# Shave minimizing lotion **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327 "2003-06-12T14:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/1 "2003-06-12T14:33:16Z")
Does this stuff actually work? Are some brands better than others? I’ve been using Curel “Smooth Legs” formula for about a month and a half now, dutifully applying daily, as per package directions, and I’m afraid that my leg hair has not grown dramatically finer. My bottle of lotion is about empty. So the question is, do I spring for another bottle and keep using it? Switch to a different brand? I read one review online that said that while another brand worked great (Jergens?), Curel didn’t. Any dopers have any experience with this stuff? [sub](For those who follow my sordid posting career a bit too closely, I _am_ shaving my legs these days. Yes, I have turned my back on the hairy-legged sisterhood. Shame on me. Shame, shame, shame.)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/2 "2003-06-12T14:36:05Z")
I used the Jergens stuff for a while. Didn’t notice any difference really. However, I liked the lotion so I bought another bottle. I didn’t see dramatic less shaving of my legs at any time though. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/3 "2003-06-12T14:39:22Z")
Same here – used Jergens, didn’t notice any difference. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/4 "2003-06-12T15:06:20Z")
I’d like to know the science behind it. I’m highly skeptical. Lemme go google it. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/5 "2003-06-12T15:08:38Z")
Curel \_ Curel Smooth Legs \_ QTY Size Price 9 oz. $7.50 "Curel Smooth Legs Shave Minimizing Moisturizer provides all-day moisturization and visibly reduces the appearance of hair over time, making your legs look and feel silky smooth longer. This advanced formula combines the rich moisturization of Curel lotion with a **natural botanical extract and soy protein** , for softer, finer, less noticeable hair. As a result, you will need to shave less frequently. " Yeah. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/6 "2003-06-12T16:26:38Z")
I don’t believe it and I won’t even _try_ it since you have to wait one month for results. (I have patience in other areas of my life, but a possible quack product for lessening how often I have to shave my legs? Puh-leese.) FYI - Aveeno just introduced their version. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/7 "2003-06-12T16:29:34Z")
I’ve been using it and I like it – though I’ve been using it in winter, when I shave less often anyway. There’s a Suave version that costs a lot less. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/8 "2003-06-12T16:29:46Z")
Well, it is lotion, so some good comes from using it. I haven’t tried it though. I shave almost every day no matter what, because I can’t stand the way stubble feels. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/9 "2003-06-12T16:57:00Z")
I use the Jergens and it does work for me, but you have to be vigilant about using it every day. I like the Jergens as a lotion anyway, and it’s not too expensive. It doesn’t make the hair go away, but if you have to shave everyday normally, while using the lotion you might be able to skip a day. The hair on my legs is not super thick to begin with, though. I noticed it grew back finer and a little less stubbly, so one or two days of regrowth was not the horror it would be otherwise. After using it the whole summer I could tell the difference. I like to use it on my bikini area and underarms too. I couldn’t skip shaving more often there, but it made the hair less coarse and was easier to shave. I even used it on my eyebrows - it made them easier to pluck! ---
**Author:** ![carimwc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac8455/32.png) [@carimwc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carimwc)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/10 "2003-06-12T19:04:27Z")
I use the Suave version and it works for me. I only shave about once a week now as compared to twice. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/11 "2003-06-12T19:20:37Z")
I’d really like to find out _how_ it “works,” as it just does not seem medically plausible. Cecil? ---
**Author:** ![Drabble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Drabble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drabble)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/12 "2003-06-12T19:26:21Z")
It would be nice to only have to shave once a week! I’m gonna start checking into these things! > [@](#): > > (For those who follow my sordid posting career a bit too closely, I am shaving my legs these days. Yes, I have turned my back on the hairy-legged sisterhood. Shame on me. Shame, shame, shame.) 😃 LMAO! ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/13 "2003-06-12T19:46:32Z")
For those who are intersted in a slightly more rigorous examination of the claims made by this product: [http://www.hairfacts.com/methods/shave/jergens.html](http://www.hairfacts.com/methods/shave/jergens.html) According to this page, the lotion contains sodium hydroxide, which is similar to calcium hydroxide, the active ingredient in depilatory creams. I never bought the hooey about botanical extracts–I assumed that there was some good old-fashioned Better Living Through Chemistry[sup]TM[/sup] behind the scences. _shrug_ I tried it on a lark, and figured since I’d seen a sudden explosion in these types of poducts, I thought that there might be something to it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyann22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a4c791/32.png) [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/14 "2003-06-12T20:04:20Z")
I’ve used the Jergens kind, but I always seem to forget to put it on my legs! I try to at night, but there are those nights when I’m just so tired I fall asleep first. I don’t think I’ve managed to use it every day for a month yet, but I’m going to try and get better about it. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shave-minimizing-lotion/181327/15 "2003-06-12T21:41:40Z")
Using it every day isn’t a problem for me – I have super dry skin, so I put lotion on all over while still damp from the shower/bath. I put the shave-minimizing stuff on my legs, then switch to regular lotion for the rest of my body.