Threading Your Upper Lip At Home Is Easier Than You Think

Dealing with unwanted facial hair can be a nuisance. It's also costly — the price of hair removal can set you back thousands of dollars throughout your lifetime. While having facial hair is normal, there is societal pressure on women to have none. This can lead to feelings of low self-esteem, shame, and more. If you want to remove your facial hair, you might be surprised to learn that there are several ways to get the job done that don't involve using a pair of tweezers or a razor. One popular hair removal method that is strictly for facial hair is threading.

What you should know before doing threading is that it comes from the Middle East and South Asia. Threader Noureen Wadhvania described it as an "ancient technique" to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It also requires only one tool — a piece of thread. This thread is swept over the skin, efficiently pulling out hair from the root. The technique is commonly used on eyebrows.

Threader Marco Ochoa explained why to Glamour. He said, "You can get really precise with shaping. You can thread one hair at a time or a line of hair, giving you well-defined brows." Threading is also perfect for removing peach fuzz or hair from your upper lip. Best of all, you can thread your upper lip from the comfort of your own home.

Although threading isn't painless, it has its benefits. Removing hair from your upper lip can improve the application of makeup and skincare. In addition, your hair will grow back slower, and if you're on a tight budget, the cost of threading is significantly lower than other facial hair removal options. Start by cutting a long piece of thread. The length can vary — Glamour UK recommends at least 12 inches, while TikTok user @sarahsaleen says she uses 22 inches. Whatever length you decide on, you need to tie a knot.

After tying this knot, make a twist in the thread. In a TikTok, user @annette_freckles demonstrates the proper way to do this and explains, "You're going to make a figure eight, and you're going to twirl your hand about 15 times." This action creates a twisted line in the center of the thread that removes your hair when you place it against your skin.

The next step involves the placement of your fingers. TikTok user @mehreemakeup puts her thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger through the thread. She then opens and closes her hand to move the thread along her skin and remove the hair from her upper lip.

In her TikTok, @mehreemakeup explains that when you thread the right side of your upper lip, you should open the thread with your left hand, place the twisted part of the thread on your face, and pull the string with your right hand to remove the hair. For the left side, do the same — open the thread with your right hand, place the center of the thread where you want, and pull the string with your left hand. For more visual guidance, TikTok user @jemjam_ slowly displays the hand movements she does while she threads her upper lip.

Both @jemjam_ and @sarahsaleen suggest placing your tongue against your lip or cheek to ensure the skin is taut while you thread. Your skin will likely be red and sensitive after you thread your upper lip — this is nothing to worry about and will subside within a few hours. In the meantime, refrain from using makeup or being out in the sun.

Another common method for hair removal is waxing. Although threading and waxing accomplish the same thing, waxing the upper lip isn't for everyone. Hair removal expert Francesca Farnesi told Glamour UK, "Both waxing and threading remove hairs from the root. However, if your skin is dry or sensitive to products, then threading can be the better option." So next time you want to remove hair from your upper lip, grab your sewing kit and say goodbye to your peach fuzz.