The Super-Easy Hack That Will Keep Your Favorite Tweezers Sharp

Do your tweezers need to be sharpened? Not everyone knows that this is a necessary part of caring for this tool. There are many different types of tweezers and not all of them need sharp blades to work well. It all depends on what you use them for.

The most common are slant tip tweezers; these are the style everyone pictures when they think of the tool. They're usually used to pluck eyebrows and other facial hair. Then there are point tip tweezers which give you the precision to remove fine hairs, ingrowns, and splinters. Pointed slant tips are a combination of the two, so you only need one tool for a variety of hairs. Then there are straight-tip tweezers. This style doesn't need sharpening because they're best used to apply individual lash extensions. Arched claws are the type that waxers use to remove hairs from hard-to-reach places, and finally, wide grip tweezers are larger so people with mobility issues can properly grip the tool while using it.

Did you know that you need to sharpen your tweezers? As you use this tool, you may notice that it isn't grabbing hair the same way it did when you first purchased it. This isn't because it's deteriorating over time. Instead, the blades are becoming dull. When this happens, they won't have the power to grip thin hair. You'll find they keep slipping out of your tweezers when you try to pull them out. This is one of the worst things to happen when plucking your hair because every time the tweezers fail, it will be more painful than it already feels.

Buying a new pair of tweezers may seem tempting, but it isn't necessary. You don't need to throw your tweezers away when they stop working as well. As long as the rest of the tool is intact, all you have to do is fix the blades. When checking the edges, ensure they don't need to be adjusted first. You may need to bend the arms to straighten them if they look crooked. Then you can make your tweezers feel as good as new by sharpening them.

Sharpening your tweezers is as easy as filing your nails. In fact, all you need is your nail file. Although, if you don't already have one at home, you can also use 500- to 1000-grit sandpaper. Before starting the process, you should rinse your tweezers under lukewarm water. This will remove any stray hairs that may be left on them. Then dry them on a towel.

You'll need to hold the tweezers in your non-dominant hand to sharpen them. Then take the nail file in the other hand and pinch the tweezers closed over the file. If you're using sandpaper, you should fold it so both blades will sharpen at once. Now, move the file back and forth between the tweezer blades. Each pull and push should be done as one fast movement. It's essential that you go both directions so you can get the best results. Continue doing this until your tweezer blades feel sharp. Once they're to your liking, you should wash them with soap and water before using them again.