Summer is fast approaching and if you’re anything like us, now’s the time that the great annual defuzzing process begins.
After a long winter hanging onto your fur to keep you warm in Arctic temperatures, now spring sunshine, holidays and skirts (call it the Miu Miu micro effect) are back on the agenda. This means it’s time to call out the big, quick guns and get your legs, arms and anywhere else silky smooth without the pain, cost or time for a full-on wax.
Whether you opt to remove your hair or not is completely your prerogative, but for the lazy girl (or guy) guide – look no further.
Hair removal creams may well be the most effortless form of defuzzing on the market. IPL laser machines are more permanent, epilators are more technologically advanced and razors are ideal for taking on the go, but these lotions have something their contemporaries do not and that’s pure unadulterated ease. Oh, and they’re kinder on your bank balance too.
Smooth onto the limbs in question, wait the required time, and smooth hair-free skin is yours for the taking with serious touch appeal - averting cuts and burns from the process.
No tedium, no pain, and no toxic aromas: these depilatory creams have had a major update since the 90s. While they still may not be the most pleasant scent, they are better - but most of all, are effective and with the short time it takes to work its magic, the fragrance isn’t really all that important. Plus you’ll love the feel of your hair-free legs.
The formulations work by effectively melting the hair and more specifically the hair proteins to give more long-lasting results than shaving as you’re targeting the depilatories below the skin’s surface. That being said, this is still a short-term solution as new hair returns in just a few days. Also, if you’ve got sensitive skin, there is always a chance they may irritate, so always do a patch test first and monitor the skin for 24 hours afterwards.
Pay attention to designated products for specific areas of the skin, most importantly of all sensitive parts like the face and bikini area to ensure they are gentle. You can also find products for men to tackle chest, arms, legs and underarms quickly and without leaving prickly stubble.
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Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream for Sensitive Skin
Veet is almost synonymous with hair removal creams - so known is the brand that it became a verb in the process: ‘Did you Veet your legs?’.
As popular today as it was back then, the brand has stayed at the forefront of depilatory creams by constantly innovating its formulations. This one is designed specifically for sensitive skin without sacrificing efficacy. Even short hair is whisked away after just five minutes of applying this cream. It is formulated with the additions of aloe vera and vitamin E to counteract possible irritations and leave your skin silky and soft in the process.
Apply to your legs, arms, underarms and bikini line - and best of all, do so while in the shower for the most mess-free hair removal process to date.
Buy now £8.49, Boots
Nair Sensitive Hair Removal Cream 200ml
Nair is another brand that is leading the pack in depilatory creams - and like its biggest competitor, it too offers a seamless hair removal process without nicks, cuts or stubble left behind. Long-lasting softness is achieved with moisturising ingredients like Camellia Oil and Ylang Ylang extract.
You can also apply this sensitive skin formula to any area on the body - be it your legs, bikini or underarms - and in five to six minutes, you’re hairless and ready to party.
Buy now £5.78, Amazon
Veet Hair Removal Cream Bundle
This bundle packs both a specialised face removal cream and a body iteration into one handy savings galore. Both are made up of Veet’s latest formulation which has been enriched with a trademarked Hydro’Restor that is designed to boost hydration levels as it tackles hair removal from the roots. Smooth skin for longer? Yes, please.
Buy now £13.39, Boots
WooWoo Tame it! Hair Removal Cream
As the playful name suggests, this is one for the intimate area. “Don’t beat around the bush” explains the brand; lather it onto the bikini line when you step into the shower (shielding from the water) and in three minutes, it gets to work tackling the stubborn pubic region. Hair be gone.
Buy now £6.75, Sephora
Veet Men Hair Removal Cream Chest & Body 200ml
While hair removal creams don’t really need to be gendered, Veet is offering a product for men to tackle the hair on backs, chests, shoulders, arms and just about anywhere else. In only four minutes, it leaves the area feeling smooth to the touch without razor rash or prickly stubble - and ensures it stays this way for longer.
