So you’ve had it with razors, wax, and epilators? If so, there is another option. Hair removal cream, aka ‘Depilatory Cream’.
The next “easy” task is to find the best depilatory cream for YOU and your skin type.
If you watched TV in the late 80’s you might remember those Nair commercials, with the ladies dancing around singing “We wear short shorts! If you dare wear short shorts, use Nair for short shorts.”
The truth is, many women took the dare! Short shorts are everywhere these days, but for some reason, depilatory cream went out of style. Too bad really, because hair removal cream has many advantages over other hair removal methods.
But first, let’s look at the best on the market.
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Contents
- 8 Best Depilatory Hair Removal Creams 2024
- Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo
- Nair Hair Remover Moisturizing Face Cream
- Gel Cream For Body Hair Remover Spring Essence By Nair
- Avon SSS Fresh & Smooth Bikini Line Hair Removal Cream
- Nair Baby Oil Hair Remover Lotion
- Avon SKIN SO SOFT Fresh & Smooth Hair Removal Cream
- Nair Cocoa Butter Hair Remover Lotion
- Veet Fast Acting Gel Cream Hair Remover
- What is Hair Removal Cream and How Does It Work?
- Benefits of Using Depilatory Creams
- How to Choose The Best Depilatory Cream For You
- Summing It All Up
8 Best Depilatory Hair Removal Creams 2024
Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo
This hair removal cream for the face includes 0.6 oz of hair remover cream and 0.6 oz of skin guarding balm. The balm is meant to protect the skin and must be applied first and rubbed in well.
The product works well on finer hairs and in the upper lip area, and the scent is not as strong as other hair remover creams out there.
Pros
- Includes balm.
- Works on sensitive skin.
- No strong odor.
Cons
- Only 0.6 oz of hair removal cream included.
Conclusion
If you have sensitive facial skin, give Olay Duo a try. This was the best depilatory cream for facial hair I found.
Nair Hair Remover Moisturizing Face Cream
Nair Moisturizing face cream exfoliates and moisturizes while removing facial hair. It is one of the most popular and best depilatory creams for the face. It comes in a 2 oz bottle, the scent of the product is not too strong either.
Pros
- Designed for the face.
- 2 oz bottle.
- Trusted brand.
Cons
- It can cause irritation on sensitive skin. Do a test patch first.
Conclusion
This depilatory cream is a go-to brand for many women who have trusted Nair for years to remove their facial hair. Without a doubt one of the best depilatory creams for face out there.
Gel Cream For Body Hair Remover Spring Essence By Nair
This gel formula comes in a spray can and is formulated specifically for sensitive skin. Many users with sensitive skin can only use this formulation. Still, test it on yourself first.
It comes in a 5.4 oz can and has a strong depilatory odor. The biggest benefit of this formulation is that users with sensitive skin have found success with this product.
Pros
- Formulated for sensitive skin.
- 5.4 oz. in a convenient spray can.
Cons
- Stinky.
Conclusion
If you have sensitive skin, try Nair’s sensitive gel formulation, the best depilatory cream for sensitive skin I reviewed.
Avon SSS Fresh & Smooth Bikini Line Hair Removal Cream
This is a cream designed specifically for the bikini area.
It is made for sensitive skin and is fragrance-free. It will still have the expected depilatory cream odor, but no additional fragrance is added.
The tube is just 2.5 oz, as it was designed for the bikini area, not for large areas like legs or back.
Pros
- Fragrance-free.
- Made for sensitive skin.
- Leaves skin super soft.
Cons
- Small tube, 2.5 oz.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a fragrance free formulation, this is it, made especially for the bikini area.
Nair Baby Oil Hair Remover Lotion
One of Nair’s most popular formulations, this Baby oil formulation is for arms, legs and bikini line. The baby oil softens skin and the powerful Nair formula removes hair in as little as 3 minutes.
As with any cream, please, do a test patch first, 24 hrs in advance. It comes in a 9 oz bottle.
Pros
- Budget-priced.
- 9. oz bottle.
- Uses baby oil to soften skin.
- Works on the bikini area, legs arms, and underarms.
Cons
- Not for sensitive skin.
Conclusion
This is one of the best depilatory creams for the bikini area if you do not have sensitive skin.
Head over to my article about the best depilatory creams for pubic hair to see more great hair removal cream options.
Avon SKIN SO SOFT Fresh & Smooth Hair Removal Cream
Avon skin so soft is great for coarse hard-to-remove hair. The container has 4.2 oz. of cream.
Apply a thick layer over coarse hair and wait about 4 minutes or so, and then wipe the hair away. This formulation is quite thick, so that should be easy to do.
Leaves skin feeling very soft thanks to Avon’s proprietary skin so soft ingredients.
Pros
- Works on coarse hair.
- Thick cream, won’t run or drip.
- Softens skin.
Cons
- Only 4 oz per tube.
Conclusion
Possibly the best depilatory cream for coarse hair I found.
Nair Cocoa Butter Hair Remover Lotion
My Nair depilatory cream reviews lead us to this Cocoa butter formulation many of us love. It comes in a 9 oz bottle, won’t break the bank, works quickly and has added vitamin E to soothe and soften skin.
Pros
- Works great on legs.
- 9 oz bottle.
- Cocoa butter and vitamin E soften skin.
Cons
- Stinky.
Conclusion
A great cream at a great price that works. What more can you ask for?
Veet Fast Acting Gel Cream Hair Remover
This Veet depilatory cream review showed that this Veet fast-acting gel is a great value because it comes in a generous 13.5 oz bottle with a spatula included. It even works on men who have coarse hair.
It works great for legs, too. The spatula is a nice touch as it helps when applying and removing the cream.
Pros
- Large bottle, 13.5 oz.
- Works well for coarse leg hair.
