# How to Use an Epilator for the First Time
An epilator pulls hair from the root using rotating tweezers. Your first session will hurt more than future ones because the hair is thicker and your skin is not used to it yet. With the right prep and technique, you can make it much more manageable.
Before you start
Trim long hair first. If your hair is longer than about 5mm, take it down with scissors or a shaver. Shorter hair is easier for the tweezers to grab and hurts less coming out.
Warm shower. Warm water opens pores and softens hair follicles. Epilating right after a shower is noticeably less painful than going in cold.
Quick exfoliation. A scrub with a loofah or exfoliating mitt lifts hairs that are lying flat against the skin. This helps the tweezers catch hair on the first pass instead of needing multiple runs.
Time it for evening. Pain tolerance is slightly higher later in the day, and any redness settles overnight.
Step by step
Step 1: Start with your lower legs
Lower legs have fewer nerve endings than your underarms or bikini area. Least painful place to learn technique.
Step 2: Pull the skin taut
Use your free hand to stretch the skin in the area you are about to epilate. Taut skin lets the tweezers get closer to the root and reduces the pulling feeling.
Step 3: Hold the epilator flat
The head should sit at 90 degrees to your skin, flat against it. Tilting means the tweezers only catch some hairs, forcing extra passes over the same spot.
Step 4: Move against hair growth
Glide the device against the direction your hair grows. On legs that usually means upward, ankle toward knee. Going with the grain is less effective.
Step 5: Go slow
Rushing grabs fewer hairs per pass and means more passes total. Slow movement actually reduces pain because you cover the area in fewer runs.
Step 6: Use low speed
If your epilator has two speeds (the KM-189 and KM-2068 both do), start on low. Fewer hairs per rotation, less intensity. Switch to high in later sessions.
Step 7: Do not try to finish everything at once
One lower leg the first time is plenty. See how your skin reacts. Do the other leg tomorrow.
Aftercare
Soothing lotion. Aloe vera or fragrance-free moisturizer. Avoid alcohol-based products right after.
Loose clothing. Skip the tight jeans for a few hours. Friction on freshly epilated skin is uncomfortable.
No exfoliating for 24 hours. Let the skin recover. Start gentle exfoliation again after a day or two to keep ingrown hairs at bay.
Red bumps are normal. Small bumps after your first session are expected. They fade within a few hours to a day. If they last more than 48 hours, space out your sessions or switch to a different body area.
Pain tips
- Warm shower first (open pores)
- Low speed setting
- Skin pulled taut
- Slow, steady passes
- Lower legs first, sensitive areas later
- Some women take a mild pain reliever 30 minutes beforehand
- Session 4 or 5 is when most people say it stops being a big deal
Body area pain guide
| Area | First-time pain | Good for beginners? |
|---|---|---|
| Lower legs | Low to moderate | Yes, start here |
| Upper legs | Moderate | Yes, after lower legs |
| Arms | Moderate | Yes |
| Underarms | High | Wait a few sessions |
| Bikini line | High | Wait a few sessions |
| Face | Very high | Use a shaver instead |
For sensitive spots, a shaver is gentler. The KM-2068 (₨ 2,949) does both: epilator head for legs, shaver head for sensitive areas.
Frequently asked questions
How long will my first session take?
Around 20 to 30 minutes for both lower legs. Gets faster with practice. By session 3 or 4 most people are done in 15 minutes.
When does it stop hurting?
Most women say session 4 or 5 is when it becomes tolerable. Each round hurts less because the regrowth comes back thinner. First time is always the worst.
How often should I epilate?
Every 2 to 4 weeks. Lower legs tend to stay smooth longer than underarms. You will figure out your own cycle after a few sessions.
Can I epilate with sensitive skin?
Test on your lower leg first. Wait 24 hours. If the bumps clear up normally, you are fine. If irritation sticks around, epilate less often or use a shaver on reactive areas.
Wet or dry?
Some epilators work in the shower. Warm water helps with pain. Check your product page before getting the device wet. Not all are waterproof.
First epilator? The KM-189 (₨ 2,249) with two speeds is the most popular starter. Browse all Kemei epilators with cash on delivery across Pakistan.
Also read: Epilator vs shaver guide | Best Kemei epilator comparison