I believe some women who’ve tried depilatories will agree with me that using them is quite tricky. Although these products sometimes work as they should by making my legs hair and stubble-free, other times, they can be a challenge. This is probably because hair removal creams are pretty different from waxing or shaving. 

Rather than pulling or cutting the hair off, chemicals work on dissolving it. And since these products are laden with strong chemicals, it’s extremely important to read the usage instructions before using them. Taking extra measures and steps greatly helps to ensure that your hair removal session is successful. Here are tips when using depilatories. 

A great portion of the effectiveness of depilatory creams depends on your hair thickness and skin sensitivities. In general, women with coarser or thicker hair who are more prone to razor bumps and ingrown hairs will get the better end of the deal. Meanwhile, those with overly sensitive skin are highly recommended to opt for other hair removal methods that are less irritating like shaving and waxing. 

There’s no such thing as too many patch tests. This is especially the case if you intend to use a depilatory cream on your bikini area or face. When doing a patch test, wait for 24 hours. If there’s no skin reaction, then it’s safe to use the product. 

Also, some areas of our body have a varied thickness of the hair. Thus, apart from conducting patch tests to the intended area, you should also do some tests in a few other zones. This way, you can determine which areas and how many application times best suit your skin. Conducting proper patch tests can prevent unpleasant skin surprises like inflammation, allergies, redness, and stinging. 

Before you get down to business, make sure that the area you want to use the depilator cream on is properly cleaned and thoroughly dried. If your skin still has traces of oils, dirt, or your moisturizer, the hair removal cream may not be as productive. 

Remember that depilatories are filled with chemicals. Leaving them on your skin for a couple of minutes can shake things off, making your skin feeling extremely bare. Hence, it’s best to use a damp washcloth or a soft sponge to gently wipe the cream off. 

While doing so, wipe in the opposite direction of hair growth. After you get rid of all hair, rinse your skin thoroughly with lukewarm water. Then pat it dry to make sure there’s no excess cream that can irritate your skin.

I get how tempting it can be to leave the hair removal cream on longer than the instructions says. Still, you should know that this practice is highly discouraged. Even if your hair is thicker and coarser than normal, it bears stressing that it’s a bad idea to go beyond the recommended application time. Otherwise, you’re just making your skin more vulnerable to irritation. 

I’ve had a few experiences before that I had some stubble left after using a hair removal cream for the maximum amount of time. Little did I know that it isn’t recommended to apply the cream again over the same spot right after. So, if you’re guilty of doing this, then you better break that habit of yours. Give your skin at least 48 hours before removing the remaining hair again. 

When applying a hair removal cream, the instructions will tell you to apply a thick and even layer of cream. That is because the depilatory cream has to coat all the hair you want to remove. This is best achieved if your hair length is anywhere between a stubble-length and a quarter inch. Yep, similar to waxing, hair removal creams are most effective when the right hair length is met.

When removing hair from various parts of your body, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re using the right product specifically formulated for that certain area. For instance, a facial or bikini hair removal cream may not be strong enough to get rid of your leg or underarm hair. Likewise, a leg or underarm depilatory cream may be too intense to use on your face or in your bikini zone. 

At the end of the day, there’s no magic manual to achieving picture-perfect results with hair removal creams. In fact, just following the instruction exactly as stated on the box or the pamphlet is enough to give you good results. However, if you want to be on the safe side and have the next best results possible, then it pays to follow those steps and tips above. Plus, doing so will ensure that your depilatory cream gets the job done every time.