding it at the wrong angle. My legs are smooth for weeks and I'm super hairy. I have been doing it on and off for a decade and my leg hair is patchy if I let it grow- a lot of the hairs never grow back anymore.

[NeedABumChange]

Also I was always told to do it after a bath but that makes my legs pimply so I do it after a brisk dog walk- idea behind this is that it's easier to pull a horses mane after exercise and maybe it's similar for us. To do with the capillaries having more oxygen maybe?

[SanityClause]

I shave my legs from just above the knee, every day in the bath. It takes maybe two minutes. There's no pain, and my legs are silk scarf droppingly smooth.

[WoweeZowee]

My epilator experience is one of pimply, spotty and ingrown-haired legs. I was most disappointed and have since returned to my trusty razor!

[Minshu]

I persevered with an epilation for years but the situation never improved from your description. I now have a Phillips Lumea IPL and, although not yet completely hair free, my legs are smoother than ever with just occasional shaving.

[AmateurSeamstress]

I'm another ex-epilator. It worked for a couple of years but the ingrown hairs got gradually worse and worse, and so itchy I scratched the top layer of my skin off.

It was best when I started with a wax and then epilated weekly, so I never had to deal with loads of hair.

[FoulsomeAndMaggotwise]

I found it helps to exfoliate too. I would epilate, exfoliate and grease up with moisturisor.

notice this is all past tense, i go hairy now!

[GammonAndEgg]

I'm going to keep trying. Slowly!

[CookieWarbler]

I had the worst hairy legs ever. Waxing only ever lasted 10 days tops and resulted in ingrowing hairs and itchy skin, ditto with the epilator. I wouldn't get my legs out in the summer unless it was roasting as my legs always looked like they had a bloody 5 o'clock shadow. I bought a Philips Lumea (2nd hand ebay as they're flipping expensive) and now I never have to shave my legs and only have to zap them with the Lumea once every couple of months. I have smooth, hair free legs all the time. If you have pale skin and dark hair OP, ditch the epilator and go for an IPL device.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

I am terrified of my epilator.



I bought it in a fit of beauty gadget blindness about 5 years ago. Used it 3 times in that period and every time I have almost passed out with the pain of it. Horrible. Fucking thing. Luckily it has a shaver/trimmer head on it too, so not a totally useless £100 pissed up the wall

[thecatneuterer]

I can't understand what you're all saying. My epilator counts as one of my best ever purchases. It's very quick, doesn't hurt at all and leaves my legs completely smooth.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

I really want an ill thing but fear it will end up being another waste of money beauty gadget like the

Epilator
Clarisonic
Fancy hair straighteners
Heated beachy hair waver thing
BBH

[camelfinger]

Does the lumea hurt? I never get completely smooth legs with either the epilator or waxing. Shaving leaves me with stubble after a day and never feel really smooth unless I use a new blade.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

"Ill thing?" Wtf is my iPad on? That should've said "IPL thing"

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

I thought it was normal for your legs to go all pimply straight after epilating.

Mine look very pimply 1to 6 hours after epilating, then they stay pretty smooth for a week.

[CynthiaRose]

My legs also look shit after epilating. I woder if it is something to do with the kind of skin you have? Mine is dry and sensitive.

[CookieWarbler]

I think my Lumea is either a Precision IPL or the IPL hair removal system. Helpfully the stuff that came with it in the box doesn't say
It doesn't hurt, it flashes light onto the skin and I've only ever winced slightly when getting to a sensitive bit on my bikini line. It's soooo much less painful than the epilator. It took a while to work and I thought it was a waste of money for a while but I persevered (shaving in between sessions which are every two weeks to start with) and after about 2 ish months I saw a difference and went down to using it less. Downside is the expense but worth every penny IMO.