6 Easy Ways To Remove Your Facial Hair

I have a "confession" to make, guys: I am a woman with facial hair. I know, I know. Who the hell do I think I am that I could admit that on such a public forum without suffering a single shred of embarrassment? Well, I think I'm... basically like everyone else. If you haven't noticed, tons of women get facial hair. They get light hairs, dark hairs, thick hairs, and thin ones. They get them on their upper lips, cheeks, chins, and really anywhere else you can imagine.

Me? I get them on my upper lip and under my chin — a symptom of my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Yeah, that's right, I have to shave my face. "Like a dude." Or a "bearded lady sideshow freak" (except she is probably contractually obligated not to shave).

And you know what? It's really, really OK. It's OK to sprout some unwanted hair on your face, whether it be due to your ethnicity, hormonal issues, or simply your genetic makeup. It doesn't make you less feminine or less of a woman. And it definitely doesn't make you "manlier." In fact, you can totally rock it if that's something you're down with!

But it's also OK to want to get rid of it. It's your body (and face) after all. So, if you, like me, are dealing with some pesky hairs on your beautiful face that you personally want to get rid of, here are some easy methods to try.

1. Shaving

So, like I said earlier, this is my usual method of removing my facial hair. Why? Because it's easy, I can do it in the shower, and I don't have to fork over a ton of money for expensive creams and waxes. Is it the best? Not even kind of. But it's what I do. That being said, it also doesn't last very long, and I usually have to shave every other day to keep my stubble (that's right, STUBBLE. EMBRACE IT) down.

2. Waxing

Full disclosure: You need to be a stone cold badass to wax yourself. So go climb a mountain, then look at yourself in a reflecting pool near a burning forest, and decide if that applies to you. If it does, you can march yourself to your local drug store and pick up a facial waxing kit. Sally Hansen makes a pretty great one. Godspeed.

Sally Hansen Ouch-Relief Wax Strip For Face, $16, Amazon

3. Hair Removal Creams

If you're not a stone cold badass, and the idea of shaving your face really freaks you out, you can try hair removal creams. Though do be warned, if you have stubborn or thick hair on your face, it may not always work. Sally Hansen also makes a great hair removal cream, as does Bliss. Make sure you carefully follow the directions, or else you might end up giving yourself a wicked rash. (I may or may not know from personal experience.)

Sally Hansen Creme Hair Remover Kit, $4, Amazon

Bliss Fuzz Off Hair Removal Cream, $16, Khols

4. Tweezing

This is ideal if you only have a few unwanted hairs. For anything more intense than that, you probably want to avoid it. No, you definitely want to avoid it. Remember how I said you have to be a stone cold badass to wax yourself? You need to have no fear of death to tweeze more than a few hairs at a time. No. Fear. Of death.

5. At Home Laser Treatments

If you want something a little more permanent and have the money to spend, at-home laser treatments might be for you. While systems run anywhere from $200 up, they offer longer lasting results and will actually thin your hair over time.

Silk'n make a reasonably priced laser for $199. I've never used an at-home laser treatment, but I'm very tempted to. They come with generally positive reviews. I'll just need to sell most of my worldly possessions to afford one.

Silk'n Hair Remover Laser, $149, Amazon

6. Bleaches

Sometimes we don't want or even need to remove our facial hair. If you have thin or barely noticeable hair, but hate how dark it is, bleaching might be a viable option. Of course, make sure to use bleach specifically made for facial hair (so not the stuff you used when you decided to go platinum blonde).

The downside to bleaching your facial hair, like any hair, is that you'll eventually get roots and have to do it again. How long that takes will vary from person to person.

Images: Suzanne Samin; Courtesy Brands; Giphy