Makeup artist Janine Holmes shares her top recommendations when it comes to managing your facial hair.

Facial hair is a bit of a cruel joke, isn’t it? You can’t get enough of it in your brows or eyelashes, but it’ll crop up elsewhere, like on your upper lip or chin, where you don’t want any of it whatsoever. Here are a couple of ways to both manage and get rid of the pesky variety and a few ways to enhance the good stuff.

UNWANTED: ON YOUR CHEEKS AND CHIN

Whether it’s peach fuzz or full-on dark chin hairs, women will agree that they could do without it. Unfortunately, we typically experience increased facial hair as we age, especially after menopause. Don’t fret. There’s a secret hair removal step that you can easily incorporate into your skincare routine.

SHAVE IT OFF

A face razor might sound crazy at first. But this special ergonomically designed razor has been used by women in Japan for many years to remove facial hair and peach fuzz. Not only does it get rid of your unwanted hair, but it can result in smoother skin, better absorption of skincare products, and a more flawless makeup application. And contrary to what you may think, the hair will not grow back coarser. This is because the hair on your face is very different from the hair on your legs. Admittedly, I was initially hesitant to try this facial razor, but I’m now addicted. It really makes a difference how my makeup sits on my skin, and I believe my skincare products perform even better with a smoothly shaved face. 

PRO TIP:

Once a week, apply a cream or lotion to your face, then shave in the direction of hair growth. Afterward, apply your favorite moisturizer to soften your skin.

TRY Sephora Collection Level Setter Razors, $10.

DIY PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL

If you’re not buying into the face razor concept, or simply just don’t care for weekly face-shaving maintenance, this permanent option may appeal to you. Silken Flash&Go Express uses gentle, painless light pulses that will permanently disable hair growth at the root on clean, shaven skin. This means no waxing or plucking if you’re planning on this at-home hair removal option. Best of all, it’s easy to use and quite painless (nothing like the
laser hair removal I’ve experienced in the past).

PRO TIP:

Start on a low setting since the skin on your face is more sensitive than other areas of your body. Then increase the energy settings based on your preference or tolerance. Treat the area every two weeks and results will be seen after just two to four treatments.

WANTED: LONG LASHES

For long lashes you can flutter flirtatiously, I consider EyEnvy a Holy Grail product. This eyelash conditioner lengthens lashes and creates more fullness in your lash line. The downside is you have to apply this conditioner every morning for three months straight. It calls for serious patience, but just when you are about to give up … bam! The lashes of your dreams. It’ll make those three months of diligent application worth it, and afterward, you only need to apply every other day to maintain the results. I constantly get asked all the time if I have an eyelash
extensions and people are shocked when I tell them they are my natural lashes.

WANTED: FULL BROWS

If you are a victim of over-plucking your eyebrows like me, you have probably spent many years trying anything and everything to grow back your natural brows. I’m sad to say that they’re never going to be the same. Fortunately, microblading can be your brow saviour; I got mine back this way and love the results.

Microblading is semi-permanent makeup that lasts one to three years, and it’s less invasive than traditional cosmetic tattooing, explains Annie Lam, owner of BrowStyling, a salon in Toronto. Ultra-fine needles are used to gently etch each brow hair into your skin for a natural look. “Microblading can dramatically correct or fully reconstruct lost eyebrows and is excellent for those wanting to enhance their brows or who have little to no eyebrows, thinning brows from age, or over-tweezed brows,” says Lam. With this being a very trendy treatment, there are a lot of microblading technicians out there, so she recommends doing a ton of research when choosing who to do it with. “You want to make sure the person is properly trained, has a skilled portfolio that matches your own visual esthetics, and has passed proper city health and safety inspection. Remember, in this case, cheaper is not better, as this is a semi-permanent tattoo on your face!..