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I’ll be honest, when I was tasked with this story – to find the best epilator on the market – I was dreading it. As a hairy female with a low pain threshold, I had until this point been too scared to try them. But having taken the plunge and tested all of them, I am now a convert. It’s relatively cheap, doesn’t result in too many ingrown hairs, hurts less than waxing, and the results last a long time.
So what exactly is an epilator and how does it work? Dr Mia Jing Gao, Consultant Dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, explains: “An epilator removes hair from the roots and is used as an alternative to waxing or shaving. The most common type is the tweezer epilator, which uses rotating tweezers on a wheel to pull hairs.”
Unlike shaving, which trims the hair to skin level – resulting in smoothness that barely lasts 24 hours – epilating lasts for weeks. “Compared with shavers, epilation is also less likely to cause cuts and is more suitable for sensitive areas like the groin,” Dr Gao adds. Indeed, I have never managed to shave my bikini line without prompting an angry rash, and I didn’t experience that with any of the epilators I tested.
Another hair removal method is the IPL laser; an at-home technology that has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. “These handheld devices use pulses of light energy to damage the hair follicle,” Dr Gao says. “The effects are not immediate and initially you will need to use it weekly, but over time with IPL use, you should see much less hair regrowth.”
There are not as many epilators or IPLs on the market as you might think. A few brands dominate the market. I’ve tried them all and you can read my reviews further down, followed by some advice on how to use them. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five:
Which are the best epilators in 2024? At a glance
How to find the best epilator for you
For legs, you’ll want a full-sized model which can cover a decent area quickly. If you’re venturing beyond the knicker line, though, only a smaller head will tackle the grooves, so make sure your device comes with this attachment.
Aside from this, consider whether you’ll want to use yours in the bath or shower. Many newer models are fully waterproof now (though tend to be more expensive) so enable you to epilate when wet – doing so in a hot bath, for example, opens the pores and lessens the pain.
One word of caution from Dr Gao on choosing a model: “I always advise that you try the device out on a small patch of skin first.”
Finally, be aware that all the epilators I tested came with very specific power cables that render the devices useless if you lose them, so be careful with that. And don’t buy into any marketing blurb that promises ‘pain-free’ or even a ‘less painful’ experience. You are running dozens of fast-moving tweezers over your hair: no matter how flashy the device, you’re going to feel it.
How I tested the best epilators
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