Buy now £5.75, Amazon
Klorane Soothing Hair Removal Cream with Sweet Almond 75 ml
With over 50 years of haircare experience under its belt, Klorane has changed track with this product. Instead of looking after the hair, it removes it with all the gentleness we’d come to expect from the botanical-based label. Enriched with sweet almonds, it leaves skin nourished and can even be used on the face and bikini or in any sensitive place.
Buy now £8.07, Amazon
Veet Pure Hair Removal Cream Bikini & Underarms
This Veet applicator simplifies hair removal of the underarm region with the tube that has a domed head that adapts to the contours of the area. Simply squeeze the product directly, leave for five minutes (or up to 10) and then use a spatula to scrape it, and the offending hair, off.
Buy now £7.49, Boots
Veet Hair Removal Cream Natural Grape Seed Body & Legs
If it’s the unpleasant aroma that has put you off depilatory creams in the past, enter this grape seed oil formulation that has basically no fragrance at all. The results are good too - skin is addictively soft and regrowth doesn’t feel as prickly compared to shaving. It shouldn’t cause irritation, and is quick and painless.
Buy now £8.60, Ocado
Nads Facial Hair Removal Creme
When it comes to hair removal on your face, you want a product that won’t irritate or cause any downtime. Enter Nads and this creme that will lift finer hairs without leaving redness or lumps or bumps behind. The smell is not the most pleasant but it gets the job done - and quickly.
Buy now £4.95, Amazon
Veet Spray On Hair Removal Cream Lotus Milk & Jasmine
Spray on and go. You don’t even have to spread this formula, which makes it ideal for those hard-to-reach areas like the back of the legs. Apply onto the area and in three minutes, remove it. Whether you have a big event or a holiday, this will simplify the getting ready process.
Buy now £8.03, Luxplus
Jolen Creme Bleach Original
There are times when it may be more effective in the long run to dye the hair instead of removing it entirely. This will prevent it from growing back thicker or stubbly in areas like the moustache or arms. Enter Jolen.
The brand is the leader in the market with their cream bleach. It’s a very effective method and will get you channelling your inner chemist by mixing the powdered and cream elements together to create the formula. Then all you need to do is apply to the area in question, wait around 10 minutes and rinse. The hair that remains will be blonde and virtually undetectable.
Buy now £3.30, Amazon
FAQs
How does hair removal cream work?
The main active ingredient in hair removal creams is thioglycolic acid which, alongside other ingredients, works to break down keratin – a naturally occurring protein that makes up your hair follicles.
How long does hair removal cream last?
Since hair removal creams work to remove hair just below the skin’s surface, it’s likely to grow back in anywhere between two to three days.
How to use hair removal cream
Simply spread a relatively thick and even layer of the cream over the area you want to use. You can use your fingers, but most depilatories come with a miniature spatula which makes life a whole lot easier. Check the directions that came with your pack and leave on the cream for the recommended time. Then, gently remove the cream with a damp washcloth, or that same spatula. Don’t rub the cream off, as it might irritate the skin. Et voilà! Fuzz-free.
Is hair removal cream safe?
Hair removal cream is totally safe to use, but it’s always worth checking the full ingredients list on the product of your choosing if you have reactive skin. Hair removal creams work with the help of certain topical chemicals, and if you leave them on for too long, you’ll run the risk of giving yourself a chemical burn. There’s also no evidence to show that you can’t use hair removal cream while pregnant.
How does hair removal cream compare to shaving?
Neither shaving nor hair removal cream will remove the hair follicle from the root, which is why your hair will grow back faster than if you waxed. Shaving cuts the hair off at the top of the skin’s surface, while depilatories will weaken the hair follicle itself – which in turn works to remove the hair from ever so slightly further below the skin’s surface.
The main difference between the two, however, is all about skin sensitivity. No matter how clean and sharp your razor blade is, sensitive skin is still likely to react to it, leaving a sharp and prickly rash in its wake.
Hair removal cream, on the other hand, is a fuss and pain-free way to remove body hair. Nevertheless, as with any topical treatment, negative skin reactions may still occur. Always conduct a patch test 24 hours before slathering on the cream.
