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Style & beauty

Whiskers - how do you deal with them?

(78 Posts)
Smurf52 Thu 16-Nov-17 11:02:57

Isn't it awful that we get those nasty bristly things on our upper lip and chins. I've been grappling with them for around 10 years. Initially I tweezered them. I tried the hair remover strips but either i wasn't doing it right or they dont work properly. Then when I had more cash available I went to beauty salons and had the lip and chin wax. Now I'm retired I can't afford that any more it's back to tweezers. I have tried a small shaving implement called Flawless which is great for quickness but i get a stubble unless I do it twice a day. My sister was my late mother's carer and used to shave her chin every day. When my sister went away for 2 weeks on holiday my mum (who was in her eighties) had a growth on her chin that would make a navy officer proud - I dread my chin getting that much hair when I'm old. What do other grans do with their whiskers?

LaraGransnet (GNHQ) Thu 16-Nov-17 11:14:16

Hi smurf52 Sure there'll be others on in a minute with some tips but we put together some advice a little while ago based on a previous thread: www.gransnet.com/life-and-style/style-and-beauty/facial-hair-removal Hope it's helpful!

DanniRae Thu 16-Nov-17 14:57:22

I always pluck the thicker hairs almost every day and use hair removal cream every now and then to deal with the finer ones. I recommend Boots Facial Hair Removal Cream - it's the best I have ever tried.
I bought a magnifying mirror to take on holiday but failed to notice that it magnifies 10 x times. You have to be really brave to look in it but it really helps to find all the stray hairs!

Teetime Thu 16-Nov-17 15:46:59

I still have them waxed every month and I would rather go without something else than forgo that necessary procedure.

Coolgran65 Thu 16-Nov-17 15:51:34

Wax at a Salon every so often and pluck in between (usually while watching tv)

MissAdventure Thu 16-Nov-17 16:12:43

We have a lady in our shopping precinct who has a stall set up (enclosed for privacy) who does threading. Its quite normal to see a small queue forming for her services, and she charges 5 pounds a 'section' of your face. I haven't tried her yet, but...

Charleygirl Thu 16-Nov-17 16:31:29

I have my eyebrows threaded for £3. I would not have chin or lip threaded while sitting in the middle of a shopping centre being watched by all who pass by!

CherryHatrick Thu 16-Nov-17 16:43:52

Tweezers are my weapon of choice. Magnifying mirror combined with my strongest sewing glasses don't always find the ones on my side cheeks, but I have perfected feeling where the spiky blighters are with a fingertip followed by flat ended tweezers and a steady pull.

judylow Thu 16-Nov-17 23:20:46

If you can afford it, electrolysis works well and I think laser treatment is even better (but I don't know anything about the latter).

Scribbles Thu 16-Nov-17 23:39:17

Lasering doesn't work on blonde or red hair for some reason. confused
I've tried wax strips and hair removing cream but neither work properly so I rely on my trusty flat ended tweezers four or five times a week.

Dico60 Fri 17-Nov-17 06:27:39

I find with tweezering I get little bumps on my chin so for quickness I shave, but would really like to have electrolysis treatment to permanently get rid of the hair, it takes time and is very expensive though.

Grannyguitar Fri 17-Nov-17 08:44:19

Has anyone tried the No-no type of machine? I see there is a cheaper one now being advertised, and wonder if it's worth a go, before I turn into a fairground attraction!

silverlining48 Fri 17-Nov-17 08:58:08

Have tried most options to no avail so use scissors and a powerful magnifying mirror.

Charleygirl Fri 17-Nov-17 09:35:43

Grannyguitar look up an old post on this subject and you will see that No No did not get a very good review and in those days it was very expensive.

I could be wrong but I thought that electrolysis did not work on grey hairs?

TerriS Fri 17-Nov-17 10:52:53

Apparently No-No is a no-no!! I've heard it doesn't work and is not easy to return under their 'returns' policy... must emphasise that I've not actually tried tho.

MissAdventure Fri 17-Nov-17 10:57:30

I inherited my mums 'nono'. I've only tried it twice, but it does seem to have zapped the blonde downy hairs on my face.

TerriS Fri 17-Nov-17 11:04:16

Depending on the amount you get and the 'bothersome' factor, the only option for me is tweezering. The other methods all require several days' growth, as the hair shaft needs to be a certain length for the treatment to be effective - waxing doesn't work on short stubbles, neither does epilating, although this is great for the fine hair on the rest of the face. White hair, as you say, isn't suitable for lasering and depilatory creams only remove the hair at the surface (the same as shaving) resulting in stubbles (but less so than shaving). Had a home electrolysis device 30 odd years ago, which didn't work, so maybe I should revisit that option, but still not happy to allow several days' growth!

Bellasnana Fri 17-Nov-17 11:19:21

I use the wax strips and find them effective but painful grin

goldengirl Fri 17-Nov-17 11:25:38

Luckily I don't get many but those that choose to appear that are particularly noticeable [to me anyway] I whip out with a pair of tweezers.

Smurf52 Fri 17-Nov-17 11:48:38

Thanks all. I have the big magnifying mirror so I suppose it's no hardship to tweezer while I watch Eastenders. Most of the hair is white so as has been previously said electrolysis doesnt work and yes, i read the No No reviews too.

MissAdventure Fri 17-Nov-17 11:57:29

I find mine are much better when I don't wear my glasses! smile

Smithy Fri 17-Nov-17 12:02:06

I use an epilator once a week for chin and upper lip. Its not the well known one but seems to do the job. I get my eyebrows waxed as they grow everywhere but where they should. I also use a magnifying mirror to see what's there! I have to do this or I just feel like a hairy old frump!

Smurf52 Fri 17-Nov-17 12:09:13

Oh and Lara thanks for the link. I have ordered an epilator to see how i can get on with it and will tweezer in meantime.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 17-Nov-17 12:21:13

I always use tweezers with a magnifying mirror. I can feel what seems like barbed wire on my chin and have to pull a few out most days I'm afraid. I too dread getting unable to manage these.

Fennel Fri 17-Nov-17 12:47:32

I think I've posted this before - my Mum decided to bleach her facial hairs with peroxide. She had heard that it weakened the growth - a friend of hers was a heavy smoker and the front of her white hair had gone yellowfrom nicotine. She tried to bleach it with peroxide and it all fell outshock
After using it Mum gradually lost her sense of smell and blamed the peroxide.