Face threading: China’s ancient beauty hack

Chinese face threading (“xian mian”) is a process through which tiny facial hairs are removed.

Unlike using tweezers, rolling a doubled, twisted thread over the skin removes short rows of hairs rather than just one at a time. It’s said to feel like gentle pinches, and can feel like a face massage as the pinching feeling subsides.

It’s considered a Hong Kong tradition and is on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, but has also been practiced in India and the Middle East for thousands of years.