Body hair removal is a common beauty practice among women (and men, too!) and there are many options out there to do so such as shaving, waxing, or laser hair removal. These choices can often be costly, time consuming, and/or painful. That’s where hair removal creams/lotions (also known as depilatory creams) come into the equation. To use these products, all you need to do is apply the product to an area of the body such as the arms or legs, leave it on for as long as instructed, then wipe the product/hair off your body. In addition to removing the hair from your body, they leave your skin feeling nourished and hydrated afterwards and who doesn’t love that?!
Hair removal creams are popular options for hair removal because they are inexpensive compared to waxing and laser hair removal. They are efficient, remove hair quickly, and can all be used in the comfort of your own home. In addition, hair removal creams/lotions are easily accessible and can be found at your local drugstore, grocery store, Target, Walmart, and of course, Amazon.
Table of Contents
Why We Chose Veet and Nair
For our review, we decided to test and compare the hair removal cream brands Veet and Nair. Both brands have been around for over 50 years and are two of the most popular and commonly known hair removal lotion brands on the market. Nair is also known as the #1 hair removal brand in the United States. With repeated reviews of the hair removal lotions working well and being easier than shaving, it’s easy to understand why this form of body hair removal is so popular. We chose to compare Nair’s Hair Remover Lotion, Nair’s Hair Remover Sensitive Formula, and Veet’s 3 in 1 Gel Cream to see which hair removal cream performed the best. We obviously wanted to see which brand came out on top, but since Nair also had a sensitive formula product we decided to include it in the mix to see how it compared to the non-sensitive formulas! Nevertheless, we think it’s pretty common that most of us just want a product or method that works, is easy, and isn’t going to cost us a ton of money.
- Infused with softening baby oil
- Works in as little as 3 minutes
- Smooth skin lasts days longer than shaving
Pricing
On that note, Veet and Nair hair removal creams are affordable and inexpensive. Especially when waxing can cost an upwards of $50 or more and laser hair removal can cost hundreds of dollars! When searching on Amazon, you can find the products we will be testing at affordable costs. Veet’s 3 in 1 Gel Cream is about $9 for 13.5 Fl OZ, Nair’s Hair Remover Lotion is about $15 for a 3 pack of 9 oz bottles, and Nair’s Hair Remover Sensitive Formula is about $15 for a 12.6 oz bottle. When ordering from Amazon, you’ll get the best deal if you order Nair Hair Remover Lotion, making Nair the winner for best price.
Ingredients
Before testing, we first took a look at the ingredient lists of each product and analyzed both the similarities and differences. All three products had the common ingredients of water, mineral oil, cetearyl alcohol, calcium hydroxide, ceteareth-20, tocopherol, and fragrance. Mineral oil and tocopherol are skin conditioning ingredients that hydrate and nourish the skin. Cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth-20 are both used as emulsifiers in these products which stabilizes the lotions and calcium hydroxide is known to control the pH in beauty products such as hair remover lotions. Below are the full ingredient lists for each of the hair remover products.
Nair Hair Remover Lotion
Ingredients: Water, Mineral Oil, Potassium Thioglycolate, Calcium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceteareth-20, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopherol, Fragrance, Yellow 8.
Veet Legs & Body 3 in 1 Gel Cream Hair Remover
Ingredients: Water, Urea, Mineral Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Thioglycolate, Calcium Hydroxide, Talc, Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Fragrance, Magnesium Trisilicate, Propylene Glycol, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acrylates Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide.
Nair Hair Remover Sensitive Formula
Ingredients: Water, Mineral Oil, Calcium Thioglycolate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Calcium Hydroxide, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Fragrance.
How We Tested
We conducted a number of tests using the products on different areas of the body. We focused on smell, ease of application, which products worked faster and better, and how the skin felt and smelled afterwards. For our tests, we used both a male and female tester and followed each hair remover product’s instructions. We tested Nair on our male tester’s left arm and Veet on our male tester’s right arm. Then for Nair’s Sensitive Formula Hair Remover, we tested on our female tester’s legs and arms. Continue reading to see which hair removers performed best!
Smell
For our smell test, we focused on how strong the scents were and what they smelled like. During application, we found that each product smelled very similar and all had a chemical like smell. We found that while it was noticeable, it was still tolerable and overall relatively mild. Because they were all so similar in smell, the smell test ended in a tie.
Ease of Application
For our application test, we focused on which hair removers applied the easiest, quickest, and caused the least mess. When applying Nair, we used our hands and while this was easy and simple, we found that it was a little messy. Veet, on the other hand, comes with a plastic spatula which allows you to coat the hair more evenly. Nair Sensitive Formula also includes the hair removal tool of a dual sided sponge to help with application and removal. Both the spatula and sponge allowed for easier, faster, and more even application of product versus using your hand which we found to be messier and not as even. Because of this, Veet’s and Nair Sensitive Formula’s application tools made for a tie in our application test.
