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Dry vs. Wet Epilation for Hair Removal
Epilators have been in existence for over thirty years; the originals were crude by today’s standards but still effective. Today you can choose between a corded epilator, battery operated or a rechargeable unit.
The purpose of epilating is to create hair free skin; which should feel smooth to the touch. The question is whether it is better to achieve this with a wet epilator or a dry one?
Epilating When Wet
Many of the latest battery powered epilators can be used whilst you are in the bath or the shower. This leads to a range of advantages over traditional dry epilating.
Pain
A bath or shower is a pleasurable experience. Whenever you do something pleasurable your body will release endorphins. These make you feel good but they also act as painkillers.
Epilating whilst enjoying the hot water, will give you a natural protection from the pain; making the entire experience more pleasurable.
Portable
Corded epilators can never be used in water; it is simply too dangerous. This means that the wet epilator is generally smaller, lighter and much easier to carry round with you. This is especially beneficial if you are going to need to epilate somewhere other than home.
No Mess, No Fuss
Unsurprisingly hair removal creates hair waste. However, when you are doing this in the bath or shower the waste hair is immediately washed away. This is most effective in the shower as bath water can simply mean you are sitting in your unwanted hair.
Both methods are preferably to the mess made when dry epilating.
Ease of Use
A portable epilator is easy to pick up and use; it should be instantly ready to turn on. But, more importantly, any epilator you can use in water can be combined with a little shower gel on your skin. This will help the epilator to glide effortlessly across your skin and remove the hairs; you cannot do this when using a dry epilator.
Of course, there is a disadvantage to using a wet epilator; if you are ever forced to complete it without water you may find the experience painful, uncomfortable and even off-putting.
Is It Better To Stay Dry?
If you have a fear of water then the dry epilator is your only choice. However, this is a very unusual scenario. There are several advantages to using a dry epilator instead of a wet one:
Convenience
You do not need to be near a shower or bath to use the epilator. This means that you can carry it with you anywhere and know you will have perfectly smooth skin for any special occasion.
Although using an epilator takes time it takes less time to use a dry one that it does to use a wet one!
Water Use
If you use a wet epilator then you will need to stay in the shower for longer whilst you slowly and methodically cover all your skin. This can use a significant amount of additional water which is likely to increase your water bill and potentially create an environmental impact.
To know the extent of this impact you would need to study how much longer you take in the shower when epilating and how often you epilate.
Efficiency
Most people agree that dry epilating is generally more efficient and effective than wet. This may be connected with the water and shower gel helping the epilator to glide; and effectively miss some of the hairs.
It has also been suggested that dry epilating is more painful which promotes slower use of the epilator; increasing the number of hairs which are removed.
Dry Epilator Trouble
Whilst a wet epilator is cordless, a dry one can be cordless or corded. This is one of the biggest downsides to dry epilators; the cord can get in the way and is bulky; preventing you from easily carrying it round with you.
Summary
Once you have tried epilating; whether wet or dry, you will need to deal with the pain issue. This is generally a problem for anyone who shaves rather than waxes.
Shaving is pain free whilst waxing works on the same principle as epilating. If you have waxed in the past you will have an idea of the pain level involved. The good news is that you do become accustomed to this pain and it reduces over time.
This leaves the question of whether you should use a wet epilator or a dry one. The answer is mainly a matter of preference. A wet epilator will generally offer a less painful experience whilst the dry one is likely to provide a slightly better finish.
Both products will effectively remove your hair and can be reused as often as you wish. They both have long life spans and many of them are usable as wet or dry ones. This will be the best option if you are unsure which you want; you can try both methods and even alternate; with just one device.
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