From creams, to waxing, threading, IPL, and more, there are many options to make sure your face doesn’t have the furry texture of a peach —especially your upper lip. Here are the pros and cons of several facial hair removal techniques.

Threading

Threading is a tad uncomfortable and a bit of an outdated technique for upper hair removal. If you’ve ever had your eyebrows threaded, prepare yourself for the same pain threshold.  Threading pulls the hairs from the root so the results last longer than say hair removal cream. It is a quick and low cost method though and leaves the same smooth, month-long results as hair removal creams. Expect a red upper lip after treatment so you’ll have to use a soothing gel. Also, to avoid ingrown hairs in the weeks following treatment, gently exfoliate your skin as you normally would and it shouldn’t be a problem.

Hair Removal Creams

Some of these creams are great as they are quick, painless and get rid of every last hair. So, if you’re in a rush to get rid of your moustache before work, an evening out, or just don’t have time in your life to visit beauty clinics for other alternatives, creams may work for you. The downside is that once you start, it’s a bit of a vicious circle — the hair grows back slightly darker and you have to keep on top of things more often. If you have sensitive skin, you’ll also have to keep a tube of aloe vera gel on hand to soothe the area.

Cream Bleach

Bleaching one’s upper lip minimizes its appearance and there is no stubbly regrowth from hair removal. It is quick and painless too. However, watch out, it may cause pigmentation in the long-run. For example, if you have freckles, they may become more prominent around your upper lip line.

Battery-Powered Blades

Blade devises are also a good solution if you’re in a hurry. It’s pretty painless and leaves no marks. However, the results don’t last for long. You can feel the regrowth even if you cannot see it yet. It’s close to shaving so it becomes almost a daily chore.

Precision Epilation

Epilators can be used discretely at home, so that’s a big plus. They are also specifically designed for small areas of the skin and are good at capturing short and fine hairs. While it smarts a little on stubborn eyebrow hairs being a more sensitive area, it’s pretty painless on the upper lip and easy to maneuver. The smooth results last for about a month – the same as threading and waxing.

Waxing

Waxing is best done by salon professionals who can use the safest and most gentle formulas for the face. It’s not worth causing scabs or risking burns by doing it yourself at home. Also, depending on your pain threshold, it can be pretty unpleasant. Waxing provides clean hair removal for up to a month and costs around the same price as threading – but prices vary. Some good advice is to wax regularly so you can target different stages of hair growth.

At-Home IPL and Laser

Laser and IPL (intense pulsed light) devices are no longer a salon-only option. Devises for home-use are now available in compact designs intended to target small areas like the upper lip. A big pro is that that the results are semi-to permanent. The only con is that results aren’t instant, so to see results you need to use them according to instructions, keep up maintenance, and have patience. It’s well worth it though. The cost is the initial device purchase, but in the long-run it’s cheaper than seeing a professional for treatments. Other than a slightly uncomfortable snap, it doesn’t hurt. Lasers target hair pigment, while IPL targets the center of the hair follicle destroying regrowth.

Sensica’s Sensilight Mini offers a line of professional-grade, non-invasive, laser hair removal devices that make upper lip hair convenient (use it from the comfort of your own home), cost-effective (no repeated and expensive visits to clinics), and painless. Using state-of-the-art FDA-cleared, Reactive Pulsed Light (RPL) technology, the compact devise disables hair re-growth at the root using light and heat for permanent results