- Beauty
The ultimate guide to hair removal creams, with expert tips and editor-approved products.
By
Rebecca Carhart
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Rebecca Carhart
With more than 10 years of experience in the product research space, Rebecca was most recently the senior commerce writer and strategist at Travel & Leisure. Her work covers everything from luggage to comfortable clothing to travel essentials for your next getaway.
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Updated on March 2, 2023 @ 10:50AM
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When it comes to hair removal methods, most women feel like they have to choose between painful waxes or shaving daily. But there's another option. Hair removal creams strike the perfect balance between the two. Not only are they painless, but they are incredibly easy to use and give amazing, long-lasting results in minutes. The innovative creams are formulated to break down the keratin structure of the hair follicle, so hairs become weak and break off as you wipe the cream away — leaving you with smooth skin for days at a time. While all hair removal creams will get rid of unwanted hair, some are infused with calming ingredients that leave skin soft and moisturized, too. Others boast formulas that not only remove hairs but also help minimize future hair regrowth. With all these options, though, where does one even start? To help you out, we researched the best creams for quick, painless hair removal. To make sure we are recommending the best of the best, we evaluated each product's formula, application, and scent. One that stood out is the Veet 3-in-1 Sensitive Formula Hair Removal Cream for its soothing formula, gel consistency, and decent smell. 7 At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices That Actually Work Our Top Picks Best for Face: Best for Underarms: Best for Bikini: Best for Legs: Best for Sensitive Skin: Best Multitasking: Best Spray Foam: Best Moisturizing: What We Love It smells great and features moisturizing ingredients. What We Don't Love Coarse hair can require more than one round for complete removal. Along with being dermatologist-tested, this top-rated, 3-in-1 product from Veet also boasts soothing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E to moisturize the skin. The product comes in a pump-style bottle and has a gel consistency, making it easy to apply and even easier to wash off. It also has a delicious vanilla and passion fruit scent. The cream provides as close of a shave as a razor would, without all the burns and ingrowns. Plus, it works on all hair types — from thin to coarse hair—this holy grail product will remove it all. Size: 13.5 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Leave-On Time: 5-10 minutes What We Love It includes an after-care lotion that helps prevent breakouts. What We Don't Love It has a strong chemical smell. Looking to remove unwanted facial hair or peach fuzz? We recommend checking out this Sally Hansen two-piece set. In addition to the hair removal cream that gets rid of hairs from below the surface to prevent stubble, each kit also comes with a soothing aftercare lotion that features plumping collagen and moisturizing vitamin E. The duo also has a blend of saw palmetto, willow herb, and pumpkin seed extracts, which helps reduce the appearance of hair regrowth. To top it all off, the product is dermatologist-tested and gentle enough for the face. Size: 1.7 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Leave-On Time: 3-5 minutes What We Love It glides on just like a deodorant stick. What We Don't Love It doesn't work as well on short hairs. This handy hair remover by Nair is packaged just like a deodorant stick, making it the ideal shape to swipe on your underarms. The brand promises you'll see longer-lasting results than you would shaving and says the product is even effective on coarse hairs. What's more? It's formulated with argan oil, which prevents any dryness or chafing on your armpits. The results last days longer than shaving, plus you won't have to worry about razor burn, ingrowns, or redness. Size: 3.3 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Leave-On Time: 4-10 minutes What We Love The kit removes hair and has a product to slow down regrowth. What We Don't Love It only offers a small amount of product. Looking for a less painful alternative to a Brazilian wax? This treatment kit by Bikini Zone gives your delicate areas all the TLC they deserve. The kit includes both a hair removal cream and a hair growth inhibitor, which reduces the rate of new growth and extends your hair-free days. The cream has an ultra-gentle formula that features ingredients like green tea, aloe, and chamomile, so it will smooth and soften your skin in addition to removing unwanted hair down there. And because it is removing hair at the root, the results are even more long-lasting than shaving. Size: 3 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Leave-On Time: 4 minutes The 10 Best Epilators for Smooth Skin from Head to Toe What We Love It leaves legs silky smooth and moisturized. What We Don't Love It can be messy to apply. This Nair lotion is formulated with aloe and lanolin so your skin will feel soft to the touch after using it. The popular product is dermatologist-tested and safe to use on every body part (aside from your face), but it works especially well on the legs. It works fast and can easily cover large swashes, like the legs. Apply the product and leave it on for three to ten minutes, the length of time will depend on how thick your hair is. Then just wipe it off, rinse with lukewarm water, and enjoy your silky smooth legs for days to come. Size: 9 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Leave-On Time: 3 minutes What We Love It has a very gentle formula that uses odor-eliminating technology. What We Don't Love It takes a while to work — around ten minutes. If you have sensitive skin and are worried that a hair removal cream will irritate it, consider this ultra-gentle option from Nad's. Not only does it painlessly remove hair in as little as four minutes, but it is also formulated with the brand's signature odor-elimination technology, so you don't have to breathe in overpowering chemical smells while it sits. It is even infused with natural ingredients like melon, aloe vera, avocado oil, and honey to nourish and hydrate your skin. It can take