Hair Removal
With hair removal being the most important criteria, we tested each to see which product removed hair the best. On the left arm, Nair did not come with any sort of tool to remove the lotion so we used a washcloth to remove the lotion and hair. Nair left the applied area of the arm feeling soft, smooth, and moisturized with hardly any stubble or hair remaining. On the right arm, Veet (which comes with a plastic spatula for application and removal) left the applied area also feeling soft, smooth, and moisturized; however, you could still see a few more hairs on the area where the hair remover was applied and more stubble for the hair that was removed. And lastly Nair Sensitive Formula (which comes with a dual sided sponge) had just about the same results as Veet.
Nair Sensitive Formula Testing
Veet Testing
Nair Testing
While we appreciated the spatula and sponge that came with Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula because it allowed for easier removal and clean up, Nair ultimately removed hair the best between the three. And with that, Nair is the winner for best hair removal!
Speed
Combining application, wait, and removal/clean up time, each hair remover differed and was based off a single area application. Each of the wait times was the minimum time instructed for each product. You are able to leave the product on longer if needed, but it should never exceed ten minutes on the skin. For the male tester’s left arm, Nair took about 5 minutes total, broken down by a 1 minute application time, 3 minute wait time, and 1-2 minute removal/clean up time. For the male tester’s right arm, Veet took around 8 minutes total, broken down by a 1 minute application time, 5 minute wait time, and 1-2 minute removal/clean up time. On our female tester’s arm and leg, Nair Sensitive Formula took around 7-8 minutes as well with a 1 minute application time, 4 minute wait time, and 2 minute removal/clean up time. Although the Nair Sensitive Formula took around 7-8 minutes, part of the process includes going in the shower, which made the overall process feel longer than the others.
While the difference in time was only by a few minutes, Nair was the clear winner here because it had the shortest time of all the hair removers.
Feel Afterwards
After removing the lotion and rinsing the skin thoroughly of all the product, each product left the skin feeling soft and smooth. However, of the three hair removal lotions, Nair was the softest and smoothest of them all. Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula left behind a few hairs and some light/minor stubble, and while not a huge difference, it was still noticeable when compared to Nair. Because of this, Nair is the winner for leaving the skin feeling the best after application and removal.
After Smell
Aside from how the skin felt after removing/rinsing the product from the skin, we also wanted to test for how long the smell lingered after. We found that for Nair, the chemical like smell lingered for a couple hours after. Although the smell wasn’t too bothersome, when compared to Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula, Nair did not perform as well. Both Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula had fresher and milder scents that did not last long at all. So for this test, Nair was the loser and Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula tied.
The Best Hair Removal Cream
Overall, based on price and testing, we declared Nair as the winner for the best hair removal cream! Compared to Veet and Nair Sensitive Formula, Nair is the best deal between the three. Although you have to buy it in a pack of 3, it comes out to about $5 per bottle whereas Veet costs about $9 and Nair Sensitive Formula costs about $15 for 1 bottle. Not only are you getting the best bang for your buck, but Nair also removes hair the best between the three. After testing, the skin was left feeling the smoothest and with no hairs or stubble left behind. So if you are looking for the best hair removal cream to get the job done and that also comes at the best price, Nair Hair Remover Lotion is the best option for you to buy and try!
- Infused with softening baby oil
- Works in as little as 3 minutes
- Smooth skin lasts days longer than shaving
Tips For Applying Hair Removal Cream
Do a Patch Test
Make sure to test a small patch of skin and wait 24 hours to see if your skin has any sort of reaction. If it does not, continue on!
Examine Skin
Take a look at your skin to see that there are no cuts, rashes, etc. to avoid any other reactions to the skin.
Apply to Dry Skin
Most hair removal creams require you to apply to dry skin, so make sure your skin is not wet and is free of any other lotions, creams, or oils to avoid any interference with the hair removal cream.
Don’t Rub It In
You will want to apply the hair removal lotion as evenly as possible to avoid patchiness. Spread a thick layer onto the skin and do not rub in. You can use a spatula or some kind of tool to help with this. If none are available, use your palm instead of your fingers for application.
Keep a Washcloth or Paper Towels Nearby
Whether you’re using an application tool or your hands, keeping a washcloth or some paper towels nearby are helpful because the process could get a little messy!
Wash Hands & Skin Thoroughly After
Leaving the creams on for too long can lead to skin irritation, dryness, and tightness and no one wants that! So make sure to wash your hands/skin afterwards to make sure there is no hair removal lotion left behind.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of what brand you use, you can’t go wrong with either of these three options as they have all proven to remove body hair quickly and successfully. These hair removal creams/lotions are practical and affordable options that are easy, fast, and effective and can be done in the comfort of your home. They are also inexpensive compared to other forms of hair removal such as waxing or laser hair removal. To us, hair removal creams are the way to go!
However, when it comes down to making a choice of which hair removal cream to use, we choose the Nair Hair Remover Lotion as our winner because of its price and how fast and effectively it worked. With all that being said, make sure to get your hands on some Nair Hair Remover Lotion to remove that body hair and keep that skin looking and feeling soft and smooth!
- Infused with softening baby oil
- Works in as little as 3 minutes
- Smooth skin lasts days longer than shaving