Tweezers with light are a godsend because they make it easier to see what you’re looking at whether you’re plucky hairs, crafting, or trying to remove that pesky sliver.
Tweezers can seem like naturally occurring inhabitants of bathroom drawers, but they have a shelf-life. When I told my partner we needed new tweezers, he looked at me like I had two heads but once we got the new tweezers, he was shocked at the difference. If your tweezers are so old you’re not sure where you got them from, it’s past time to replace them.
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1.
EDITOR’S CHOICE: La-Tweez Pro Illuminating Tweezers
Pros:
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Carrying case with mirrors
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Replaceable batteries
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Choice of colors
Cons:
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Battery replacement adds up
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Pricier than others
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No rubber grip
These LaTweez Illuminating Tweezers come with their own compact carrying case that has a built-in mirror for both regular reflection on one side and two times magnification on the other side. The LED bulb on this set is very bright compared to others.
It runs on three AG3 batteries that aren’t expensive to replace but because you need three, it’s a little more fiddly to deal with and pricier in the long run.
The tweezer arms are stainless steel and pitched for an easy and strong grip. The arms are too narrow to be called ergonomic but they are larger than most drugstore tweezers. I like the button placement and that it comes in several colors. The case and built-in mirror make this one perfect for traveling.
Find more La Tweez Pro Illuminating Tweezers information and reviews here.
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2.
Trend Tweeze Lighted Precision Tweezers With Swarovski Crystals & Case (Pink)
Pros:
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Wide ergonomic handle
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Case, mirror, nail file, and extra battery
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Waterproof
Cons:
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Light not as bright as others
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Pricier than others
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May accidentally hit button
These cute stainless steel Lighted Precision Tweezers from Trend Tweeze have a wide handle with textured grip making these the most ergonomic and easy to grip so far. The LED is housed in this middle section instead of by the fulcrum.
When the light is closer to the tips, the light will be more concentrated where you want it and less likely to shine into your eyes and blind you. The Trend Tweeze is waterproof so it’s easy to wash these or sanitize them with alcohol.
They come with one battery installed and one extra replacement battery. You also get a nail file and a carrying case with built-in mirror. If you need more sparkle in your life, the Trend Tweeze is covered in Swarovski crystals for a touch of glitter.
Find more Trend Tweeze Lighted Precision Tweezers information and reviews here.
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3.
Stainless Steel Makeup Lighted Tweezers (Random Color)
Pros:
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Stainless steel
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Affordable
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Bright, fun colors
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Textured grip
Cons:
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Not as high quality as others
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The color you get is random
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Not ergonomic
These Colorful LED Tweezers are about as pared down and simple a design as you’ll find. The tweezer arms are too thin to be ergonomic but they are covered in a neon finish and textured grip. The listing is for one tweezer randomly selected.
The LED light takes three included AG3 batteries which are affordable to replace. The on and off button sits away from the holding area of the tweezers and is raised up to be easy to feel without needing to look. For the price bracket, they’re great tweezers, but they won’t have the gripping power of higher quality brands like Tweezerman.
These come in five neon colors: pink, orange, yellow, purple, and, green but the color you get is random.
Find more Colorful LED Tweezers information and reviews here.
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4.
Carson Lighted Precision Tweezers With 4.5 X Magnifier
Pros:
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Comes with magnifying glass
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Cheap replaceable batteries
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Great for splinters and precise work
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Stainless steel
Cons:
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Not great for eyebrows
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Needle tip too sharp for kids to use
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Tweezer arms are very narrow to hold
These Carson MagniGrip Lighted Tweezers are designed for working with very small objects. Tweezers with this shape are perfect for working with splinters, ingrown hairs, and other small objects you need to manipulate carefully like fake eyelashes, nail art rhinestones, and detailed crafting projects.
The attached magnifying glass offers 4.5 times magnification so you’ll be able to see exactly what you’re working with no matter how small. However, if you are going to be using your lighted tweezers for shaping your eyebrows, these are not the style for you.
I like that the bright LED light is attached directly to the tweezers so you can swing the magnifying glass out of the way or even detach it completely from the tweezers and you don’t lose the benefit of the light.
