Sign up for our daily newsletter
A night of stand-up comedy is great, but if you want a good laugh for free, Google men’s reviews of hair removal creams. Some have become the stuff of internet legend – especially those written by guys who’ve been, er, ‘tidying up the basement’ and have come a cropper by using products that were too strong or have been left on way too long. (My favourite is the man who described the after effects of using a cream on his nether regions as being akin to the Space Shuttle running its engines on full throttle right behind him.)
That doesn’t mean hair removal creams (technical name depilatory creams) don’t have their uses, though. In fact, they’re one of the most practical – and effective – tools in a man’s manscaping arsenal.
Simpler and less eye-watering than waxing and more effective than shaving (you’ll stay hair free for longer and when hairs go grow back the tips will be finer and less noticeable) they’re a great way to remove unwanted body hair in minutes.
They work by using chemicals (usually thioglycolic acid) to dissolve the protein structure of the hair at the root, allowing it to be rubbed away at skin level and leaving skin temporarily hair free. Follow our advice about application and use one of the creams below and you’ll be as smooth as a Love Island lothario in no time. No joke.
READ NEXT: Best electric shaver
Hair removal creams are perfect for phasing out fur that sprouts on your chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, toes and knuckles and underarms. They should not be used on the face, eyebrows, ears, nose or head.
Somehow, we knew you’d ask this. Only certain creams can be applied on the pubic area, partly because the skin around your crown jewels is particularly sensitive.
Make sure you only use a depilatory cream marked for intimate or pubic areas and always follow the instructions. These special creams can usually be used on the buttocks too but aren’t meant to be used between them or around the anus. That’s our disclaimer done.
Yes. Some guys’ skin is more sensitive to the chemicals in hair removal creams than others so it’s always worth being on the safe side.
To test, select a small area of skin you wish to treat and apply a small amount of the cream, following the directions about application and removal. Then wait 24 hours. If there is no adverse reaction, the whole area may be treated in the same way. Bear in mind you may still get a little discomfort (think mild razor burn) after removal, though. Thankfully, this should subside after an hour or so.
First off, always – repeat always – follow the instruction on usage to the letter. Follow the time guidelines too. Leaving on for a few extra minutes won’t result in better results but could result in irritated skin or burnt balls (never a good look).
Speaking of which, apply only to areas recommended on the product (avoid the nipples which can be particularly sensitive) and if you’re applying a cream suitable for intimate use splash your crown jewels with a little cold water first to tighten them slightly – it’ll make application easier. Apply a decent layer with smooth strokes (imagine you’re buttering a piece of toast) and leave on, without rubbing in.
If all the hair isn’t removed in one go, you can apply again but wait at least 24 hours before having another go to avoid ‘Space Shuttle’ skin.
Apart from leaving the product on too long, avoid rinsing with hot water or soap before or after applying your hair removal cream as this can increase skin sensitivity. Use cool or tepid water to rise off the product and don’t apply creams to broken or sunburnt skin or to spots, moles or scars.
You don’t have to treat skin with aftercare products but it will certainly help calm and condition skin. The makers of some products also offer aftercare balms and moisturisers.
It’s always a good idea to avoid using antiperspirants and perfumes for 24 hours afterwards and to avoid exposing the freshly treated skin to swimming or sunbathing. Skipping the gym for a couple of days is advisable too as sweat and friction can irritate freshly-treated skin.
READ NEXT: Best hair wax for men
Price: £6 for 200ml | Buy now from Boots
Formulated with shea butter to help soften skin after use and designed to work on short hairs as well as longer ones, Boots’ own Hair Removal Cream For Men is a great value budget buy, whose price doesn’t affect its performance.
It has a good, creamy texture which makes application easy and a light, inoffensive scent. It takes five minutes to do its business (though can be left for an additional 2 minutes if hair doesn’t come away easily) and works a treat on chest, back, toes, leg and underarm hair though isn’t suitable for more intimate areas.
Handily, it also comes with a little plastic spatula to help you remove the cream, along with hair. It’s designed for normal skin types so use a cream for sensitive skins or one or intimate areas if yours is easily irritated.
Price: £8 for 100ml | Buy now from Hoosh
Black-owned British brand Hoosh launched during the pandemic. No mean feat given the complications that created, though with plenty of people stuck at home, having to make their own entertainment, maybe that was perfect timing.
The company’s first product is this fast-acting, vegan-friendly hair removal cream, enriched with skin friendly Provitamin, along with chamomile oil, B5 and witch hazel to minimise inflammation and irritation.
As with most other creams it’s meant for use on chest, legs, arms, back and underarms so is best for general manscaping. It’s quite runny in texture so apply carefully with the plastic spatula supplied and leave on for the allotted time (up to 6 minutes if hair is stubborn) and wash off with a cloth or sponge.
Price: £13 for 100ml | Buy now from Nutcare
Unlike most hair removal creams, Barenuts’ pubic hair removal cream is specially formulated to be used on your most delicate bits (the clue is in the name).
Hair removal is pretty quick: 5-6 minutes is usually all that’s required though up to nine may be required if hair is particularly coarse, though we’re not sure we’d risk that long ourselves. If not all hair is removed you can use the cream again 24 hours later (it took us two passes to get super-smooth results and the first pass did result in a bit of tingle).
The cream itself is fairly pleasant smelling (think cucumber and cut leaves) though it’s runnier than some of the others we tried so be careful when applying. You can buy a special mitt to remove the cream and hair from their website though a flannel works too. Don’t be afraid to use this rigorously – if you’re too gentle you won’t remove the hairs quickly.
They also produce a special after-care moisturiser which soothes irritation and aims – in the words of the website – to give you a ‘more youthful-looking scrotum’. Now there’s a grooming product you never knew you needed.
Price: £7 | Buy now from Amazon
Veet has long been experts in hair removal so it was only a matter of time before the company tweaked its product to cater to men wanting to remove hair in places a little more intimate than the average armpit.
This value for money, two-piece kit contains a tube of hair removal cream, especially formulated for use in intimate areas (it includes ginseng root extract to help hydrate skin) plus an aftercare balm that contains aloe vera extract to help minimise post-manscaping irritation and soothe inflammation.
A five-minute application gets results but as is the case with most intimate area removers you may need a second application a couple of days later for super smooth results. We found it to be one of the best products we tried, with relatively little irritation. Good for the groin, scrotum, buttocks, pubic area and base of the penis but not any other intimate areas so use elsewhere at your own risk.
Best hair dryer: The finest hair dryers we've tested
The best electric toothbrushes to buy
The best blood pressure monitors you can buy
The best verruca treatments to buy
The best hair loss shampoos
The best false eyelashes to buy in 2022
Best hair straighteners: Tame unruly locks
The most effective at-home teeth whitening strips to buy
Best lip plumper 2022: For naturally plumper lips
The best products for curly hair
Harry’s Razors review: A better way of shaving?
Remington Barba beard trimmer review
The best hair removal creams for men
Our favourite beard trimmers from £20
The best home waxing kits for removing unwanted hair at home
The best eye creams for men in 2022
The best Wi-Fi extenders to buy from £35
Copyright © Expert Reviews Holdings Ltd 2022. All rights reserved. Expert Reviews™ is a registered trade mark.