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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think those epilator thingies are probably a bit rubbish??

37 replies

ally2006 · 25/04/2011 15:17

.. having not actually tried one? Am now contemplating my pale and interesting (ahem) legs and thinking some heavy-duty hair removal is in order! I have seen the ads for those Epilator hair removal thingies and part of me thinks ooh that would be good, no more messing with a razor or horrible hair removal cream... but surely if the were any good we would all have one?? I have seen one for £50 in Tesco but still seems alot - unless they are good!

Has anyone used/got one and do you like it / does it work / is it (very) painful??

Thanks ladies :)

Ally

OP posts:

QueenAbcinthiaXVI · 25/04/2011 15:21

I have one and I like it. It worked very well and yes it was painful though after a while, I got used to the pain.

Xales · 25/04/2011 15:21

They are fabulous but hurt like fuck the first few times.

I tended to do mine every week after the most had done so it only caught new short ones coming through in batches rather than whole legfuls at a time. Took about 5/10 mins.

Did my under arms too the same way.

BitOfFun · 25/04/2011 15:22

If you imagine ripping your hair out by the roots, and then going over the same area of traumatised skin repeatedly to pick up hairs that defied the ripping out process the first time, then yes, you could see why many people don't choose it as a first option.

bruffin · 25/04/2011 15:25

Yes it hurts but if you take a painkiller 15 minutes before it helps. It is worth it as hairs grow back finer and you do get less of them over the years, same as waxing.
Also the newer ones are less painful than the old ones

Ooopsadaisy · 25/04/2011 15:25

Wonderful things! Does legs/underarms and bikini line. If you want to deal with "underneath area" hair then a proper salon wax is required ie Brazilian or Hollywood.

Have Aloe Vera gel on hand for sore skin the first few times you use it.

Make up own recipe Tendskin to avoid ingrowing hairs (my personal hell). See google for best recipe.

bibbitybobbityhat · 25/04/2011 15:29

Get your legs waxed.

When the hairs start to grow back (after about a week or so?) that's the time to start with an epilator. It is very painful on longer hairs.

Do them every week, takes about 5 mins. Pluck any stubborn ones with a pair of tweezers.

Wipe your legs with cotton wool soaked in face toner afterwards, or tea tree facial wipes.

Ephiny · 25/04/2011 15:31

I use an epilator and find it works very well actually. Not painful once you've done it a few times (in fact wasn't painful at all for me on lower legs, though I had waxed there previously which probably helped).

I think it's the initial pain threshold that's the reason more people don't use them. That, and they're quite expensive compared to buying razors or creams - cheaper in the long run no doubt, but can understand people not wanting to spend that money for something they're not sure they'll get on with.

HecateQueenOfTheNight · 25/04/2011 15:33

yes it hurts. but it's not unbearable.

However, it's supposed to rip hair out at the roots, but it doesn't. it always breaks off at the skin. it does for me anyway.

wotss · 25/04/2011 15:34

Unlike a razor, they may give you ingrown hairs - I ended with red spotty legs & inner thighs & wished I'd never used it.

Pain wasn't an issue - I use it on my underarm stubble with no problem and have lovely smooth skin there with no ingrown hairs or spots.

Makes me wonder if it was bad technique which made it fail so badly with my legs since some people have no problems at all.

bruffin · 25/04/2011 15:37

Wotss. I read to prevent ingrowing hairs make sure you exfoliate the day after. I do get the odd ingrowing hair but not that often.

LaWeasel · 25/04/2011 15:37

It was awful. I couldn't stand it.

But I did only do it once. I can't think for the life of me why anyone would do it repeatedly to discover it doesn't hurt after a while. Perhaps my hairs are just particularly well rooted in, but still...

Have gone back very happily to shaving.

RunnerHasbeen · 25/04/2011 15:42

bibbty is right - wax first then keep on top of the regrowth with an epilator. I made the mistake the first time of just jumping in there and then left it in the drawer for months as I couldn't face using it again. Had legs waxed and tried again, it was easy and I have legs more hair free and smooth than I can ever remember from shaving or (probably not regular enough) waxing.