Batteries are included and replaceable. It takes three SR927 batteries which are very affordable. The on and off button is a knob on the back which I find to be a little awkward to turn on but at least you won’t accidentally hit it while working with the tweezers.
Find more Carson Lighted Precision Tweezers With 4.5 X Magnifier information and reviews here.
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5.
General Tools Smooth Point Lighted Tweezers
Pros:
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No glare finish
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Replaceable batteries
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Textured grip
Cons:
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Too small for normal hair plucking
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Arms are very narrow to grip
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Too sharp to give to kids
I really like that these General Tools Needle-Pointed Tweezers have a matte black coating so the LED light isn’t going to bounce off the steel like some of the more reflective metal finishes.
These super fine tweezers are great for removing splinters or ingrown hairs and working with fine detail pieces like false eyelashes and small jewelry beading. The point is far too small for plucking your eyebrows.
These tweezers have a rubberized, textured grip on either side for increased control and take three replaceable LR41 batteries.
Find more General Tools Smooth Point Lighted Tweezers information and reviews here.
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6.
Two-Piece Lighted Magnifying Tweezer Set
Pros:
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Two tweezers
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Five-times magnification glass
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Two LEDs on each tweezer
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Replaceable battery
Cons:
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Might not want magnifier
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Chunkier than others
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Tweezers not high quality
If you really need to see what you’re doing, this Two-Piece Tweezer Set is a tweezer, LED light, and magnifying glass combination. These angled tweezers are slanted and great for removing splinters, applying false eyelashes, and other highly detailed work.
The magnifying potion has five times magnification so you can see just about everything you would ever need to tweeze. The tweezers are attached to the magnifier by a hinge and can be adjusted to the angle you need to use both at once.
If you don’t want to use the magnifier, you can’t detach it. You can move it as far to the side as it goes, but it’s still there and might be in the way depending on what you’re trying to do. The magnifier houses the LED light, so you’re going to want to use the magnifier if you want to take advantage of the light.
These have double the light with two LED bulbs positioned over the tips of the tweezers. They’re powered by a battery in the base of the tweezers and this set includes both the batteries as well as a backup.
Find more Two-Piece Lighted Magnifying Tweezer Set information and reviews here.
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7.
LED Tweezers
Pros:
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Wide, textured grip
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Stainless steel
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Stylish cut-out steel pattern
Cons:
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Feel cheaper than others
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May be too sharp for some
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Not everyone is fond of pink
These LED Tweezers have a flatter, angled head much better shaped for tweezing eyebrows and finding those little stray hairs that you can easily miss in dimmer light. The LED is housed between the tweezer arms so it’s always aiming right where you need it.
The arms widen and have non-slip pads on both sides for a more ergonomic grip that is great for people who have difficulty or pain with their hands. They are stainless steel and sharp enough that you might not want to throw these loose into your bag. These are on the cheaper side and probably won’t hold up as long as some of the higher-quality models.
Find more LED Tweezers information and reviews here.
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8.
We R Memory Keepers Lighted Craft Tweezers
Pros:
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Reverse tension is easy on hands
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Ergonomic handle with grip
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Cheap replacement batteries
Cons:
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Can feel a little heavy
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Not for beauty
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Can't get firm grip
These We R Memory Keepers Lighted Craft Tweezers are less for beauty needs and much more for crafting. The reverse tension and narrow tips are built to work on small delicate tasks like miniatures or weeding images from my Cricut Explore Air 2.
Reverse tension means that when the tweezers are at rest they are closed. When you press down on the sides of the tweezers, the arms open. This means you can’t squeeze tighter to get a better hold on hairs for plucking.
The thick, handle is ergonomic and easy to hold. It places its LED base and light between the arms, a popular design. This keeps the bulk of the light out of your way. Batteries are included and replacements are very cheap.
Find more We R Memory Keepers Lighted Craft Tweezers information and reviews here.
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9.
