Did you know that the hair removal business is worth 2 billion pounds in the UK alone?! Hair raising, isn't it?! There are many different methods available, from traditional shaving and waxing, to epilation, laser removal and also, hair removal creams. Generally, I have always stuck to the use of creams as I am not a fan of wincing in pain from having my legs waxed (okay okay how would I know if I've never had them done? - Having my eyebrows waxed was enough to know). There is also the matter of cost, and how long the results last. Each to their own, but for me I prefer to use a hair removal cream on my legs, especially if I am going away and need the results to last as long as possible.


Why you might choose a hair removal cream:

*Less painful than waxing (infact pain free, unless you manage to scratch the skin or have a reaction)
*Results typically last a lot longer than shaving
*Can cover a large area relatively quickly
*Many different forms, skin types, fragrances and brands to choose from

I have previously reviewed Nair Hair removal cream, however I recently switched to veet due to curiosity, and also the fact Veet comes in a squeezy tube which seemed fair more ideal than the Nair sachets. There are many different varieties of Veet, from sensitive skin to "supreme" as well as a longer 5 minute cream. The cream I chose was the one in the pink box, which is the one for normal skin (I bought it thinking it was the sensitive skin one but oh well!). At the time, it was buy one get one free, however it's current price in Superdrug is £4.35 for a 200ml tube.

The great thing about Veet is, you get an applicator inside every box, which also doubles up as a valuable tool to remove the cream. This applicator is pink, and made of quite strong plastic, which has a rubber seal along the top so it will not scrape or scratch the skin if you use it to remove the cream with. The applicator is curved in design, so you can use one side for applying/distributing the cream and the other side for removing it, which is especially helpful if you accidentally apply it on a piece of skin you didn't wish to, or if you are clumsy like me and happen to stick your elbow in it.

Before you use the cream, there are a few safety/advice issues I would like to point out. Firstly, I know it sounds obvious but if you have sensitive skin, or skin which has reacted badly to similar products before, then do a patch test on the skin (further instructions are on the box). Although I never have any problems with these types of creams, I did once use veet on my underarms and it burnt them quite badly, and took a few days to recover so please be careful! Also, make sure you tie your actual hair well up so there is not a cat in hells chance it can disintegrate your hair. It may sound obvious, but honestly it would be pretty horrific if that happened. If you wish to wash your hair, make sure the bath/shower is fully cleaned of any remaining Veet particles and don't submerge your hair in the same water for those reasons. Finally, be weary of the Veet getting on your hands or other body parts such as arms during application, as it will remove any hair in it's path!

Onto the actual application, and although it states "3 minutes" to remove the hair, you will need to set aside much longer than that if you plan on doing a large section, such as both legs. The application must be done on dry skin, *away* from water. If you attempt to apply Veet whilst in the shower, it will only rinse off before it's worked and we don't want that! You should try sitting down, or in a position which is comfortable as you will need to apply section by section, making sure you layer on the cream quick thickly (at least half a cm thick). If you try and apply it too thinly, or rub it in, you will not remove any hair as the skin needs to be fully coated. It's worth pointing out you should avoid broken skin, cuts, sunburn etc.

Also, before you go to apply Veet, have a wetwipe or tissue handy incase of any spillages. It might sound over-precautious, but if you spill Veet onto a bathmat for example, it will leave a noticeable stain because of the material. It can also create a hazard if you accidentally slipped on some (try explaining that one to the fire brigade!)

To apply the cream, simply squeeze out the cream either directly onto the skin, or onto the applicator and then transfer onto the skin. Using the applicator gives smoother results, and makes it much easier to reach the back of the legs, as it means the cream is less likely to end up on the floor! It does take a bit of time to completely cover each section of the leg, so I tend to do the lower legs first, and then do the upper legs after this cream has been removed. If you are running low on cream and don't have a spare tube, you can re apply the cream to another section once you have taken it off, but of course fresh cream will work best and will be cleaner.

What you will probably notice at this point, is the smell. I have used a variety of hair removal creams over the years, and although the smell isn't exactly pungent, it's not a smell I really want to smell of either. It's difficult to describe, but certainly doesn't smell all that delectable. It's okay to put up with during application, but that's about it.

The time Veet takes to dissolve & detach the hair is remarkably quick, probably more so than Nair but it does depend on the length and thickness of the hair you are trying to remove. Blokes for example (I make no judgement here fella's, perhaps you are part of a synchronised cycling team and need to be smooth?!) or anyone with thick hair, will need to coat the hairs quite generously, and may need to add another 1-2 minutes to make sure the hair comes off smoothly. You can use the applicator to do a test patch to check how easily the hair comes off. If it only comes off a little bit, or not at all, you haven't left it long enough. Do not exceed more than about 8 minutes max though, as you may irritate the skin.

To remove the cream, it is best to submerge yourself in a warm bath, using the scraper to gently remove all traces of Veet. Whatever method you use, you need to make sure you really do rinse the skin well, to reduce the chances of irritation. An additional option afterwards, is to use an exfoliator on the skin and shower it off, as this will remove any stray hairs you didn't catch with the scraper. Exfoliating the skin regularly is also said to promote circulation, as well as the chance of ingrown hairs. I also find that using an exfoliator helps to remove the smell of the Veet which can sometimes linger.

When my skin has been veeted, rinsed, towel dried ect, it is time to assess the results. I think that Veet makes the skin incredibly smooth, and removes about 95% of the hairs. I will often find that areas such as the knees, or certain patches on the backs of my legs whereby it's difficult to apply it thickly/neatly, can sometimes get left out. At this stage, you can re apply a little amount to these areas if you wish, but be careful not to use too much on an area you have already Veeted, incase you irritate the skin.

As for how long the results last, this is dependant on a few factors. For example, I am currently on special multi-vitamins to enhance skin, hair and nails. I have found when I am on such tablets, that my nails and hair naturally grows through a lot faster, regardless. It also depends on the hair length to begin with, and the thickness. Personally though, I find that my legs will stay hair free for a minimum of 2 days, anywhere up to about a week before I would say the process needed to be repeated.

Overall, I think although in my opinion expensive, Veet is definitely a viable method of short term hair removal. There is no pain involved, and the results generally are silky smooth. The only downsides, is perhaps the length of time the application and thorough removal, cleaning out the bath etc can take. The actual length of time Veet takes to work though, is quite impressive and does take the time stated (3 minutes). This is not a method of hair removal I would use if I was going away for longer than a week, as the results simply do not last as long as waxing most certainly would in comparison. That said, the results do last longer than shaving and are ideal for scaredy cats like me who wouldn't dare get their legs waxed. It really is down to the individual, and the needs but generally this is a product I would recommend. Not quite 5 stars due to the negative points mentioned, but other than that I will probably use this cream long term over Nair from now on.