How Does Nair Work? (Is Nair Better Than Shaving)

First, you may ask, “How Does Nair Work?” “What even is Nair?” Well, Nair, and other similar products, are called depilatories. Depilatories are usually creams or gels that remove hair from the body without the need for shaving.

Sounds too good to be true, yes, however, it’s that simple. You apply the cream to the area with hair, you wait between 3-10 minutes, and voila! You can use either a washcloth or one of those plastic spatulas to wipe the hair completely clean.

Depilatories are usually used by women for armpits, legs, and other areas, though men-targeted products are becoming more and more available. So, thinking about making a shift in your grooming habits? Let’s take a look!

How Does Nair Work? IS NAIR BETTER THAN SHAVING?

Well, to answer that question, we must first get into the science of both shaving and depilatories. Shaving works by basically cutting the individual hairs on your skin as close as possible with a razor.

Unlike say plucking, which completely removes the hair from the root, shaving simply slices off as close to the root as possible, with the teeny tiny bit of hair left being almost imperceptible to the human eye until it grows back more and more visible from stubble to full facial hair.

Waxing is similar to plucking, as it completely rips the hair out of the root, but waxing is not the preferred method for many people for obvious, painful reasons. But what about depilatories? Well, although they seem to just totally remove the hair like butter, they don’t actually remove the hair from the root.

Okay, simple science: Your hair is made up of proteins called keratin (Yes, the label on creams and conditioners). These keratin strands form bonds (Like wires intertwined).

Now, Nair and other depilatories have some ingredients like thioglycolic acid, calcium, sodium, and others. These salt-based ingredients are like little soldiers that penetrate the hair strands and start dissolving them from the inside.

Once the chemical bonds are broken, the hair becomes weak and free to be just wiped away, and down into the sink, it goes. Now after all that, it still doesn’t remove the hair from the root, it only removes the shaft, which is the visible hair outside your skin.

Okay, so is it better than shaving? Well, it does work on your face. Nair and similar products are usable for facial hair, however, it’s best to choose a milder formula.

Facial hair is different and more delicate than other hairs, which is why there are specific products and formulas for it.

Just make sure you don’t get any on your eyebrows, or into your eyes. If you do, immediately wash it with water and a washcloth.

WHAT IF I GET IT ON MY CLOTHES?

Fret not, dear reader. Depilatories only work on sulfur bonds in hair, and since fabric like cotton, polyester, or synthetic fibers don’t include sulfur bonds, Nair wouldn’t be able to break down anything and would probably just leave a stain and a weird smell, so you’ll just have to wash it off.

Some products could even include fragrance, so there you go, fresh new smell that will come with the stain on your sweater.

DOES HAIR LAST LONGER THAN SHAVING?

The short answer is, yes. When it comes to the long-lasting effects hierarchy, wax is king, then depilatories, then shaving. Nair beats shaving by a hair (Haha, get it?).

It usually lasts about a week and could even get to a month, depending on your genetic hair growth rate. Some research suggests it could even slow down hair growth if you use it for a long time. Nair could also exfoliate your skin and remove dead skin, so there ya go. Bonus benefit.

DOES NAIR PERMANENTLY GET RID OF HAIR?

Let’s not get too excited, now. The answer is, unfortunately (Or fortunately, if you accidentally get it on your eyebrows or something) “NO”.

Since Nair doesn’t even remove from the root, and only the shaft, the hair will grow back as it usually does. The only way to permanently get rid of hair is by lasering it (Or male pattern baldness if you’re one of us unlucky ones).

CAN NAIR BE USED IN YOUR PUBIC AREA?

Absolutely it can, but there are some things to keep in mind.

First, make sure you don’t have any cuts or nicks, or otherwise, the cream could sting and generally you don’t want products like creams on a cut.

Secondly, you could do with a trim first. When using a depilatory, the longer the hair, the harder it’s removed. You also don’t want to leave it on for too long, just in case to prevent any possible skin damage.

Thirdly, avoid getting it…in there, or near any opening. That’s just… uncomfortable to think about. Lastly and most importantly, do not use the spatula to remove the hairs afterward. Using a washcloth instead, it’s not the strongest area in your body.

Read Full Article on it: Can NAIR Be used in Your Public Area?

IS IT 100% SAFE?

Well, like anything in life, nothing is 100% risk-free. While Nair and other depilatories are widely used all over the world and available in pretty much every pharmacy, there are still some side effects that include possible allergies, irritation, burns, blisters, rash, and other skin-related issues, but again, it’s uncommon.

The one thing though is that it does make you more sensitive to the sun, so you might want to cover up the area you’ve used it on. You also want to avoid using moisturizers or lotions directly after using Nair.

Remember when we mentioned that Nair could include fragrance? Well, keep that in mind and don’t use it if you have allergies to perfume or fragrances. If it’s your first time, maybe try a little bit on a small area and see how your skin responds first.

WHY SHOULDN’T I USE NAIR?

Again, like anything, there are some disadvantages that you should keep in mind before heading off to your local pharmacy.

Other than the possible side effects previously mentioned, Nair could actually cause patchy hair if you don’t apply it perfectly and evenly. Leave it on for too long, and you’ll get irritation and possible burns (3-10 minutes is your limit).

When it comes to your nose hair, it’s unadvisable to use any kind of hair remover, as nose hair is extremely delicate and fine (Just stick to trimmers).

It might be time-consuming to apply it and then wait for it to work when shaving could take less time. Again, if you’re allergic to any of the ingredients (Read the label), you shouldn’t use them.

In Legally Blonde fashion, the testing of most chemical products is not 100% guaranteed. Finally, and perhaps the smallest but still notable thing is that it has a bit of a funky smell because of the breakdown of protein strands. Other than that, it’s perfectly safe to use.

WHY SHOULD I BE USING NAIR?

Now let’s get to the benefits. Depilatories like Nair are pretty easy to use, you just apply and wait. They’re also widely available and there are different formulas for different applications.

You can use them on any type of skin or color, and there are products for both men and women. When it comes to the battle against shaving, it wins in the painlessness regard.

While you can cut yourself shaving or risk damaging sensitive skin with irritation or ingrown hairs or scraping, depilatories just instantly take the hairs off without any pain and hopefully no side effects.

It also saves you the trouble of buying razors and cream and foam and aftershave (Which means less waste, yay environment), and cuts right to the chase. Speaking of buying, it’s also quite economical and inexpensive.

Compared to shaving, as you don’t need to buy different products, you just buy the tube and that’s it. There are some areas on your body that are just too hard to reach with a razor, and much easier to simply apply the cream with your hand and then wipe away.

In that case, depilatories are convenient. It can moisturize your skin, too, depending on the product or formula. So, you got a 2-in-1 hair remover and moisturizer.

IN THE END

The depilatory market is becoming more and more popular, and we now have tons of different products for men, women, and for different purposes.

Even though chemical hair removal has been a thing for decades, it has never been this advanced or easy. With products like Nair, you get a smooth and close shave without the hassle and pain of shaving.

It’s applicable on all body parts, even your pubic area, as long as you follow the right precautions.

While side effects are there and they are possible, with the worst of them being potential chemical burns (DO NOT leave it on for too long), it’s still safe to use even on your face with a proper formula.

So, if you want to experiment with a new way of hair removal, why don’t you give it a go?