Deciding to remove the hair on your face—or anywhere else on your body—is a personal preference. But, if you choose to opt into the world of facial hair removal and, by extension, its paraphernalia, you might find that the humble tweezer reigns supreme. Compact and easy to use, no other tool on the market beats the tweezer’s ease of use when it comes ridding yourself of hair, especial in small, hard-to-reach places. Still, whether you’ve been using the same tweezers since high school (I swear by my trusty Tweezerman pair) or are looking for a high-quality replacement, finding the best tweezers for hair removal can feel daunting—not because there are so many different options, but because the differences between them are marginal.
In terms of design, some will have blunt tips ideal for grabbing that pesky chin hair (we all have one), while others are angled to help with shaping. One type may be extremely thin and take up barely any space in your hand, while others are chunkier by design for an easy grip. "I buy tweezers wherever I go," says makeup artist Pilar DeMann, who is also the owner of at least ten pairs of tweezers (we've seen photo evidence). "But just like when i’m cooking and have a go-to burner or knife, I do have favorites."
It’s a brave admission because to be honest, so do we. Still, like all things in the world of beauty, the word favorite is subjective, and we recognize that. With that being said, ahead, Marie Claire chats with several brow and eyelash artists who regularly utilize the best tweezers in the market. Great brows are in your future, so grab your new favorite tweezers and your best eyebrow pencil and get to work.
The Best Tweezers
- Best Tweezers Overall: Tweezerman Ultra Precision Slant Tweezer
- Best Drugstore Tweezers: Revlon Slant Tip Tweezer
- Best Tweezers for Short Brow Hairs: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tweezers
- Best Mini Tweezers: Tweezerman Mini Slant Tweezer Classic
- Best Adornment Tweezers: HALF MAGIC Adornment Tweezers
Stevi Christine, a celebrity brow artist and owner of Naturally By, has had her favorite tweezers—Tweezerman's Hand-Filed Gold Ultra Precision Slant Tweezer—for years. "They are easy to use as a consumer or a professional eyebrow artist. They don't pinch the skin, and they grab each hair from the root, ensuring proper tweezing, leaving no unwanted hair behind," she says. The artist also uses her pair to apply falsies, whether tackling individual lashes or an entire strip.
Tip: Slanted
Material: Stainless steel, Titanium
Warranty: Tweezerman has a free sharpening program
What I Love: Expert and editor-approved; Precise; Easy to use; Doesn't pinch the skin; Can be used for lashes
What I Don’t: Not as heavy-duty as other options
Review for MC: “Straight out of the box, I was impressed with how high quality these Tweezerman tweezers felt. They’re lightweight but sturdy, and the slant tip is nicely sharp—but not too sharp—and perfectly aligned to prevent pinching your skin. I have a lot of fine baby hairs that crop up around the tail of my brow and under the arch, and I could get right up against my skin to pluck them without any pinches whatsoever. These are pricier than any tweezer I’ve ever owned, but in my opinion, so worth it.” — Jenna Igneri, Freelance Beauty Writer
Sharp and perfectly aligned, these Tweezerman tweezers expertly grab the most stubborn of hairs without ever pinching the skin.
When you need a new set of tweezers in a pinch, you can quickly grab this fan-favorite Revlon option at Target or your local drugstore. Don’t be fooled by their affordability—crafted from pro-level stainless steel and designed with perfectly aligned slanted tips, they’ll give you plenty of grip, accuracy, and control while tweezing. They also happen to be a favorite of DeMann's. "These tweezers are thicker with a slanted tip and not too sharp,” she says. “Lately, I’ve been loving them for coarser or longer hair that I’m trying to remove.”
Tip: Slanted
Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: None
What I Love: Expert-approved; Affordable; Not too sharp; Great tension
What I Don’t: Some reviewers note the grip lessens over time
Review for MC: “As someone who prefers to let their brows grow as they please (subtle unibrow included), I really only need tweezers for cleaning up a few stray hairs here and there. I’ve had this option from Revlon in my medicine cabinet for a few years now, and they’ve always been a solid, reliable standby. The body's grid pattern makes them easy to hold and control with no slippage, and the slanted slip expertly grabs hairs and plucks them from the root. The tension on them is not only great, but it lasts, too—my OG pair is still going strong!” - Jenna Igneri, Freelance Beauty Writer
Thanks to a slanted tip and great tension, this Revlon pair expertly plucks hair from the root.
