Dermaplaning is such a go-to these days for baby-soft skin, it’s not so much a red-carpet secret as a red-carpet must. But what is dermaplaning? Dermaplaning is the process of carefully swiping a sharp metal edge (like a razor) across the surface of your skin. In the process, it exfoliates your face by gently scraping away dead skin cells and peach fuzz to reveal a smooth, flawless canvas for skincare and makeup.
While it was first started as an in-office treatment performed by aestheticians and dermatologists, over the years, a variety of safe, at-home dermaplaning devices have popped up. With so many options, it can be hard to know which ones will leave you with a gorgeous glow sans nicks and irritation. So we set out to find the very best—we tested 21 options and rated on ease of use, skin look and feel, and overall performance. Get to know each one and weigh their pros and cons to find your perfect dermaplaner.
Best Overall
Sephora Collection Metal Facial Razor
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You can easily swipe away stubborn patches of dry skin thanks to the razor's super sharp blade.
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To get more replacement blades, you need to re-purchase the entire kit.
Sephora knows what they're doing when it comes to beauty tools and this dermaplaning razor is no different. Our testers loved that the blade is somehow incredibly sharp, yet causes no irritation, even on dry, super-sensitive skin. The slight curve makes it comfortable to hold against the curve of your face, and each session leaves skin smooth and glowing—the perfect canvas for makeup to go evenly.
The one downside is you can't buy refill blades without re-purchasing the entire kit. However, since they come three to a pack for under $20, it doesn’t feel cost-prohibitive so much as wasteful.
Type: Manual razor | Replacement Blades: 2 | Features: Carrying case
Best Budget
Schick Hydro Silk Touch-Up Razor
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The slim head allows you to get into tight spaces.
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You might end up with a nick or two.
Fans of these slim-headed tools find that they’re great to have on-hand for errant hairs, on-to-go peach fuzz removal, and quick exfoliation sessions. And from our testing, we agree—they do it all, thanks to their slim heads that let us get into corners around the nose and follow the contours of your face.
However, there is a bit of a learning curve to using this tool—while it has guards to protect your skin, we found that it’s still possible to end up with a few nicks, especially in the folds of the neck. So make sure to use very light pressure. Here’s the best way to dermaplane to avoid nicks.
Type: Manual | Replacement Blades: 8 | Features: Micro-guards to protect skin
Best Splurge
Dermaflash Luxe+ Dermaplaning Kit
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The sturdy handle ensures smooth, controlled swipes, even on hard-to-reach areas.
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This has a learning curve for beginners.
The process of dermaplaning is similar to shaving, so the blade, along with its sharpness and stability, matters. This electronic dermaplaner has a sturdy handle and smooth blade, making it great for anyone with butter fingers. And it has two speeds: One for beginners and another for those who are more experienced—which is important because there’s a bit of a learning curve for new users. And we love that it comes as a full kit including cleanser, a moisturizer, four replacement blades, and a charging dock.
The high price tag might be a deterrent for some, but if you're looking to invest in a quality skincare tool, let it be this device.
Type: Electric razor | Replacement Blades: 4 | Features: Charging dock
Best Exfoliating
Tweezerman Facial Razor
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The stainless steel facial razor is easy to sterilize before and after each use.
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The ultra-sharp blade might not be best for beginners.
If your main goal is exfoliation, this Tweezerman tool won't disappoint you. The sleek, pro-grade dermaplaner shaves away dull, dead skin with each drag across your face. And, even if your skin is sensitive, you can rest assured that this razor won't cause irritation, even on acne-prone types.
The tool and the three replacement blades are made from durable, rust-resistant stainless steel, making it easy to sanitize between uses. Simply use an alcohol solution on the entire tool to prevent infection and bacteria build-up.
Something to note: In our testing, we found the razor to be very sharp—as in it might be a bit too sharp for the novice user. But, as long as you use gentle strokes in the direction that your hairs grow and place the cap back on the blade when not in use, beginners should be fine.
Type: Manual razor | Replacement Blades: 3 | Features: Protective cap
Best for Eyebrows
Kitsch Pro Dermaplaner Tool Set
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This pack of 12 disposable razors is great for shaving unruly brows.
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It's not the sharpest tool on the shelf.
If dermaplaning is a regular part of your routine, you might want to consider this option, which comes with a pack of 12 disposable razors, so you can tuck one into your makeup bag, one in your purse, and one in your gym bag and still have plenty more to go. Each is equipped with a stainless steel blade that removes thick hairs with precision, making it ideal for pesky eyebrow hairs. But take note: While it does remove peach fuzz, it’s not one of the most exfoliating options out there.
