For eliminating stray hairs on the face, or maintaining the shape of the eyebrows, plucking is often the best bet. Plucking facial hair does not need to be painful or difficult, if a few tips are followed. It is best to wash the face with warm water and exfoliate, which will help to open the pores. Then, with a pair of precision tweezers with pointed ends, grab the hairs one at a time and pull it out from the root, in the same direction it grows. After plucking facial hair, it might be necessary to apply a soothing lotion, such as one that contains aloe, as long as it also does not clog the pores.
Washing the face with warm water and exfoliating as a first step to plucking facial hair will make the whole process easier. Not only does it remove dead skin cells or oil that could clog pores, but it helps to open the pores. This makes it easier to pluck the hair, as well as less painful. Other preparatory steps include washing the tweezers. It is a good idea to clean them with soap and water, or wipe them with rubbing alcohol, to remove any bacteria. This will prevent transferring the bacteria into the pores, potentially causing infection or a pimple.
The tweezers used for plucking facial hair are important as well. They should be slanted and pointed at the end, with a narrow tip for precision. Standing in front of a lighted mirror, magnified if possible, also makes the process much easier. Experts generally recommend pulling the skin taught and then grasping one hair at a time with the tweezers, pulling it out in the same direction that it grows. This will prevent the hair from breaking instead of coming out by the root, and will also make it less painful.
This process can simply be repeated as necessary. It is generally best to pluck facial hair rather than shaving it, which can cause stubble to grow back fairly quickly. After plucking facial hair, if skin is irritated and red, a cooling aloe gel can be very helpful. If the pores are especially prone to becoming clogged, simply splashing some cool water on the face can help to calm irritation, or an antiseptic toner can help to prevent blemishes as well. For larger areas, or to initially shape the eyebrows, waxing facial hair might be necessary initially.