- Includes spatula.
Cons
- Not for face or sensitive areas. Test first!
Conclusion
One of the best depilatory cream for legs in a large bottle so it will last a while.
Veet is a very popular brand, so is Nair. That’s why if you can’t decide between which brand of hair removal cream you should go for, maybe this Veet vs Nair article will help end the uncertainty.
What is Hair Removal Cream and How Does It Work?
Hair removal cream, also known as depilatory cream, is a cream you apply to the skin and hair, from anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes (always read package directions!).
This cream comes in a tube, bottle, gel, as a roll-on, a stick and so on. You let the cream sit on the skin for the allotted time. Usually, you do this in the shower or bathroom because you will need to wipe and wash it off.
Most creams contain calcium thioglycolate, a chemical that breaks down the bonds of the keratin in the hair. Once those bonds are broken, the hair becomes soft, like an overcooked spaghetti noodle. That is when it is time to wipe the cream off.
Many folks believe the cream dissolves hair, but that is not quite the case, it softens it to the point you can wipe it away.
Since you also have keratin in your skin, the depilatory works on the outer layer of skin, usually dead skin cells, and softens those too. This is why depilatory cream exfoliates the skin.
But be careful, leaving the cream on too long will hurt cells that are alive causing a burn or irritation.
Benefits of Using Depilatory Creams
Painless
If used properly, it is painless. Just leave it on 5 minutes, test a hair or two, to see if the hair is soft enough to wipe away.
If the hair wipes off easily, its time to wipe off the rest and rinse. No pain should be involved. It might tingle or itch a little.
Exfoliates Skin
Since the cream softens keratin, it releases dead skin cells on the surface.
When you wipe the hair away, you wipe the dead skin cells too, contributing to the super smooth feeling depilatories give you.
Leaves Skin Smooth Longer Than a Razor
The exfoliation built-in with using depilatories, plus the fact that the hair is removed just below the skin surface, makes your skin very smooth for a little longer than a razor.
Since the hair was not cut, it will not be prickly and sharp like hairs cut with a razor, so it feels less stubbly.
Head over to this article on Nair vs shaving to see an in-depth comparison of both methods.
It’s Super Easy
It is very easy. Apply the cream. Wait for as long as the manufacturer has advised on the product’s instructions. Wipe with a washcloth. Rinse. Simple.
How to Choose The Best Depilatory Cream For You
Choosing a depilatory cream is actually pretty easy. There are three factors to consider.
Area
There are depilatories specially designed for the delicate areas on the face. These usually are not good for the legs, because they are not as strong formula wise for coarse hair, and the bottle is small, so it won’t cover a lot.
There are also formulations for the Bikini area, as well as all-purpose formulations you can use on the legs, arms, back and bikini area. In the review section, I will discuss the specific considerations of each body area when it comes to hair removal cream.
Depilatory Cream and Facial Hair
Take extra caution and follow the instructions to a T when using a depilatory cream on your face.
The face is a sensitive area and you can not use just any cream on the face. You must use a cream designed for the face.
I highly recommend you test a small area first. Put a small dab, just a fingertip of cream, on the face. Wait for 3 to 5 minutes. Wipe and rinse the area.
Wait 24 hours to see if the cream caused irritation or inflammation. If there isn’t any bad reaction, you should be OK to use the cream.
Also, do not get the cream near your eyes or lips, depilatory cream should NEVER get on the sensitive mucous membranes.
I highly advise you to use a hair removal cream only on your upper lip (make sure not to touch the lips) and on the chin. I don’t think it’d be safe to use it on your eyebrows (that’s a hazard waiting to happen).
If you’re afraid of having a chemical reaction, then I highly recommend you check out this article on how to get rid of chin hair specifically, or this article on other great upper lip hair removal ways.
Depilatory Cream and Bikini Hair
With the bikini area becoming more and more exposed as the bikini shrinks, the need for hair removal in the bikini area is increasing.
Plus, I know that depilatory creams are women’s saviors due to the fact that it minimizes the chances of ingrown hairs.
For me, ingrown hairs are inevitable in the bikini area, so my savior is actually the Tend Skin Solution. But of course, there are other awesome ingrown hair products.
If you don’t know the brand or the products they provide, head over to this article on Tend Skin reviews.
If you want to wear your itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini to the beach or a pool party, you might consider a hair remover cream to clean up the bikini line.
Just use caution. Please.
The Bikini area is a tricky business when it comes to using a depilatory cream. Do not use the cream close to your sensitive lady parts; it can burn delicate vaginal skin and mucous membranes.
If you’re afraid of just that happening, then consider different bikini hair removal ways.
And please, do a patch test 24 hrs ahead of time.
Depilatory Cream and Leg Hair
Legs are the most common area ladies use hair removal cream for. There are not really too many special considerations as legs are not the most sensitive area of the body.
However, that doesn’t mean you should skip the patch test.
The one thing you want to look for when purchasing a bottle for the legs is the amount of product that you will receive. You know, since legs cover a large surface area.
Oh, and also, since usually the hairs on the legs are so coarse, I recommend you exfoliate your legs a day prior to your depilatory cream session (or at least a couple of hours before).
Read more here on the best ways and products on how to exfoliate legs.
Skin sensitivity
Skin sensitivity is another factor. If you have really sensitive skin, choose a sensitive skin formulation and be sure to read the review section on creams for sensitive skin for more details.
Effectiveness
This is where the reviews come in handy; I will let you know which creams work the best.
Summing It All Up
I hope this guide and reviews of the best depilatory creams help you find the product that is right for you.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me!
Cynthia Stalde
I’m the girl behind Miss Coty. Here I talk about the struggles of womanhood – from hair removal all the way to deep facial wrinkles in your 20s. More about me.