These stainless steel tweezers from iconic brow brand Anastasia Beverly Hills never need to be sharpened and have a custom-shaped head for ultimate precision, which is key when removing pesky out-of-place hairs. Legions of glowing reviews say these are also great for coarse brow hairs and for nabbing tiny brow hairs as they pop up. "These are the best tweezers I have ever used," noted one fan. "They have a good edge and take a long time to get dull."
Tip: Slanted
Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: None
What I Love: Editor-approved; Never need to be sharpened; Good for short brow hairs
What I Don’t: More expensive than other options
Review for MC: “I’m a longtime fan of Anastasia Beverly Hills, and these tweezers don’t disappoint. Yes, they’re a bit pricier than many other tweezers on the market, but they really do have a premium feel. Their slanted tip is much sharper than other tweezers I’ve used, including pointed and needle-nose styles, providing amazing precision and control. Even so, never once have I pinched or cut myself during a tweeze session, nor experienced any breakage. Plus, I really appreciate the fact that they’ll stay sharp—great bang for my buck!” — Jenna Igneri, Freelance Beauty Writer
These Anastasia Beverly Hills tweezers have an extra sharp slanted tip, providing amazing precision and control.
This bite-size pair of tweezers is a best-seller for a reason: it has calibrated tension to make grabbing the finest of hairs in a second oh so easy. This top-reviewed tweezer has been hailed as "definitely the best tweezers out there," according to Amazon, so you know your brows are in good hands. In fact, Marie Claire Beauty Editor Samantha Holender considers them the only tweezers she’ll use for at-home brow maintenance, thanks to their expert ability to grab baby rogue hairs. These are also amazing at grabbing super short chin hairs.
Tip: Slanted
Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: Tweezerman has a free sharpening program
What We Love: Editor-approved; Stays sharp for a while; Great for travel
What We Don’t: Some reviewers say the grip area is too small
Review for MC: "Just like the hair on my head, my eyebrows are super fine and slippery. I struggle to get enough tension between the tweezer head and my hair to yank out stragglers—but this little set is always there to save me in a pinch. Plus, they're compact enough to throw in every bag I own." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
These Tweezerman tweezers are ideal for thin, fine hairs.
If you like to play with face gems, nail stickers, or anything else of the sort, these are the tweezers for you. Half Magic was founded by Euphoria makeup artist Donni Davy, who is an absolute expert at intricate makeup designs. This pair was "specifically designed to grip accessories like face pearls and studs for easy and safe application around the eyes.” They can also effortlessly fit into hard-to-reach places like your inner corners and lash line.
Tip: Curved
Material: Unknown
Warranty: None
What We Love: Editor-approved; Features curved tips for easy, poke-free application; Designed for eye safety
What We Don’t: Probably won't pluck your eyebrow hair
Review for MC: “I enjoy a face gem in my inner corners or along my lower lash line from time to time, and, wow, these Half Magic tweezers are a total game-changer. If you’ve ever tried to place a face gem using your fingertips, you know the struggle—these are easy to use and have great tension, expertly grabbing the tiniest of bedazzlements. The longer, curved neck makes it easy to place them precisely where you want them. As a righty, I even used them with my left hand for the sake of journalism, and I still had total control over where I was placing the gem.” — Jenna Igneri, Freelance Beauty Writer
Equipped with a long, curved neck, these tweezers make precise face gem placement a breeze.
What to Look For in Tweezers
- Metal
Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips says that stainless steel tweezers are best. They're non-allergenic and don't irritate the skin. “[They're] also super durable and hygienic," she adds.
- Grip
The material that a pair of tweezers is made from is important, but so too is a slightly unexpected detail: the grip. "The grasp and tension of a tweezer is a very important feature," Phillips adds.
You want to trust the way your chosen pair of tweezers fits in your hand and know that it has the right amount of tension to do its job.
- Personal Preference
In the end, the best tweezers for you are the tweezers you're most comfortable holding. You should consider things like whether you prefer bold, fluffy brows, a thinner '90s style, or even no brow hairs at all—that will dictate which ones work best for your personal needs.
