Round Up of Best Facial Hair Removal Creams
There are so many different depilatory creams for facial hair on the market, how to choose which is best for you?
In this roundup I have picked out what I believe to be some of the best available in terms of effectiveness, value for money and what they have to offer.
Do bear in mind that depilatory creams for the face are not for use on eyebrows, near the eye area or on moles or warts.
They are all intended for chin, jaw, cheeks and upper lip only and it is very important to read the instructions fully, prior to use.
Surgi Cream Facial Hair Removal Cream
Surgi Cream facial hair removal cream is manufactured in the USA and is a well-established Brand.
This product is formulated to be extra gentle, specially for use by those with sensitive skin on the cheeks, upper lip and chin (not suitable for use on eyebrows or near the eye area).
Included in the <$7 price tag is a 28g (1oz) tube of hair removal cream, a 14g (0.5oz) tube of soothing, post-depilatory cream and an application spatula.
The cream is pretty quick to use, and works from 4 minutes - 8 minutes is the maximum time you should leave the cream on for.
Personally, I found it to be effective for me at around 6 minutes, for my fine, facial hair.
I have sensitive skin myself, but did not experience any problems and I liked the fact that there was little odour compared to some other depilatories.
The after cream is very pleasant and leaves the skin feeling lovely and moisturised. It is apparently designed to inhibit re-growth, but I would need longer to test that out properly.
Overall, I found the product to be easy and effective to use and would have no hesitation in recommending it.
Things we Liked
- Great Value for Money - Sufficient product to last for several applications at just less than $7
- After Cream - soothing and moisturising, a good addition to the depilatory cream
- Odour - not too strong or unpleasant
- Works Quickly - in just 4 - 8 minutes
Things we didn't Like
- Spatula - A bit large for the face and not really necessary
Olay Facial Hair Removal Duo
The facial hair removal duo from Olay consists of a 19g (0.6oz) tube of hair removal cream and a stick of skin guarding balm.
The product I reviewed here is specifically for fine to medium hair, but there is also a medium to coarse version available if required.
My initial impression was that, for the size of product it was packaged in a wastefully large box!
My second impression, however, was much better - the depilatory cream has a strong, lemony odour which I found quite pleasant.
The unscented balm has a greasy feel, but is designed to use before the depilatory cream, to act as a barrier between skin and cream to minimise irritation. I must admit, I like this idea and am quite a fan of this product.
At around $15 for 19g this is not an inexpensive product but there should be sufficient for 12 applications if covering a small area.
The recommended time is 6 - 8 minutes, and I found that I required the full 8 minutes for the hair to come away easily.
Things we Liked
- Olay Brand - Well known and well-respected Brand in the beauty products sector
- Works Quickly - in 6 - 8 minutes (max 10 minutes)
- Balm Stick - provides a barrier between skin and depilatory cream to reduce risk of irritation - leaves skin feeling soft and smooth
- Odour - strong, but not unpleasant lemon scent
Things we didn't Like
- Cost - This is the most expensive of the facial depilatories that we tested
- Oversized Packaging - the box is wastefully large for the contents
Sally Hansen Hair Remover Duo Kit for Face
The Sally Hansen Duo Kit consists of a generous 56.7g (2oz) tube of depilatory cream and a 14.7ml (0.5 fl oz) pot of aftercare lotion.
There is also a brush on hair remover cream for the face available.
At a retail price of just $5.25, this is one of the least expensive hair removal creams that I have reviewed and I believe that it represents fantastic value for money.
The depilatory cream has quite a strong scent, but not an unpleasant one and the after lotion is a good added bonus to leave the skin feeling soft and moisturized.
The product works in 3 - 8 minutes (personally, I found I needed about 5 minutes) and the after lotion apparently reduces the appearance of hair regrowth, although I cannot vouch for its efficacy in that regard.
Overall, this product is good value for money and for anyone on a tight budget, is well worth a go.
Things we Liked
- Low Cost - Good value for money for a generous amount of depilatory cream
- Aftercare Lotion - pleasant and soothing for the skin
- Quick Working - from just 3 minutes to a maximum of 8 minutes
Things we didn't Like
- Aftercare Lotion Bottle - Not very easy to get the lotion out of the bottle - would be better in a tube
- Odour - quite a strong smelling depilatory cream, although not offensive
Veet 2-Step Facial Hair Cream Kit
Veet are among the best known Brands in the depilatory cream market and they have large range of hair removal products available.
The Veet 2-Step Facial Hair Cream Kit is specifically for sensitive skin and consists of a 1.69 fl oz (49.9 ml) tube of depilatory cream and the same sized tube of finishing cream, plus an application spatula.
Currently retailing at around $10, it is not the cheapest product, but it is a good size and so there is plenty of cream for a number of treatments.
The depilatory cream has a light and not unpleasant odour and the finishing cream is light and fragrant, to soothe and moisturise the skin post-depilation.
Although the spatula is provided, I find it easier and more accurate to just use the fingertips for small areas of facial hair.
The cream works in 5 - 10 minutes and I found 8 minutes was the optimum time for me - after which it worked well and the hair was easily removed.
Overall, I thought this product stacked up pretty well, with a good amount of both depilatory and after-cream for the money.
Things we Liked
- Cost Effective - You get a good amount of product for around $10 - sufficient for a number of applications
- Odour - not too strong
- Finishing Cream - a great added bonus to leave skin feeling great
- Quick - works in just 5 - 10 minutes
Things we didn't Like
- Lack of Information Leafelt - Although information is provided on the box, leaflets have more space to provide the required information in an easier to read way
- Spatula - a matter of opinion, but I think it is unnecessary for facial hair removal
Skin So Soft Fresh and Smooth Facial Hair Remover
The Avon Skin So Soft Fresh and Smooth facial hair removal cream comes in a 1 oz tube and retails at around $6, so pretty good value for money.
Unlike some of the others reviewed, this is a stand-alone product with moisturizing ingredients included in the cream.
The cream does not have a strong odour and, in my opinion, is quite pleasantly scented.
It is quick working, with recommended application time of between 2 1/2 and 8 minutes.
For me, the product took 5 minutes to work effectively, and I found that my skin was left feeling soft and smooth and not dry at all, so I did not particularly miss the addition of a moisturizer.
Things we Liked
- Cost Effective - Just $6 for a 1 oz tube - at the lower end of the depilatory price range
- Odour - not strong and quite pleasant
- Quick Working - takes just 1 1/2 - 8 minutes
Things we didn't Like
- No Separate Moisturiser - Although not really a problem - any gentle, unperfumed moisturiser will do
Nair Hair Remover Face Cream
Nair is another well known Brand, and the Nair Hair Remover face cream not expensive, at a bit less than $7 for a 2 oz (57g) tube.
There is also Nair facial hair remover cream for sensitive skin available.
There is a full set of instructions on the box and they are repeated on the tube itself, but you will need to retain the box for the list of ingredients contained in the product.
The cream is pink and is pleasantly scented, very similar to a regular hand cream or such.
The manufacturer recommends that the product takes between 5 - 10 minutes to work. However, my experience was that it took very nearly the full 10 minutes to be fully effective for me.
The cream does not come with a separate moisturizer, but it contains sweet almond oil to help moisturize the skin and I found that my skin felt soft and not dry following treatment.
All in all, this is a very competitively priced depilatory in a good size for many applications - you get a lot for your dollar!
Things we Liked
- Value for Money - This is one of the cheapest depilatory creams we have reviewed
- Odour - relatively well-scented product
- Quick - works in 5 - 10 minutes
Things we didn't Like
- No Separate Instruction Leaflet - They are printed on the back of the tube