They work best if you pull the skin as tight as possible, otherwise you can break the hair off instead of pull it out.

Truffkin · 25/04/2011 15:43

Works well for me and I'd say uncomfortable more than painful, I was a waxer before though so think I'd 'practised' enough. I do mine before showering so I can exfoliate (using a shower puff, not a scrub) straight after and then moisturise. It's also really good for my very dry skin as the nobbles on the head of the epilator stimulate circulation to the skin surface. Initial outlay is a chunk but I've been epilating for a year now and am definitely better off than if I'd continued to pay for leg waxing every month.

theDudesmummy · 25/04/2011 15:45

Too painful for me. I threw it out after the second time (tried with and without vodka shot before using, still too painful)

daimbardiva · 25/04/2011 15:53

YABU - epilators are fab! I've just rediscovered mine after my ds helpfully hid it for a couple of months, and I'd really forgotten how much better it is than shaving...and as for the price, £50 is hardly more than 2 leg waxes and I've had my epilator for 4 years now.

It does hurt at first, but no more than waxing, and the pain gets less if you keep doing it regularly. The regrowth also gets much less, and softer.

I say go for it!

sunshineoutdoors · 25/04/2011 15:57

I love my epilator.... have got quite dark hair and had a nightmare with shaving my legs, would have stubble in the evening after shaving in the morning!

Now I have been regularly epilating for a few years my legs always feel smooth and regrowth is slight and soft. I can't recommend enough!

Conflugenglugen · 25/04/2011 15:58

YABU. Just bought one, based on a thread or two I read in Style and Beauty. It worked brilliantly. Hurt like hell for a bit, but if you persevere you work through the pain and it wears off ... probably when the first pain-induced endorphin rush comes on. Either that or I'm a masochist.

teenyweenytadpole · 25/04/2011 15:59

I love mine for my legs, but nowhere else. I don't think it hurts, it's more like a mild stinging. I love not having to shave and not having stubbly legs. I have had ingrowing hairs but exfoliating usually fixes that. It helps to pull the skin a bit taut with the other hand as you do it.

truthisinthewine · 25/04/2011 16:04

I love mine. Did hurt very first time and my legs were covered in those little red spots.

Fine after that. Although I tend to use mine every few days so only a few hairs at a time rather than a whole leg full.
Also do my bikini line with no problems.

Will never ever go back to shaving/waxing now.

TortoiseVEasterBunny · 25/04/2011 16:05

I keep seeing threads on epilators and keep thinking I will buy one but there are so many, what ones ate good? Must look on Ebay to get one cheaper! Must be lots of 'tried and found to painful' descriptions.

SummerRain · 25/04/2011 16:08

I love mine but i'm very lazy about using it.... keep forgetting and then just shaving in the shower

It didn't hurt too much, the first swipe is the worst and then endorphins kick in and you don't really feel it anymore.

SarahStrattonsHotCrossBunnies · 25/04/2011 18:03

I like the endorphin rush [bublush]

rookiemater · 25/04/2011 18:06

I use it but am too much of a coward to use it on bikini line or underarm, so continue to get bikini waxed and shave underarm. However it has probably paid for itself twice over as not having to get legs waxed any more.

MummyDoIt · 25/04/2011 18:10

I love mine and it doesn't hurt at all. Stung a bit the first few times but not what I'd call painful. Agree that you should do it on short hair as longer ones can break off rather than be pulled out. I always do mine before I go to bed as I end up with red spotty legs - the plucked chicken look!

I do get the odd ingrowing hair but I find it strangely satisfying to squeeze them out! I must be very odd!

chocadoodle · 25/04/2011 18:19

I love mine. The first few times I used it I thought it was excrutiatingly painful. In fact I nearly didn't persevere with it at all after the first go. But a friend advised me to hang on in there and now 3 years later I'd never go back to a razor.

You need to exfoliate regularly to prevent any ingrowing hairs, but I used to get more ingrowing ones when I shaved.

After a few goes the pain won't seem as bad and it's well worth it, you can get a good 2 weeks in between each time (but hurts less if you do weekly) before they become noticeable again so saves loads of time.

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