# Why no hair removal cream for a man's beard **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202 "2013-09-06T20:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/21 "2013-09-07T17:53:32Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Imagine this. A product that you apply to your face like shaving cream as you enter the shower. Then you take a minute to soap up and scrub your body as you normally in the shower. After this you wash off the product from your face and it feels like a baby’s bottom. > > At say, 25 cents an application, you wouldn’t use this product? Its coming, but I don’t know why its taking so long. In the very near future young men will marvel at the fact that their elders actually had to take a razor to their face to remove their bread. > > The drug company that comes up with it will make Billions. But that’s not how Nair works. If you only left it on a minute and rinsed it off, you’d have exactly as much hair as before you applied it. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/22 "2013-09-07T18:34:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > There are reviews of African hair on Amazon and [drugstore.com](http://drugstore.com)? Man, you can find _anything_ on the Internet! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Blaylock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_blaylock/32/3235_2.png) [@Bob\_Blaylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Blaylock)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/23 "2013-09-07T20:55:44Z")
At some point in the distant past, I tried some of my wife’s Nair on my face, so see what would happen. Alas, I do not now clearly remember the results, other than that they were generally not favorable. Nothing really bad happened, but it didn’t do a very good job of removing any of my facial hair either. In connection with this, I have a memory of using duct tape to try to pull off stubble that I had hoped would have been weakened by the Nair. I don’t now remember how that worked out either. What I can remember is this: It ended up being a lot more fuss and bother than simply shaving, and produced vastly inferior results. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/24 "2013-09-07T22:12:42Z")
I wonder how it would work for things like [Joan Rivers’ 5 o’clock shadow](http://youtu.be/GkeTBRgjKjo?t=7m49s). ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/25 "2013-09-07T22:38:22Z")
> [@destineal](#): > > I tried Nair on my face when I was a dumb teenager. Once. As I recall, it ate little holes in my skin and pretty much left the hair unchanged. Same here. It may be a pain to shave away those few pesky hairs every morning, but it sure beats having holes burned into your face. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/26 "2013-09-07T22:41:49Z")
Mens facial hair is a FAST grower. To grow it faster, the structure follicle to make it is LARGER . So mens facial hair is , as result of the increased size of the follicle, is more firmly attached to the follicle . When I pulled out a hair out of my cheek it came out with 1cm of jelly attached. So that had quite a large follicle relative to a leg hair or back hair. The result of trying to dissolve that much hair would be chemical burns … It would take far long , and far too much NAIR to get NAIR down to that depth and then dissolve that much material. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_Cello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Clark\_Cello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_Cello)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/27 "2013-09-08T15:27:10Z")
If you feel women’s leg hair and men’s facial hair are completely analogous, maybe you should try waxing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/28 "2013-09-08T18:17:23Z")
**There are hair removal creams for a man’s beard.** In dry powder form, where you mix it with water to make a paste to put on your face. Or tubes of premixed gel. I used Magic Shave powder when I was a teen, to avoid razor bumps. Here in middle age, Target triple blades are all I need. When I used it, Magic Shave stank, kind of like Nair stank. Magic Shave was clearly caustic stuff, with safety warnings right on the package. Leaving it on your face too long could result in chemical burns [http://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=Magic+Shave+&oq=Magic+Shave+&gs\_l=youtube.12..0l6j0i5.2097.2097.0.3645.1.1.0.0.0.0.372.372.3-1.1.0...0.0...1ac.2.11.youtube.LYhk9jlBXzA](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Magic+Shave+&oq=Magic+Shave+&gs_l=youtube.12..0l6j0i5.2097.2097.0.3645.1.1.0.0.0.0.372.372.3-1.1.0...0.0...1ac.2.11.youtube.LYhk9jlBXzA) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D097qAtS3Q) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/29 "2013-09-08T21:13:55Z")
I tried nair on my face once. It left me with nasty chemical burns, and the smell stayed in my beard and mustache, which I couldn’t shave due to the burns. Aside from that, it didn’t do anything. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hogbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Martin\_Hogbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hogbin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/30 "2013-09-09T08:58:40Z")
It is just not perceived as being very macho or masculine. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/31 "2013-09-09T17:29:14Z")