Type: Manual razor | Replacement blades: 11 | Features: Disposable
Best Compact
Skin Camp Dermaplaning Beauty Wand
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Because of its size, this tool is great for travel.
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Additional blades aren't sold separately.
Consider taking this compact option with you on your next getaway. Not only is it an adorable (and handy!) addition to your travel kit, but it's easy to stow away thanks to its foldable handle. Plus, it does a good job at sloughing away dead skin cells and other debris without causing redness.
While the razor comes with a blade already attached, plus two replacement blades to swap out, we do wish replacement heads were available for purchase. To get more, you need to re-purchase the whole set.
Type: Manual razor | Replacement blades: 0, 1, 2 (depends on pack) | Features: Collapsible safety handle
Best for Peach Fuzz
Stacked Skincare Dermaplaning Tool
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The scalpel-like instrument eliminates peach fuzz in a few swipes.
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At $75, it's more expensive than most facial razors.
Stacked Skincare's beloved Dermaplaning Exfoliation Tool is an aluminum manual razor that mimics a professional-grade scalpel. In addition to swiping peach fuzz away with a flick of the wrist, it removes stray hairs in sensitive areas like the upper lip and in between the brows without scratching the skin.
More pluses: Because of its high-quality blade, it features a plastic tip at the top to prevent users from nicking their skin. The set also comes with three replacement blades, and when you run out, you can buy refills without having to re-purchase the entire tool.
At $75, it's an investment, but if you’re a prolific dermaplaning fan, it might be worth the splurge.
Type: Manual razor | Replacement blades: 3 | Features: Plastic safety tip
Best Mini
Tweezerman Prep & Plane Facial Razors
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It does its job in a single pass.
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The stubby handle can feel a little tricky to maneuver.
This little razor earns its place on the list for a simple reason: It works in one swipe versus the several like other options often take. That’s because it actually features two rows of blades, one flat blade for shaving and one with “teeth” to lift hair up. It also gets bonus points for coming in an affordable pack of three, each of which can be used up to four times. However, we found it can be tricky to use because of the short, hard-to-grasp handle.
Type: Manual | Replacement Blades: 2 | Features: Safety cap
Best Battery-Operated
Panasonic Facial Hair Trimmer
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It’s a great starting place for newbies or sensitive skin.
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It’s more of a trimmer than a shaver
This little tool glides over skin incredibly smoothly, which makes it great for sensitive skin. However there’s a downside: It’s got so much slip, it’s not ideal for precise moves like shaping eyebrows.
It also doesn’t give the closest shave of the bunch, which, again, makes it ideal if you tend to get irritation from your shaving or dermaplaning sessions. But for those seeking the ultimate in exfoliation, this one may not be your dream gadget.
Type: Battery-operated | Replacement Blades: Not needed | Features: Comb attachments for eyebrow hairs
Best with Rotating Head
Gillette Venus Mini Facial Hair Remover
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It’s great at getting every single unwanted hair.
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The unwieldy head makes it imprecise.
With a smart light to help you spot every last little hair—for when car eyebrow plucking isn’t an option (just us that thinks that’s our best lighting?)—and a battery-powered head that leaves no strand behind, this little shaver is especially good at hitting your mustache area and peach fuzz everywhere. However, the head is a little bulky and hard to get into tight spaces. Plus, it’s not particularly exfoliating, so if that’s your goal, look elsewhere.
Type: Battery-operated | Replacement Blades: Not needed | Features: Smart light to find fine hair
Best with Replacement Blades
Versed Instant Gratification At-Home Dermaplaning Tool
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It does the job of a luxe product at a budget price point.
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It might take a couple sessions to get the hang of it.
This one gets high marks from InStyle’s Senior Commerce Editor, Shannon Bauer. She says it “felt substantial in my hand without being heavy” and “gave me a really close shave—all the peach fuzz, course brow hairs, and dead skin cells were gone with light, short strokes in one pass.” And since it did it all without leaving behind irritation or nicks, it’s great for beginners or experienced dermaplaners alike—though there is a small learning curve to using it at first.
She also loves how easy the replacement blades are to take in and out, and overall says that “It feels like a really high-quality product at a drugstore price.”
