If you haven’t heard of these before, depilatory creams are over-the-counter hair removal products that can be rubbed onto any part of your body like a lotion. These creams work because they contains ingredients such as thioglycolate and calcium hydroxide, which break down the hair and ultimately remove it.
These creams are most commonly used on the face, legs, and bikini area, and they’re meant to be wiped or washed off after just a few minutes. You can think of them as an alternative to shaving and waxing that’s quick, painless and hard to mess up.
But here are the cons: Depilatories only dissolve the hair to the surface of the skin, so the results are comparable to shaving and typically only last a few days, Dr. Jaliman says. Plus, the active ingredients can be super irritating, so the creams aren’t usually a good choice for people who are prone to chemical allergies or are sensitive. “If you have a really strong chemical that’s strong enough to dissolve hair, then it’s strong enough to irritate your skin,” she adds.
If you’re not sure whether your skin can tolerate a depilatory cream, Dr. Jaliman recommends patch testing on a small area of skin before applying it to the entire area you want to target. And if you happen to use a hair removal cream on your face, Dr. Mian recommends following the instructions on the packaging to ensure you don’t leave the product on for too long. She also notes that hair removal creams are only meant to be applied to external areas, meaning that they shouldn’t go inside your nose. “Applying a bit of Vaseline to the areas you don’t want the cream to end up first will help protect that sensitive skin,” she says.
Pros: Inexpensive, easy to do at home.
Cons: Can be irritating for sensitive skin, results aren’t long-lasting.
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