With so many different hair removal techniques available at your disposal in the beauty scene, women often want to know what are the primary differences and pros and cons between epilating and shaving. In this hair removal guide, we summarize our findings from our extensive research/case study and compare epilating and shaving.

We’ll present an unbiased viewpoint of the pros and cons of each hair removal technique, provide you with helpful advice and tips, and help you make a more informed decision when choosing one technique over another. In our analysis, we consider several key factors, including hair regrowth time between sessions, convenience – time to complete and ease of hair removal, pain, smoothness of skin, best areas of use, and price.

Epilating

PROS:

• Hair Grows Back Thinner, Slower, Less Noticeably
• Skin Looks and Feels Smoother than Shaving
• Long-Term Hair Removal Solution – Provides Lasting Smoothness Up To 4 Weeks
• Cost-Effective Solution
• No Prickly Stubble Since Hair Is Removed At Root
• Tolerance To Pain Gets Better Over Time
• Can Perform On Own
• Don’t Suffer From Embarrassing Dark Shadow
• Not Just For Legs – May be used on Arms, Upper Lip, Sideburns, Bikini Line, and More
• Suitable For Sensitive Skin

CONS:

• Painful Initially
• May Cause Ingrown Hairs
• May Initially Cause Redness and Bumpiness
• Need Time To Perform
• Devices Can Be Difficult To Clean
• Noise Levels Can Be Intimidating For First-Time Users

Most users admit that epilating is painful at first – it’s not something that will bring you to tears although some have gone as far as calling it torture – but it leaves your skin nice and smooth far longer than shaving, so the results are well worth it. Epilators are more of a long-term solution for hair removal since they provide lasting smoothness up to 4 weeks and hair grows back less noticeably. [7] Epilating is suitable for those with sensitive skin and those who are new to epilating. [7] Just brace yourself for the initial discomfort (it’s bearable), which will get better with regular use.

Initially, redness and bumpiness are normal after the first couple of uses but eventually they should disappear with normal use. As your body becomes more accustomed to using an epilator, you will discover that some of the newest top epilators are actually designed to be gentle on your skin, incorporating a variety of technologies (e.g., wet usage system, massaging rollers that stimulate and soothe skin before and after epilation, pre-epilation wipes) to minimize any discomfort. [7] For the vast majority, the tolerance to the pain increases over time – just as it does for plucking eyebrows – and some users have even stated that eventually you don’t even feel it. [5]

Over the long term, epilation thins out the hairs and doesn’t leave you with prickly stubble all over the epilated area since you are removing hair from the root. Further, because your hair thins out with regular use , you don’t have to do it as frequently as shaving (in fact, results can last anywhere from several days to several weeks) and you won’t get that prickly stubble associated with shaving.

The biggest drawbacks associated with epilation are that the process takes long – epilating both of your legs can take as long as an hour – and the devices are somewhat difficult to clean, often becoming clogged. However, with newer designs this has proven to not be an issue. Also, the noise of some epilators can be intimidating to first-time users, but don’t let that prevent you from experiencing the desirable results, as numerous women have repeatedly rejoiced: “You’ll never want to go back to shaving again!” [2]

Some epilators offer multiple settings – one for thin hair and one for thick hair. Be sure to use the appropriate setting based on your specific hair type to obtain optimal results and minimize any discomfort.

Keep in mind that epilating, like shaving, may cause ingrown hairs, which may become infected or cause your skin to develop bumps. A best practice is to regularly exfoliate and moisturize your skin to prevent this from occurring. Just be careful not to over exfoliate, as this may cause skin irritation or calloused skin. In general, thicker or curlier hair is more prone to ingrowns. [3]

Most women prefer to epilate their legs and arms as opposed to their underarms due to the sensitivity of the area. However, a major benefit of using an epilator on your underarms is that you don’t get that prickly post-shave feeling and you don’t suffer from that embarrassing dark shadow under your arms since the hair is removed at the root. This effect is especially important to address if you want to go sleeveless.

It’s important to point out that epilation is not intended just for your legs, as many non-users may perceive. In fact, with the various attachments included with epilators nowadays, they can be used on various body parts, including your arms, face, sideburns, bikini line, and more. With regular epilation, less hair needs to be removed after the initial sessions, translating to more time savings.