up to ten minutes for hair to be removed, but then the results last for up to a week. Size: 5.1 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Leave-On Time: 4-10 minutes What We Love It doubles as skincare to gently exfoliate the legs. What We Don't Love It requires a thick coat. The best beauty products can tackle more than one issue at once, which is why we love this Nair leg mask so much. The popular multitasker moisturizes, brightens, and smooths your legs, while removing unwanted hairs and minimizing future hair growth at the same time. The formula has a blend of kaolin clay and charcoal to gently slough off dry skin, as well as remove excess oil and dirt. The product works on the coarsest of hair as well as all skin types and doesn't have the strong chemical smell that many hair removal creams have. Size: 8 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: No | Leave-On Time: 5-10 minutes What We Love It's easy to control where it goes. What We Don't Love It may irritate sensitive skin. This spray foam option from Nature Nation removes unwanted hair close to the roots for longer lasting results. The cruelty-free formula works in just eight minutes and is infused with aloe vera and vitamin E to soothe skin. Plus, it's safe to use on all skin types and all areas of the body. Because it's a spray, it is easy to target specific areas and control where it goes—AKA you can shape up your bikini line without going fully bare. It's fast, effective, and pain-free. Size: 5.07 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Leave-On Time: 8 minutes What We Love This baby oil-infused formula moisturizes dry skin as it goes to work on hair. What We Don't Love This product has a strong hair removal cream smell. If you have dry skin, opt for a hydrating hair removal cream like this Neomen option. The fast-acting cream boasts aloe vera, vitamin E, and baby oil, which work together to calm and moisturize your skin as it removes unwanted hair. It will even make thick, coarse hair softer and less thick over time. If for some reason you're not happy with the results (though we think your dry skin will love it), the company offers a money-back guarantee for up to 30 days. Size: 3.7 fl oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Leave-On Time: 5 minutes Almost every hair removal cream contains strong chemicals, as that is how the cream essentially zaps unwanted hair. So, don't be scared if you see some unknown-to-you chemicals on the ingredient label. However, most hair removal creams also feature soothing ingredients like aloe, vitamin E, chamomile, or green tea extracts to counteract the effects of the chemicals and create a pain-free experience. You should look for these added botanicals if you want to avoid irritating your skin, even more so if your skin is especially sensitive. It is also a good idea to patch test the hair removal cream first and monitor your skin for irritation before going for it and covering your whole leg. Given the strong chemical properties, it is pretty common for hair removal creams to have a chemical smell that can be too potent for some. It is important to keep this in mind if you are particularly sensitive to strong smells. Some creams are specially formulated to not have that chemical smell and some are even scented with a pleasant fragrance. Look at reviews for a cream without an odor or for one that smells good if you are easily irritated by strong smells. The goal of a hair removal cream is to remove hair as efficiently as possible and offer a more convenient alternative to the traditional razor and shaving cream. A good hair removal cream should only take four to five minutes, or a maximum of ten if you have thick, coarse hair. The cream should also be relatively easy to apply and rinse off with a washcloth or in the shower. We Tested 18 Tweezers — These 5 Are the Best at Plucking Every Hair Compared to other hair removal methods like epilating (tweezing), waxing, or shaving, using a hair removal cream is a breeze. "The cream depilatory products are an excellent choice for a pain-free hair removal experience," says Alicia Zalka, MD, Board Certified Dermatologist and Founder of Surface Deep. "The only issue is how irritated the skin may get if the product stays on too long. The chemistry behind how it works on hair—breaking down keratin—can also break down keratin in the skin. So, don't be distracted when you use these products. Pay attention and use as directed by the manufacturer." Before applying hair removal cream, you should try a tiny amount to a patch of skin and wait for any signs of irritation, since the strong formulas may be too much for some skin types. To air on the side of caution, observe the skin for a full 24 hours before applying the cream anywhere else. Then, follow the product's directions for application and make sure to not leave the cream on for too long as that can cause the skin to burn or get irritated. If you feel a tingling sensation, don't panic as that is normal and a sign that it is working. However, true pain is a sign you should stop what you're doing. When the time is up, simply rinse the cream off and pat dry. Make sure that you thoroughly rinse off all the cream and that there is no lingering product left behind. How often you use a hair removal cream will depend on your specific hair type as well as your hair needs and goals. Certain hair types grow back faster than others and thick, coarse hair can take more effort to get a completely hairless result, but generally speaking, hair removal creams create longer lasting results than shaving as it removes hair at the root while shaving only trims hair from the surface. This means your skin will remain smooth and hairless for longer and you will only have to apply the cream every one to two weeks. The 15 Best At-Home Waxing Kits:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1322901950-2000-6efcbabfb178418dbfa20eb28a796cac.jpg "We Found the Best Hair Removal Creams for Every Part of Your Body (3)")
Best Overall
Veet Legs & Body Gel Cream Hair Remover
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Best for Face
Sally Hansen Hair Remover Kit
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Best Moisturizing
Neomen Hair Removal Cream
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What to Keep in Mind
Formula
Smell
Application
Your Questions, Answered
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