Heck, I’m a woman and I’ve used Nair on my legs, with lots of sensitivity and pain after. No way would you want that stuff on your face. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/32 "2013-09-10T03:09:04Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > I saw some stuff at Target over the weekend. I don’t remember the name but it was a razorless shave cream. A quick google came up with Magic Shave. I had a black roommate years ago who used that stuff, and it was pretty clear it was specifically marketed to black men. (Though, of course, there’s no reason it wouldn’t work just as well for non-blacks.) If I understand correctly, the natural “tight, curly” nature of “black” hair makes it more likely that a shaved beard will curl back under the skin, causing those “razor bumps” that non-blacks rarely have to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/33 "2013-09-10T03:30:06Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I had a black roommate years ago who used that stuff, and it was pretty clear it was specifically marketed to black men. (Though, of course, there’s no reason it wouldn’t work just as well for non-blacks.) > > If I understand correctly, the natural “tight, curly” nature of “black” hair makes it more likely that a shaved beard will curl back under the skin, causing those “razor bumps” that non-blacks rarely have to deal with. Yes, Magic Shave. I can testify it works pretty well; you wouldn’t want to do it instead of a regular shave every day (unless you have the aforementioned problem with razor bumps), but if you wanted to remove a complete beard, it’s easier and much less irritating. Also, TMI: For similar reasons, if you want to be completely hairless “down there”, it’s the best way IME. Slap the cream on, go watch TV for 10-15 mins (you may want to do this when there’s no-one else home…), and then the hair just scrapes off easily. You may want to touch up some areas with a razor, but still it’s much quicker and easier than trying to shave the whole shebang. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/34 "2013-09-10T03:37:19Z")
I do sometimes wish there was a quicker, easier way to shave my head (been shaving it since 1998). ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/35 "2013-09-10T05:25:24Z")
From what I remember of trying Nair on my neck under chin - it took a while, it was as sensitive as a mild sunburn for a day or two after. It dissolves some hair, but most of it incompletely. Some hair was weakened to thin enough that wiping broke it loose. On other hair, with dark hair against white skin, you could see a “coke bottle” effect where the hair had thinned. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/36 "2013-09-10T16:21:21Z")
When I was a freshman in the late '70s, a friend of mine taking a marketing class had to do an experiment in market research. Each student was given a fictitious product, and had to create and conduct a survey to determine its marketability. One of the products was a beard-dissolving shave cream. The survey showed that male students were overwhelmingly against it, the most oft-mentioned reason being that shaving is manly. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/37 "2013-09-10T16:54:41Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I do sometimes wish there was a quicker, easier way to shave my head (been shaving it since 1998). There are head-shaving forums out there. There is always an active thread about depilatories/waxing/electrolysis/laser, always with funny/horrible outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/38 "2013-09-10T20:44:28Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Why would anybody want this? > > [ul] > [li]shaving is **fast**. Hair removal creme takes several minutes to work, plus more time to clean up afterwards.[/li][li]Shaving is **cheap**. Hair removal creme is expensive – usually $1-$2 per use. Razor blades cost anywhere from 10¢ to 60¢ per use. And a straight razor or electric shaver is much, much cheaper – almost incalculably low.[/li][li]Shaving is **easy**. Most men do it every day, automatically, when only half-awake, with hardly any problems. Hair removal creme would require applying smelly, unpleasant, semi-toxic chemicals near your nose, eyes, & mouth.[/li][/ul] > > People won’t buy it unless it’s better. In what way would hair removal creme be better? What the frick? Maybe I have extra-sensitive skin, but only the middle item applies for me – shaving my face is neither fast nor easy. It’s either a horrifying process of scraping a razor blade across my face and ending up with several (admittedly small) bleeding wounds and a face that feels like it got sunburned for the next few hours, or running an electric shaver over my face over and over and over at different angles for 10 minutes or more trying to get all the hair, and never getting it done nearly as well as the actual razor blade does (but fortunately generally without the “your face was sunburned” effect). Unfortunately, the shaving creams and powders have just as many problems, as detailed by others in this thread. The chief ones for me being [ul] [li] They don’t work very well unless you leave them on a long time[/li][li] If you leave them on long enough to get even marginal results, they burn the hell out of your skin.[/li][/ul] If a cream was invented that would dissolve the hair WITHOUT hurting my skin (which seems pretty impossible to me, but hey, maybe somebody can figure out a way…) I would totally use that and bid my shaving products a not-so-fond farewell. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/39 "2013-09-10T21:48:57Z")
I have a package of Moisturizing Face Cream from Nair. Nowhere does it say a man can’t use it. It barely removed the fine hair on my upper lip. I can’t see it working at all for the thick hair on a man’s face. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202/40 "2013-09-11T02:51:30Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > If a cream was invented that would dissolve the hair WITHOUT hurting my skin (which seems pretty impossible to me, but hey, maybe somebody can figure out a way…) I would totally use that and bid my shaving products a not-so-fond farewell. Again, I’ve used magic shave on both my face, and a more intimate part of the body, without irritation. I guess it is impossible, but that’s why they call it magic shave 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hair-removal-cream-for-a-mans-beard/668202.md?page=3)