Shaving

PROS:

• Quick, Easy, Convenient
• Least Painful Method
• Can Perform On Own
• Good for Underarms and Legs

CONS:

• Hair Grows Back Thicker, Quicker
• Leaves Prickly Feeling; Unsightly Stubble Look
• May Cause Nicks, Cuts, Bumps, Ingrowns, Skin Irritation
• Expensive Blade Replacements

While shaving is quick, easy and convenient, hair typically grows back in a day or two, meaning that you have to shave daily in order to remain hair-free. Considering the busy lifestyles of women today, this can sometimes be unpractical. Shaving leaves your skin feeling prickly and the stubble is unsightly not to mention that it can certainly catch your partner off guard while in bed. Shaving can make regrowth thicker and faster since you are removing hair at the skin’s surface and not at the root. [2]

Many women agree that shaving the armpits is easier and less painful than epilating since the area is very sensitive. [3] While shaving, be sure to protect your skin by using a shaving cream, gel, or shaving soap with healthy ingredients, such as aloe vera, and ensure that it’s also rich in other vitamins. Choose a product suitable for your skin and stay away from products with poor quality ingredients. Additionally, it’s worth considering applying pre-shave oils and moisturizers before and after shaving to maintain your skin’s healthy appearance. [3]

Of the three hair removal techniques (shaving vs. epilating vs. waxing), shaving is the easiest because you can do it anytime without getting anyone else involved. The bottom line is that it is quick, convenient, and the least painful. With shaving, it may cause nicks, cuts, bumps, ingrowns, and skin irritation and the replacement blades can be very expensive in the long run. Most women prefer not to have nicks and cuts (imperfections) while flaunting their pretty legs.

Epilating vs. Shaving

In order to more accurately compare epilating vs. shaving, we determined that an experiment was in order. The Epilating vs. Shaving Experiment was conducted by Eternal*Voyageur, an online beauty blogger. The details, results, and findings of the experiment are summarized below.

Epilating vs. Shaving Experiment [1]

Purpose: To determine which hair removal method (Epilating or Shaving) is better.

Experiment Details: One leg was shaved and one leg was epilated for comparison to determine which method was better for the skin.

Day 1 Results:

After initially epilating, Eternal*Voyageur noted that her skin was lightly irritated with red spots, whereas after shaving her other leg, her skin remained smooth and was not covered in red spots.

Results Summary:

• On the first day, shaved leg looked better than epilated leg
• After a couple of days, the shaved leg didn’t look so great – daily scraping of skin with a blade left tiny irritations and microscopic nicks
• Skin on epilated leg smoothed out after a week or two between hair removal sessions
• Shaving results in prickly feeling if not done every day

Conclusion

Shaving every day can be unpractical and missing a day results in that undesirable prickly feeling. In contrast, although epilation may not initially yield desirable results, over time it produces a smoother look for a longer duration. Therefore, epilating produces more desirable results for a fraction of the cost of all the replacement blades required for shaving not to mention it saves us time to take care of other important priorities.

Based on both the empirical evidence and our extensive research, it can be concluded that epilation produces smoother, longer-lasting, and more desirable results than shaving. Epilators work best on the legs, arms, upper lip, sideburns, and bikini line. Epilation is painful and produces less than desirable results initially, but it gradually gets better with regular use.

Shaving may be easier but it can be unpractical to perform every day and missing a day results in that undesirable prickly feeling and unsightly stubble look. Also, shaving may result in nicks and cuts, which can ruin the look that ladies desire. If you prefer smoother and longer-lasting results, epilation may be a more suitable hair removal solution worth considering. It’s also worth noting that epilating is a far more cost-effective solution compared to the total cost associated with shaving. Considering this information, an epilator yields more desirable results at a small fraction of the cost of shaving.

Sources

[1] The Epilating vs Shaving Experiment Fail http://www.venusianglow.com/2012/02/epilating-vs-shaving-experiment-fail.html
[2] Epilation Vs Shaving – Which Is Better? https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110629042739AAxPELL
[3] Which Is Better A Shaver Or An Epilator?
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100420015052AAhND0c
[4] Waxing, Shaving, Epilating or Hair Removal Cream? Which Works Best For You And Why? https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080405110143AAuFo8P
[5] Waxing, Shaving, Epilating or Hair Removal Cream? Which Works Best For You And Why? https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080405110143AAuFo8P
[6] Shaving vs Waxing or Epilating? https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071228145745AADUcXi
[7] 6 Reasons To Epilate – Did You Know?
http://www.braun.com/global/female-grooming/adviser/6-reasons.html