Type: Manual | Replacement Blades: 1 | Features: Protective Cap
Other Options You Might Like
Spa Sciences SIMA Sonic Dermaplaning Tool for Exfoliation & Peach Fuzz Removal
This tool may be a great option for beginners, it was easy to use right out of the box with minimal learning curve. Great at removing really fine peach fuzz and exfoliating skin, it left our complexions soft and smooth. It’s worth noting that it did struggle to remove coarser eyebrow and beard hair.
Our Testing Process
In an effort to achieve silky smooth, glowing skin, many people have enlisted the help of dermaplaning tools to slough away dead skin and peach fuzz. We did our due diligence—by talking to aestheticians and dermatologists, as well as researching products on our own—to hand-select and test 21 of the most compelling dermaplaning tools on the market.
Considering the main purpose of a dermaplaning tool is to gently shave away dead skin and hair on the surface of the skin, we curated a group of testers with different skin types. Once assigned, they got to work weeding through initial picks in an effort to narrow down the top tools.
In order to do that, our testers rated each tool on a scale of 1 through 5 in several categories: ease of use, effectiveness, and skin look and feel. While a tool's ability to exfoliate the skin and remove unwanted hair was pivotal, whether or not the blade irritated the skin was one of the most important aspects of the test.
Once all the reviews were in, we selected the ones that received top marks in all categories to make our list of the winning dermaplaning tools.
What to Keep in Mind
Ease of Use
Like lots of facial tools you can buy, at-home dermaplaning tools are popular beauty buys because they make otherwise expensive in-office treatments more accessible. However, if tools aren't easy to use, the results can vary from nicks and cuts to breakouts and irritation. With that in mind, you should take blade sharpness, handle manageability, and instructions into consideration. But that’s one of the reasons we fell in love with our top pick, the Sephora Collection Metal Facial Razor—it’s a sharp option that doesn’t irritate.
Replacement Blades
Dermaplaning tools are designed to deliver pro-grade results in the comfort of your own home. Of course, they have to work and deliver on their skin-smoothing, glow-inducing promises. None of that is possible, though, when blades are dull or harbor bacteria. When you're shopping for a dermaplaning tool, keep in mind that you'll need replacement blades. (The Kitsch Eyebrow Razor-Dermaplaner just so happens to come in a pack of 12.) According to celebrity aesthetician Taylor Worden, dermaplaning blades should never be reused. "You should look for one-time blades if you can, and never use more than one blade per face," she adds.
Skin Condition
Before swiping a dermaplaning razor across your face, you should consider the state of your skin. Celebrity aesthetician Joshua Ross tells InStyle that if you have any active breakouts or open wounds on your face, you may want to skip dermaplaning for the time being. "Those with active acne might want to avoid dermaplaning as it can spread bacteria from opening the comedones improperly," he says. Michelle Henry, M.D. a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin & Aesthetics Surgery of Manhattan, agrees. "Although dermaplaning is safe for all skin types, those with sensitive, reactive, and acne-prone skin may have a negative response to the procedure," she says.
Your Questions, Answered
What is dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is the process of dragging a tool with a sharp blade, similar to a razor or scalpel, across your face to remove peach fuzz, stray hairs, dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin. "Doing so exfoliates the skin and allows for better penetration of skin care products," Worden explains. According to Dr. Henry, dermaplaning can promote the growth of new skin cells, too.
How often can you use a dermaplaning tool?
Worden and Ross agree that you can use a dermaplaning tool every three to six weeks. "It depends mostly on your skin and how fast your hair grows," Worden adds.
How can you care for the skin before and after dermaplaning?
The best way to prepare your skin for dermaplaning is to properly cleanse your face and remove all makeup. "When using a dermaplaning tool, no skincare products should be present on the face," Dr. Henry says. After the procedure, you can apply moisturizer to ease some of the redness and reduce the risk of irritation. "Be sure to avoid immediate sun exposure or extreme heat following dermaplaning to avoid irritation," she warns.
Why Shop With Us
Beth Shapouri is a seasoned beauty writer who has tackled all things skin for publications like Shape.com, Glamour.com, Allure.com, and more, so she knows a thing or two about dermaplaning and hair removal. And so do the experts featured in this story. Michelle Henry, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and an ACGME fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgeon. Taylor Worden a New York City-based celebrity esthetician and founder of Taylor Worden Skin. Joshua Ross is a celebrity aesthetician and founder of SkinLab in Los Angeles. Additional reporting was done by Caitlyn Martyn.