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In brief
- Hair on your upper lip is very common. Often it is fuzz, sometimes a few dark hairs that stand out.
- Waxing removes them root and all. You stay smooth for three to four weeks, on your face sometimes a little shorter.
- Shaving and hair removal cream work briefly. Bleaching makes hairs lighter, they stay. Laser reduces growth, at a clinic.
- At Moons, waxing your upper lip costs from €8.00. Your hair needs to be at least five millimetres long.
- If much more or darker hair appears in a short time, have your GP look at it first.
Written by Nilay, owner and beauty therapist at Moons BeautyUpdated on
Waxing, plucking or bleaching?
| Topic | How it works | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Waxing | Removes all the hairs on your upper lip in one go, root and all | Three to four weeks, on your face sometimes a little shorter |
| Plucking | Pulls hairs out one by one, with tweezers | Also weeks, but it goes hair by hair |
| Shaving | Cuts the hair off at the surface of your skin | Briefly. The hair comes back quickly and feels stubbly |
| Hair removal cream | Dissolves the hair at the surface of your skin | Briefly, much like shaving |
| Bleaching | Makes the hairs lighter, so they stand out less. They stay | Until new, dark hairs grow in |
| Laser | Reduces hair growth with light, in a series of treatments | That is a treatment for a clinic. We don't do laser at Moons |
Everything about waxing itself, from preparing to red bumps, is in waxing: all you need to know.
Having your upper lip waxed.
At Moons your upper lip is one of the five zones we wax on your face, alongside your chin, jaw, neck and cheeks. If it is mainly a dark line on your upper lip that bothers you, you book just that zone.
Your hair needs to be at least five millimetres long, so the wax can grip it well. After shaving that is usually after ten to fourteen days.
It is a little sensitive, especially the first time. It takes seconds. Your eyes may water for a moment, that is a reflex. If you wax regularly, the hair often grows back finer.
What suits you?
A few dark hairs
Plucking works if it is just a few hairs. If there are more, waxing is quicker and you stay smooth for longer.
Fuzz you see in daylight
You wouldn't start on that with tweezers. Wax removes that fuzz in one go.
You want it to stand out less
Bleaching makes the hairs lighter. They stay, but you see them less.
You want it gone for a long time
Then you end up with laser, at a clinic. We don't do laser at Moons.
Good to know about your upper lip.
Shaving doesn't make hair thicker
After shaving, a hair grows back with a bluntly cut tip, and that feels stubbly. That is where the idea comes from.
Retinol or acids? Pause them
If you use retinol or acids on that spot, stop a few days before your appointment. Let us know when you come in.
After waxing
Preferably leave make-up off your upper lip that day. A little redness usually fades within a few hours.
For everyone
We wax the zones on your face for women and for men.
See your GP first if this applies.
If much more or darker hair appears on your upper lip, chin or cheeks in a short time, have your GP look at it first. Sometimes there is a hormonal cause behind it, and waxing doesn't take that away.
Frequently asked questions about upper lip hair
How do you remove hair on your upper lip?
With waxing, all the hairs come out in one go, root and all, and you stay smooth for three to four weeks. Plucking works for a few hairs. Shaving and hair removal cream work briefly, and laser is done at a clinic.
Which is better, waxing or plucking?
For a few single hairs plucking is fine. If it is your whole upper lip or fuzz, waxing is quicker and you stay smooth for longer.
Can you shave hair on your upper lip?
You can, but the hair comes back quickly and feels stubbly. It doesn't get thicker, it only feels coarser because of the cut tip.
Is bleaching a good idea?
Bleaching makes the hairs lighter, so they stand out less. They do stay. Try a bleaching product on a small spot first, because the skin around your mouth can react sensitively.
How long does your upper lip stay smooth after waxing?
Three to four weeks, on your face sometimes a little shorter. If you wax regularly, the hair often grows back finer.
Does waxing your upper lip hurt?
It is a little sensitive, especially the first time. It takes seconds, and your eyes may water for a moment. That is a reflex. After that it is clearly easier.
How long does the hair need to be to wax your upper lip?
At least five millimetres, so the wax can grip it well. After shaving that is usually after ten to fourteen days.
What does upper lip waxing cost?
At Moons in Enschede one zone on your face costs from €8.00. If you want your whole face including your brows, there is Full Face for €40.00.
Why do you get hair on your upper lip?
Everyone has fine hairs on their face. How many and how dark differs per person and can change with your hormones, for example around the menopause. If much more appears in a short time, see your GP first.
Can you have your upper lip lasered at Moons?
No, we don't do laser. For that you go to a clinic. With us you can have your upper lip waxed.
Can you wax your upper lip if you use retinol?
Not on the spot where you use it. Retinol and acids make your skin thinner, and then the wax can take more than just the hair. Stop a few days before your appointment and let us know when you come in.
What do you do after waxing your upper lip?
Preferably leave make-up off that spot for the rest of the day. A little redness usually fades within a few hours.
Can men have their upper lip waxed too?
Yes, the zones on your face are for everyone.
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