Revlon Spotlight Tweezers With LED Light
Pros:
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Titanium coated
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Long-lasting LED
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Replaceable battery
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Trusted brand
Cons:
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LED bulb could be brighter
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Wider arms would make for a better grip
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No rubber grip
These Revlon Gold Series Lighted Slant Tweezers are a great example of form and function. The LED light housing is narrow enough to fit between the tweezer arms without being too chunky and the ergonomic pitched arms mean that you have to squeeze far less than with tweezers whose arms are completely straight.
The LED light is bright enough to show fine, light hairs and help you pick out those hard to see grey hairs. The LED bulb has a long lifespan and the LR41 watch battery it runs on has cheap replacements available.
These tweezers are titanium coated so you know they won’t rust and the metal won’t irritate sensitive skin. The on button for the light is easy to reach when holding the tweezers but also not so close to where you generally grip tweezers that you’re going to accidentally turn it on or off when you don’t want to.
Find more Revlon Spotlight Tweezers With LED Light information and reviews here.
Why Bother With Lighted Tweezers?
I think we can agree that it's easier to see when the lights are on so when you're working on a small, fiddly task, having more light is a huge benefit.
As our eyes age, they begin to need more light than before. According to an article on aging and vision in The New York Times, the time we're 50, we need twice as much light to see comfortably as we did when we were 30 years old.
So if you're squinting and struggling to see, why not make use of the affordable solution these LED tweezers have to offer?
What to Eliminate That Annoying Hand Shadow?
Even if your vanity is impeccably lit, there's still the issue of your hand coming between you and your light source, casting a dark shadow on the very area you're trying to see.
I can't stand that. This is the same problem you see with electric nail drills and they solve that by adding a small LED bulb to the tip of the drill--so why not on your tweezers?
It's a little trickier with tweezers because they don't already use electricity but slap on a small battery and plenty of brands have come up with designs so there's nothing between the light and the arms of your tweezers.
Which Type of Tweezer Should I Use?
Using the right tweezer shape makes the task easier. There are several different types of tweezers but for 99 percent of tweezing jobs, you'll likely need slanted tip tweezers.
Slanted tip tweezers are the universal shape that you can use for everything from plucking hairs to removing splinters to applying false eyelashes and nail decals.
The only other shape you're likely to need for beauty purposes is needle tip tweezers which make removing splinters and ingrown hairs easier and less painful than with slanted tips.
What About Crafting?
Certain crafting and creative projects like working with miniatures, die-cutting, tying flies for fly fishing, beadwork, and embroidery need very fine tweezers to deal with the tiny bits. Crafting tweezers also often have the benefit of attached magnifying glasses.
Needle-nose or offset tweezers are a good choice here as are reverse-tension tweezers.
What Are Reverse Tension Tweezers?
Unlike normal tweezers, these tweezers are closed when not in use and when you apply pressure they open.
Instead of being shaped like the letter U, the arms on reverse tweezers actually cross over each other. With this design, it takes very little pressure to operate them and they're quick to close on the object you're after.
They aren't great for plucky though because you can't control how tightly they close on those little hairs.
What Are Some Tweezer Tips?
Tweeze after you shower. It's worth fighting your steamed-up mirror to remove stray hairs after you've had a hot shower because the warm water opens up your hair follicles, making their grip on your hairs much looser. Plucking will be smoother, take less force, and be less painful than if you did it pre-showering.
Take regular breaks when you're shaping your eyebrows. When you're right up close on your eyebrows it's easy to get a little pluck-crazy and overdo it. After you've removed a few hairs, step back to see the whole picture in the mirror or walk away and give your eyes a break so you can get a fresh view of your brows.
Give yourself a break around your menstrual period. If plucking seems more painful near your period, that's because it actually is more painful. Hormones are rude. So avoid the pain and irritation and give yourself the week off.
Use ice, aloe, or over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to treat swelling or redness if you're someone like me who tends to end up resembling a Neanderthal after shaping my brows.
A lot of the pain and problems from tweezing can be avoided with a good pair of tweezers with light. High-quality, well-aligned tweezers prevent those false starts where you grab the hair and pull but the tweezers lose their grip part way through so you've yanked a hair that is now more sensitive when you have to try again.
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