The present invention relates to mechanical hair removal. In order to provide a handheld hair removal apparatus with improved detection of fine hair, a handheld hair removal apparatus (10) is provided that comprises a hair removal arrangement (12), a support structure (14) for supporting the hair removal arrangement, and a light source (16) attached to the support structure. During operation, a main movement direction (20) of the apparatus is provided. The hair removal arrangement comprises a skin contact portion (22) extending at least along a primary axis (24) extending perpendicularly to the main movement direction for contacting a user's skin during operation. Further, the light source can be arranged in an operational position (P O ) at a side of the hair removal arrangement in front of the skin contact portion with respect to the main movement direction. Still further, in the operational position the light source provides a light beam (28) with a main propagation axis (30) enclosing an angle of incidence (32) of less than 30° with an imaginary plane (33) extending parallel to the main movement direction and the primary axis.