What They Say: "Totally fresh and totally smooth legs can be yours without the harsh touch of a blade. Easy to use. The unique contoured applicator allows you to quickly and evenly spread the cream for perfect coverage without using your hands. Contains aloe, vitamin E and natural soy. The moisture rich cream softens skin and removes even course, short hairs quickly. For long-lasting smoothness, use with Carefree® After Hair Removal Totally Smooth™ Daily Moisturizer."

What Melissa Says: Alrighty, then. Here's the deal. I do not have good memory associations with depilatory creams. Even Nair, with its recently updated formulations which are much less nauseatingly smelly than before, has made me feel a little icky while waiting the obligatory few minutes to get it the heck off. Yet I gritted my teeth and applied this one bravely.

Let me start by saying that the concept of squeezing the tube and spreading the lotion around without having to get your hands all over the formula was quite refreshing. One of the worst things about these types of formulas is how strangely slick your hands feel, as if the stuff has somehow stripped your fingers of something important because WHY ARE THEY SO SLICK?!? Ahem. Well, as I said, not dealing with that was a benefit. I should note, though, that squeezing just the right amount out and moving the tube at the same time in order to not lose any as it slides off your leg takes just a little extra bit of coordination, but it's not too bad.

This formula doesn't smell all that bad. I mean, yes there IS a twinge of something familiar, but it's bearable. This is something you should try in the shower and NOT the bath, as it's just a pain to balance one leg out of the water at a time while you wait in a bath, and it takes longer.

Supposedly, this formula is supposed to be great at removing even shorter hairs, so I was hopeful. The first time, I was mildly pleased, but the tiniest hairs were still there in the midst of smooth-feeling skin. Also, I noticed a bit of an itchy feeling right before I removed it at around 3 minutes. The next time and afterward, I left it on 5 minutes, but couldn't make it any longer as my skin felt so uncomfortable. (Once it was removed I never had any irritation remaining.) Even after leaving it on longer, I still felt those tiny hairs, and my legs were back to full-on-stubble after only a couple of days.

Another thing to note is that after three uses, the bottle was empty. Meh. That was a little disappointing, but I guess wouldn't be if I were hair-free longer in between uses.

I want to test the Daily Moisturizer they market to use after "shaving" a little longer, as I've only used it for about two weeks, but I do notice that hairs are softer immediately after use. I'm not sure if they'll really become less noticeable or not, but I look forward to finding out how well the moisturizer works after longer use.

My legs did feel smooth after use (most hair was removed and skin very soft), but littlest hairs remained. If you're looking for this to replace your razor, don't count on it unless you have a high tolerance for discomfort and can wait a full 10 minutes or you want to grow your hair out on your legs first (good luck looking cute in those shorts). If I could have just had slightly better luck with this - even with the itchiness and quickly-emptying tube - I would have loved to have given it a 3 out of 5 instead of a 2.

Retail Price: $7.95 (at drugstores and superstores everywhere and online at drugstore.com)

DeLush Rating:

About the Hair Remover Lotion: "Get ready to bare more, wear less … in as little as three minutes. And now with a thicker, richer formula and fresh new fragrances … Your choice, your smooth, radiant legs (days longer than shaving) …"

About the Hair Remover Moisturizing Bikini Cream: "Nair moisturizing Bikini Cream, specially formulated for the bikini area, removes hair below the skin’s surface. In as little as three minutes you can have soft, smooth, carefree skin that lasts. Nair Bikini Cream gives you radiant skin without the nicks and cuts that can be caused by shaving."

How to use: (Same directions for lotion and cream) “Squeeze cream (lotion) onto fingertips. Smooth on a thick, even layer to cover hair. DO NOT RUB IN. Wash your hands immediately after application. Leave the cream on for three minutes. Then check a small area for hair removal. Total hair removal depends on hair thickness. If the hair does not come off after three minutes, leave the cream (lotion) on for a few minutes longer. DO NOT EXCEED 10 MINUTES of total application time. Gently wipe off the cream (lotion) and hair with a damp washcloth. Do not rub. Once all hair has been removed, RINSE SKIN THOROUGHLY with lukewarm water in the shower. Pat dry. Keep bottle tightly closed between uses.”

Toya’s Take: I tried Nair products years ago and didn’t find that they worked well for me and were quite stinky. But when I received these products and saw that they came in new fragrances, I figured I needed to try them again. Well, I was right the first time. I applied the Bikini Cream, waited the three minutes and wiped it off with a damp cloth. Nothing. Okay, try again. I reapplied and waited five minutes more. This time, I did notice that some hair wiped away, but after rinsing, the hair only looked a bit thinner and smoother. I tried the Lotion on my underarms, which went a little better, but I still wasn’t overwhelmed. I don’t know if it’s the texture or thickness of my hair or what, but it just doesn’t work well for me at all. And, new fragrances or not, the chemical smell still comes through.

Jen's Experience: Unlike Toya, this was my first experience with Nair, and I have to say, I was surprised. I was mostly taken aback at how strong the odor is. Since my lotion was supposed to be baby oil scented, I really expected it to have some sense of that fragrance, but instead I, as well as the washcloth I used and my entire bathroom (and much of the surrounding area) smelled strongly like a bad perm.

It stings a little (what can you expect from a product designed to chemically remove your hair?) but not uncomfortably. Not nearly as bad as, say, home waxing products.

After the smell and the stinging, you'd think I'd be left with smooth as silk legs and bikini line, but -- again, surprise! -- I was really disappointed in the results. Actually, the bikini cream did remove the hair. However, the body lotion did almost nothing to remove my leg hair after 10 minutes, the maximum the product can be used. Additionally, my sensitive skin was not a fan of either product. It left red, blotchy areas for hours after I applied it.

Needless to say, I think I will be sticking to shaving.

Retail Price: $5.99 for the Lotion, $4.99 for the Cream

Rating:
Nair Hair Remover Lotion for Body
Nair Hair Remover Moisturizing Bikini Cream