The tweezer, the invention of which dates back to the Stone Age, is now a universally-used tool as common in operating rooms as it is in home medicine cabinets. And even though your needs may be quite different from those of a skilled surgeon, there are literally hundreds of tweezers on the market claiming to be your perfect partner for any need. With so many choices, how do you pick the perfect one for you?

IT’S IN THE TIP

With endless combinations of shapes, colors, and materials to pick from, how do you find the right tweezer to fit your needs? First, choose the right shape for the job: the most popular tips feature a slant, point, or round-shaped tip.

Slant-tip tweezers, with its ends machined to an angled tip, are the most common because they are easier and safer to use on eyebrows and other facial hair. Point-tip tweezers, with the tips honed to a sharp point, are much more precise for removal of splinters, very fine hairs, or whenever precision is required. Be very careful not to dig into your skin. Round-tip tweezers may lack precision, but are the safest option for teens, those with shaky hands, and the far-sighted.

A great pair of tweezers will grab hair with the first pull eliminating the frustration usually associated with a bad pair of tweezers. While most tweezer tips are formed in stainless steel, manufacturers recently introduced gold, high tech polymers, and even diamond particles to further improve the tip’s gripping ability. Regardless of your choice of tip material, a factory-mitered edge will also go far in improving your "grab".

THE BODY

The body of your tweezer should always be metal to assure a long life for your trusted tool. Stainless steel is a long-time favorite for its durability and ease of disinfection between uses, while nickel-plated tweezers offer the surest grip. Gold and gold-plated metals are some of the high-end tweezer body finishes with a designer touch. A virtual rainbow of fashion color choices are also available to match any whim.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

While the need for tweezers hasn’t changed since the ancient times, the latest high-tech advances now bring you such options as on-board L.E.D. illumination to hone in on your target, and special polymer tips that never wear out. With features like these, even the novice can achieve expert hair removal results in the comfort of their own home.

Before settling on your perfect pair of tweezers, consider the guarantees and other special incentives offered by the manufacturer, such as free lifetime sharpening.

TWEEZER CARE

Like any professional tool, your "new best friend" will serve you for many years with minimal care. Simply wipe it with an alcohol-saturated cotton ball to disinfect after each use. Always store your tweezers in their case or with their tip side up. Finally, dropping or using your tweezers as a screwdriver will result in misalignment, rendering them useless.

BEST OF THE BEST

The best of the best tweezers are made of the highest quality materials, offer ergonomically correct form, and are hand-finished by expert craftsmen for perfect alignment and ease of use. Most importantly, the tweezers in this group are the best at grabbing hairs with style.