Hair Removal Cream

Depilatory cream, otherwise known as hair removal cream is an easy way to remove hair. Although you must always follow the instructions on the box or enclosed leaflet you generally apply the cream, wait a few minutes, scrape it off with the provided spatula and gently wash the area in lukewarm water and pat dry. Job done!

You can buy hair removal cream everywhere. Common brands are Nair, Veet and Immac and they are pretty similar to each other in terms of price. You can find a whole range, many at a discount HERE

Veet hair removal cream gel

Veet hair removal cream gel CLICK IMAGE for details

Try a few different brands because it will probably be something small which marks out one over another and makes it the best hair removal cream for you – things like the packaging, familiarity with the brand, how the cream, gel or lotion is applied or the fragrance (which is meant to disguise the pungent smell of the chemical which all these hair removal creams use although it rarely does a complete job on this).

Different Formulas

You can use these hair removal products on most parts of your body – check the packaging but depilatory creams are generally great for underarms, legs, chest, back, bikini line and face – pretty much everywhere. You don’t need to buy a special bikini hair removal cream or hair removal creme for legs.  However you may find special formulations for facial hair – an area which is a bit more sensitive than others and some manufacturers will package up a product for use on specific areas to give them an edge (although it is often the same stuff  inside).

Likewise the formula is generally not any different for removing male hair or female hair but you might find special hair removal cream for men which is packaged and perfumed differently to appeal to those looking for male hair removal products.

Patch Sensitivity Test

Before you use your chosen product for the first time always do a patch test to check for sensitivity and adverse reactions to the formula. It should tell you to do this in the instructions. It’s better to spend an extra five minutes the first time you use it and be safe rather than sorry – this is particularly important for facial hair removal cream for obvious reasons.

Any Disadvantages of Hair Removal Cream?

  • It’s easy to forget to check the time when you apply it and then end up guessing and leaving it on too long or taking it off too soon. Remember to take a timer into the bathroom when you use your depilatory cream
  • It’s also a bit boring waiting for the whole process to work. Five minutes standing around can seem like an age. Remember and take a magazine with you
  • The smell of these products is quite distinctive  – no matter how well the manufacturer has perfumed the cream, here is still a smell that lingers after you have used the product (not on you thankfully just around the bathroom)
  • Your skin may be a bit sensitive after use so don’t plan on using perfumes or deodorants immediately after removing your hair with depilatory cream.
  • The hair is destroyed just below the surface of the skin and not at the root so this is a temporary hair removal method and you have to keep using your hair removal cream every few days if you want to maintain smooth skin. However you will find that regrowth is slight less stubbly and fast than shaving.

Female Facial Hair Removal

There are several solutions for female facial hair removal so there is no need to despair if you have a problem with unwanted facial hair. What you do not want to do, in any event, is to mimic the male method of facial hair removal and start shaving the hair off. All you will do if you do that is to give yourself a potential 5 o’ clock shadow and stubble problem.

Here are the methods I would consider useful for unwanted facial hair removal for women.

1. Depilatory Cream

Depilatory ranges such as Nair hair removal cream and Veet usually have special facial hair removal creams with a more sensitive formula than general depilatory creams. They are very effective at removing hair and, as long as they do not irritate you, they leave skin looking healthy and smooth.

female facial hair removal : stubble from shaving

Stubble needs to be removed daily : This is the kind of problem you don't need on your face

Remember to do a patch test if you use a facial hair removal cream in case your skin reacts badly to the chemicals in the product. The main problems with these creams is that you have to repeat the process every few days as the hair grows back quickly (although not so quickly as shaving).

2. Bleaching

Bleaching is not really a method of removing facial hair but it can be useful to disguise very fine yet dark down growing on your face. Once the hair is lightened it will be much less obvious. It may be all you need to do to correct your problem so it is worth a try if the hair growth is fine. You can bleach specially formulated for facial hair such as Jolen cream bleach.

3. Waxing

You can buy facial hair removal wax strips which allow you to pull the hair out from the roots using cold wax so that there is no chance of burning your face with a hot wax solution. These cold wax strips are generally quite effective and you can cut the strips in sizes to suit and sort out the problem in the privacy of your own home. Your skin will be a little sore after waxing but redness should settle down within an hour or two.

4. Laser Hair Removal

You can have professional facial laser hair removal and, if you have skin and hair which reacts well to the treatment, your hair growth will be noticeably reduced and may even disappear for good. Laser treatment is fairly expensive but as the face is such a small area it is in the reach of many. You will probably need six or so sessions costing around $100 each. Laser treatment works best if your skin is light and your hair is dark and may not work at all on fair hair or dark skin.

5. Electrolysis

The best way of all to remove facial hair for women is electrolysis. Although electrolysis is quite slow and you may need a number of sessions over many months it is going to be permanent by the end of your course of treatment and you will never have to worry about the problem again. In the absence of a facial hair remover in the shape of a magic wand it is the best solution we have to female facial hair removal at the moment and there does not seem to be anything coming up to replace it. See Permanent facial hair removal for more about facial electrolysis or laser treatment.