"I do think tweezers are very personal," says Christine. "One of my brow artists who works at the brow boutique prefers a stronger pressure grip to her tweezers. I prefer not so much pressure and not too sharp."
- Tip
While slant tweezers are the most commonly seen type of tweezer, these handy little gadgets are available with a number of tip designs. Pointed, flat or square, and rounded tweezers are also available. "If you are a new brow tweezer user I would start with slanted tweezers," notes DeMann.
How to Use Tweezers
If you've never used tweezers before, you know the first rule is to be careful—any sharp edge near your eyes is something to be wary of. "Less is more, meaning start slow and work your way up. Perhaps visit a professional to ensure you are holding the tweezers properly, which will prevent you from getting ingrown hairs and cutting or pinching the skin," says Christine.
DeMann adds that if you choose to do your own brows, it's important to take your time, use great light, really look at what you’re doing, and take the process one hair at a time, as one hair will affect five others. Consider keeping an eyebrow serum on hand, too, in case you get a little overzealous.
How to Sharpen Tweezers
"Tweezers don't expire," says Taylar. "However, sharpening them is needed every so often because they lose their ability to grip hair." Be sure to sharpen them with an emery board (found in your everyday nail kits) after cleaning with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol.
How to Clean Tweezers
"I would recommend wiping your tweezers with alcohol prior to and after usage," says Christine. This will help prevent rusting and the spread of bacteria—especially if you're trying to dislodge an ingrown.
How Long Do Tweezers Last?
When to replace your tweezers depends on how much you use them and how well they've been taken care of and stored. "Be aware that if you drop them on a hard surface, the tweezers can become out of alignment, which will not provide the same outcome as before," she adds.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
For each pair of tweezers we tested, we evaluated the quality of the design, the functionality of the tip shape, the ease and comfort of use, and, overall, how well they grip and remove stray hairs or perform their other functions, such as pick up and place face gems.
Meet the Experts
Mary Phillips is a renowned celebrity makeup artist whose clients include some of the most famous models and Hollywood stars. Known for creating the most flattering, dewy, and flawless complexions, Mary takes a less is more approach to makeup, letting each woman’s natural beauty shine through both in-person and in photos. Mary’s fresh, breathable makeup application has resonated with a loyal audience on social media that trusts her for her innovative yet attainable beauty tips.
Stevi Christine is an award-winning celebrity brow and make up artist with over 15 years of experience perfecting her iconic, natural-looking, effortlessly chic brows, coining the term "the undone, done brow."
LA born Pilar DeMann is no stranger to the Hollywood life. Deemed the Eyebrow Queen of Litchfield County, Pilar knows that if the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the eyebrows are the frame. It was this notion that led Pilar to conceive a simple routine anchored in brows done right, for her clients. Coined as BLLaC, an easy to remember acronym so women know to focus on their Brows, Lashes, Lips and Cheeks. Whether she is teaching a client how to apply makeup, glamming them up for a party or a walk down the aisle, Pilar always starts with these key features, which has become a simple routine that takes less than five minutes.
Taylar B. is a dynamic Gen Z entrepreneur who has made a significant mark in both the beauty and academic worlds. Graduating high school as valedictorian amidst the challenges of the pandemic in 2021, she exemplifies resilience and adaptability. Currently pursuing her passion for makeup artistry alongside her studies in Political Science at Louisiana State University, Taylar embodies the modern blend of creativity and intellect.
With a keen eye for detail and an innate flair for aesthetics, Taylar has established herself as a sought-after makeup artist, catering to a diverse clientele. Her dedication to her craft and her ability to stay ahead of trends have earned her recognition within the beauty industry.
After completing her degree at Florida State University, Melina Cespedes ventured off to Los Angeles to further her experiences in the beauty industry. She realized that her passion did not lie in the realm of traditional spas, she went to a lashing seminar, and fell in love. She got married and came back to Miami five years ago and was looking for a lash studio to get her own lashes done and realized Miami did not have any reputable studios. She went back to LA, got retrained and then came back to Miami to launch her company, Lash Society Miami.
