If you want to know more about facial hair and the various types of removal, check out the feature at Total Beauty. There is also information at this Olay link. It helps to have a basic understanding of causes of facial hair and various types of removal. After tweezing my way into frustration, I finally tried my Olay kit.
I purchased the one for Fine to Medium hair. Mine is ultra-fine and blonde. My hair would be almost impossible to remove permanently via laser. There is another variation for Medium to Course hair.
The two products in Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo work together to gently remove fine-to-medium facial hair from the upper lip, chin, cheek, and jaw areas in two easy steps. The kit contains a Skin Guarding Balm and a Hair Removal Cream. The balm protects the skin, and the cream goes after the hair. The duo works together to gently remove facial hair "for skin that's beautifully soft, smooth and visibly hair-free." The kit says that you'll get 12 uses from it.
The directions are pretty easy to follow, although I blew it on first use. I thought that both the balm and the cream were to be applied with thin coverage. Obviously, I wasn't reading carefully. As a result, seconds after my first use, I decided the kit was useless. Then I noticed the photo within the instructions that the cream should be applied heavily. It was at that point I realized I had been a goofball. The second time was a charm, so I felt a lot better about the product.
Despite Olay's recommendation that you do a patch test before using it, I didn't bother. I'll do anything (well, almost) for my readers. I wanted to report on this kit. Actually, the directions are almost scary. I think Olay over-dramatized the precautions to mitigate risk.
The duo is easy to apply and easy to remove. I apply it straight from the tubes - as one should. I avoid my mouth where I know the tissue burns easily. I remove it with a facial pad and then wash off the remaining product. Does it work? I would give it a B grade for effectiveness - good, but not great.
The area around my mouth is one of my facial hair annoyances. My problem with my fine blonde hair is that I can see it near my lips. I hate that. Others may not see it, but I do. A few of the hairs around my mouth have turned dark recently - another annoyance. The bothersome hairs have left me tweezing frequently. I'm always looking in the mirror and plucking, like I'm obsessed.
Because I have avoided my mouth, the hair near my mouth was not removed by the kit. I thought I had covered the roots of those rather long hairs with the cream, but apparently not enough. I risk burning my mouth by getting closer, so I'll continue to pluck those hairs near the upper corners.
I have experienced absolutely no irritation from Olay's kit. That's pleasing because depilatory creams are caustic chemicals and can be very irritating to the skin. Waxing hurts. Fortunately, the sting from tweezing is temporary. I think my new one-two will be a combination of Olay's kit and tweezing.
Olay's Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo is easy to find. I purchased mine at Costco. It's available in drugstores and other mass market retailers. It's also widely available online. Here's one link. Please let us know what you think.
Photo courtesy of drugstore.com
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14 comments:
I know you don't like wax, CG...I've been using Parrisa wax for my upper lip. The wax is enclosed between two plastic sheets. You warm it up by rubbing it between your hands, peel the sheets apart, then wax away. To minimize the sting, I pull my skin tautly, press the strip on to my upper lip firmly, then pull it off quickly. It's not so bad. Each box comes with a vial of oil to remove any sticky residue the wax may leave. These strips work very well; they are fast and easy to use - I give them an A. Drugstore.com has them on sale right now. I've also seen them at some CVS stores and at Whole Foods.
Oh Charlestongirl, I got such a laugh out of this. Facial hair has become quite the topic amongst my gal pals of a certain age :-) I hate the peach fuzz. I'm sure no one really notices it but me, but because I use a magnifying mirror to apply my makeup, I know it's there. Sigh :-( I use retinoic acid on my face, so I'm very limited in what I can do about those little fine hairs that sprout around my lips. Tweezers and a small epilating wire have become my best friends. I actually don't mind the sting. I guess I'm just a tough old bird! LOL
On another note, I hope that you and yours are all OK. And that goes to all your lovely readers who have also been affected by Sandy. The television coverage we were getting last night was horrific--battering winds and rain, surging tides and floodwaters, driving snow and ice. Sandy has given everyone quite a wild ride even after it was downgraded. This morning I checked in with friends who live near the Hudson and they really took a pounding. Friends in Manhattan said they were OK, but still didn't know the full extent of the damage around them and that is undoubtedly true for everyone. Time will tell. Positive thoughts are with all of you now and, as needs become known, so too will calls for action.
No wax for me, Ava! You have power?
Eileen, it was really bad here. Still no power, and no forecast for when we might get it back. There are trees down everywhere. They didn't break off; they came up with their root balls! Mom is hunkered down in jackets, hat, blanket, etc. and refuses to leave. I offered to find a hotel somewhere to the west, but she won't leave.
The winds were the scary part here, but NY and NJ got badly slammed by winds and water. I've seen pics on Facebook. Not pretty!
As for that hair, it's an annoyance, but I'll keep tweeting. My hair grows quickly. I can't use this kit every three days! I don't know why the hair bothers me when it didn't a few years ago. I guess I'm growing a beard! :) I'm glad it's blonde.
I have always had a lot of facial hair. In fact, a lota hair everywhere. My nickname at birth was Hairy! No kidding! I gave up on facial depilatories because they are too harsh on my fair and sensitive hide; besides, the hair grew back within days. Waxing was painful...and the hair grew back within a few days. Plus, my derm at the U of Michigan nixed both as being too harsh on skin, with an additional admonition that waxing causes broken capillaries. Laser treatments are out for me because I am a blonde. So guess what I do, dear ladies, to rid of myself of unwanted facial hair? I shave! I use my husband's shaver on the upper lip because his shaver is narrow and it works just fine. Lasts twice as long as the other remedies, and it does not harm my skin in the least. I use my own leg shaver on the rest of my puss and it works wonderfully, too. So now the world knows my secret! Haha.
My local threading place does an amazing job with facial hair. And, it's so cheap. I prefer threading as it doesn't irritate my skin the way chemical reminded can. I've given up waxing since I started using retinols because the top layers of the epidermis are removed with wax and it's a dangerous combo.
The usual facial hair depilatories burn holes in my skin even if left on for only 1 minute. And, 1 minute does nothing to the hairs sadly. I think they go a bit off once opened, when the air gets to it. They are fine for the first time of use and then they start to eat me alive.
I've been using these type of creams since the 70s.
Anyhow, I saw Michelle Money talking online about facial hair and what she does. She uses one of those Tinkle blade things.
I tried it and am so glad I did. It is perfect and not crazy sharp like men's razors. So gentle yet so effective.
Thanks to Michelle I don't have to use the deplitories anymore.
Hope you are all safe over there in America. Here in England we have no bad weather at the moment.
I bought and used a whole tube this product over several months. I followed the directions and found the hair guide. I never found that it worked that well. It looks great the day I use it then a day or two later it feels like the growth is appearing. So it doesn't last long. I went back to waxing and use this for an in between remedy. I still prefer to remove at the root and get any extra strays with Olay.
I reviewed this on my blog if you want to check it out (it was funny and embarrassing!!!), but I have just decided that I'd rather have a small 'stache than have a rash or burn from the various removers out there.
I am SO GLAD to read that you are ok, and that you faced minimal damage.
Hi Nemo,
I haven't tried shaving because it result in stubble. I don't know what's worse. :) I'm sure if you do it often enough, it's fine. I can't bring myself to do it.
Hi Neena,
The thought of threading makes me cringe. :)
Hi Mary,
We will have to see if that's available in the U.S. I've never heard of the "Tinkle blade things." :)
Hi So,
I agree, good but definitely not great.
Thanks, Ame. We are so much more fortunate than New Jersey and New York. I feel for everyone there.
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