The Best Way to Epilate Your Legs

Co-authored by Alicia Ramos and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Want to remove body hair, but don’t want to deal with the hassle of waxing or shaving? Using an epilator is an easy way to remove hair at home (plus, it leaves your legs silky smooth for weeks at a time). An epilator pulls out hair by the root by catching each follicle one by one, similar to tweezing. To learn how to use an epilator correctly with minimal pain and discomfort, keep reading!

Things You Should Know

Before epilating, take a warm shower and exfoliate your legs. Take a painkiller 1 hour before epilating to make the process less painful.
Epilate wet with shower gel to help the epilator glide over your skin. Epilate dry to make the process a little faster.
Start on the inside of your lower leg, holding the epilator at a 90-degree angle to your skin. Move against the direction of hair growth.
Moisturize your legs afterwards to soothe your skin. Clean your epilator and do touch-ups in the next couple of days if you need to.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Before Epilating

1
Choose a high-quality, reputable epilator. The quality of your epilator matters. Pick a well-known, well-reviewed brand that you know you can trust. A cheap epilator may not work as well and it may be more painful to use. Since your epilator will last a long time (and you won't have to buy wax and fancy razors) it's worth springing for a good one!^{[1]
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- Trusted epilators include Braun, Panasonic, and Remington.
- If your epilator is cordless, be sure to charge it completely before you start. You don't want to be stuck with a job half finished when your epilator dies.
2
Shave your legs 1 to 3 days prior to epilating. Epilators work best when your hairs are just a few millimeters long. If your hairs are too long, they can get tangled in the epilator; too short, and there's not enough for the spinning heads to grab as you work. Shaving a few days beforehand is the best way to ensure that your hairs are all the same length and ready to epilate.^{[2]
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3
Set aside at least 1 hour for your first session. Once you get used to the process, you can probably do it in half an hour or so. For the first session, though, you'll want to give yourself plenty of time. The process is definitely slower than shaving, but the results will last much longer.^{[3]
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- Many people like to epilate at night. Your legs will be red and a little swollen when you're finished. If you epilate at night, they'll return to normal by morning.
- It's best not to epilate the day you have a big event or date, unless you're planning to wear tights or pants. Do it the day before so your legs won't be red and swollen when you go out.
4
Take a painkiller 1 hour before you begin. This is optional, but many find that taking an over the counter painkiller helps make epilating less painful. Epilating feels a lot like waxing; it hurts at first, but eventually you get used to the feeling.^{[4]
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- Try using pain killers the first few times you epilate. After that, you probably won’t need the pain relief anymore.
5
Exfoliate your legs in the shower. Getting rid of dry skin will prevent ingrown hairs from occurring later. Take a warm shower and exfoliate your skin using a loofah or body scrub. Rub your skin in a circular motion to gently slough away the dead skin.^{[5]
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Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
- Use warm water when you shower to open up your pores and soften your skin. This will make epilating less painful.
- Or, take a bath beforehand if you’d prefer.^{[6]
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6
Epilate dry to work faster and more efficiently. Dry skin helps the epilator grasp onto the hairs faster and pull them out more efficiently. If you’ve epilated before or you want to go quickly, dry off your legs completely with a towel.^{[7]
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- The drier your hairs, the better the epilator will be able to grip them; damp hairs will get slippery and sticky, making the process harder.
7
Epilate wet to relieve pain and discomfort. If you’re new to epilating, it’s a good idea to epilate in the bath or the shower. Get your legs wet and smooth on some shower gel to help the epilator glide over your legs.^{[8]
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- If you’re epilating wet, be sure that your epilator is waterproof. In general, cordless epilators are waterproof while ones with cords are not. However, always read your instruction manual to be sure.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Using the Epilator

1
Use the lowest setting first. Many epilators come with two settings: low and high. When you're first starting out, use the low setting so you can get used to the feeling of epilating. Once you're familiar with the sensation, you can switch to the high setting and speed up the process.^{[9]
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2
Start on the inside of your lower leg. This is the least sensitive area on your leg, so it's a good place to start so you can get used to the feeling of epilating. Save the most sensitive spots for last, since by then your body will be accustomed to the feeling.^{[10]
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Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
- Avoid starting near your ankles or right over bones, since these areas are more painful to epilate.
3
Hold the epilator at a 90-degree angle to your skin. Pass it lightly over your skin in a straight line. The spinning heads will grasp your hairs and pull them out. Keep the epilator over 1 area for about 30 seconds.^{[11]
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- You will definitely feel a pinch as the epilator grabs your hairs and pulls them out. If you need to stop and take a break, there's nothing wrong with that.
4
Move the epilator against the grain of your hair growth. For your legs, this probably means you’ll be moving the epilator upwards the whole time. Going against the grain will help the epilator grasp onto the hairs and pull them out fast.^{[12]
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5
Pull your skin taut to relieve pain. Hold the epilator in 1 hand and hold your leg with the other. Pull the skin taut before epilating the area. That way, the epilator will catch onto your hairs instead of your skin.^{[13]
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- Pulling your skin taut also makes it less likely that your legs will bleed.
6
Epilate 1 leg, then switch to the other leg. Once you’ve gone over your entire leg, you can give yourself a break before switching to your other leg. All in all, this process will probably take about 1 hour, but you’ll get faster as you go.^{[14]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

After Epilating

1
Moisturize your legs when you're finished. Use aloe or a moisturizing cream to soothe your legs, which will be red and irritated for several hours. Once the swelling and redness are gone, your legs will be completely smooth and hair-free.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
- If your legs are very swollen, you can use an ice pack to reduce swelling when you're finished.
- If any spots are bleeding, clean the area and apply a bandage.
2
Clean your epilator after every use. If you use your epilator wet, you can rinse it under running water. If you use it dry, pop the top off and shake out any hairs stuck inside. Then, use a dry cloth to wipe out the inside.^{[16]
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- For an extra deep clean, use rubbing alcohol.
3
Exfoliate your skin 1 to 2 days after epilating. Epilating your legs leaves them prone to ingrown hairs. Let your skin rest for 1 to 2 days, then exfoliate your legs in the shower. This will unclog your pores and reduce the chance of getting an ingrown hair.^{[17]
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- If you do develop an ingrown hair, you can remove it yourself with tweezers.
4
Epilate a few more times over the course of the week. Hair grows in stages, so you may notice new growth a few days after your first session. If you need to, use your epilator to spot treat any areas that you missed the first time. After that, you'll be able to enjoy smooth legs for several weeks before you have to epilate again.^{[18]
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- In general, the results from epilating last for 6 to 8 weeks.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is epilation?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

Epilation is the process of removing hair from your body at the root using a device called an epilator. Compared to shaving, hair removed with an epilator takes a lot longer to grow back.
Question

How do you epilate perfectly?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

Make sure that your skin is taut. Then, work the device in circles over the area you'd like to remove hair from. Keep working like this over all areas until you achieve your desired result.
Question

How do I soothe my skin after epilating?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

Apply a scent-free, gentle moisturizer over your epilated skin—this can go a long way in helping your skin heal.