A Definitive Guide to the Best Hair Removal Products

If you’re a human on planet earth, you probably have some kind of traumatic story about hair removal that involves your mother’s razor, being bullied about your arm hair, or dry-shaving two minutes before you have to leave for an event. Whenever the topic of hair removal comes up, I always hear a wide range of opinions, especially as people continue to shed their metaphorical beauty standard shackles. While I’m down for the cause, I’m not 100 percent mentally there yet—so in the meantime, I’ll continue my depilation saga. The older I get, the more specific I become about my hair removal products and practices. No matter what your choice about body hair is, hair care is also inherently about skincare. So whether you choose to permanently remove, or just make smooth, these are the best products to accompany you on your journey.

Hair Care and Exfoliation

For those of us who choose not to eliminate our body hair, Fur’s Oil is the most luxurious body oil dedicated to your pubic hair and skin. Though it was made for your most sensitive areas, you can also use it on your underarms, chest, legs, and face to soften all of that hair. And it doesn’t stain! What a novel concept. As someone who has a white couch, I am forever grateful.

Ah, dead skin: hair removal’s #1 enemy. This body wash is for everyone, regardless of your body hair choices. Slough off all of that dead skin before you make any removal moves. Tatcha’s Hinoki Body Wash gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin without synthetic fragrances, sulfate detergents, parabens, urea, DEA, TEA, or phthalates, and the hinoki wood essential oils make it feel like you’ve been transported to a spa getaway.

Shaving

If you’re seeking a perfect shave, single-edge (or double-edge) razors are your best friend. While they come with a bit of a learning curve if you’re coming from the dark side (i.e. disposable razors), once you get the hang of it, you’ll never go back. Because the blade is sharper, you’re getting the closest shave possible, and because you’re just disposing of the blade, which is made of metal, and the razor is plastic-free, they’re also more eco-friendly. These single-edge razors from Leaf Shave have a head half the size of a standard safety razor, so you can reach all those nooks and crannies. Bonus points for the fact that it looks good in your bathroom.

Because I’m on a low-waste journey, I have not purchased shaving cream in an aerosol can in over four years. I’ve tried countless shaving creams, and most didn’t cut it. They have to have enough slip to provide a gentle shave with no nicks or irritation, and Billie’s Whipped Shave Cream hit the mark for me: paired with a single edge razor, it glides perfectly, and I have not had razor bumps in ages—the perfect pillowy protection for a dreamy price.

Oilplaning

For those with unwanted peach fuzz and dead skin, this one’s for you. Oilplaning has never done me wrong, and as someone with dry skin, it really helps with the irritation I get when plain dermaplaning. Cleanliness is key here: you want to start with a clean, dry face—no makeup, no dirt, no oils. Next, apply your face oil of choice, and then glide the razor over your face in small sections starting at the edge of your face while gently pulling the skin taut with one hand. Hold the dermaplane at a 45-degree angle with the other hand—use short downward strokes in the direction of hair growth, never going over the same section twice.

If this explanation does not suffice, you should be consulting YouTube every four to six weeks. Make sure you replace the blade every time you dermaplane. You got this! The best non-greasy oil of choice: Drunk Elephant’s Virgin Marula Face Oil.

The best part about oilplaning is that your skincare products will penetrate more effectively, and makeup products like foundations and concealers will lay better on the skin—a win-win.

Waxing

Look, some of you are diehard waxers. I am not, but I’ve tried my fair share of salons and at-home products. My favorite natural alternative to regular waxing is sugaring. Enter Sugardoh: a compostable sugaring paste. Founded by a fellow and self-proclaimed hairy brown girl, Aliyah Marandiz, Sugardoh aims to reduce the pain of waxing by providing a gentle way to wax hair at home. They offer medium and firm consistencies of the paste for different parts of the body, and have a “Sugaring School” on their site to teach you everything you need to know. I use Sugardoh specifically on my armpits when I’m in a rush, since it’s so fast and easy to use.

Lasering

Laser hair removal can be quite a pretty penny, but thankfully there are at-home IPL (intense pulsed light) options that are safe and easy to use. As someone who was scared to try this type of hair removal, the experience of the Ulike Air3 made it easy and accessible. “For those who invest the time in laser hair removal, I find that the benefits far outweigh those of shaving and waxing,” says Dr. Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD. “Laser hair removal leads to permanent hair loss over time, negating the need for continued financial expenditures on shavers, waxing kits or salon-based waxing.”

For those of us who’ve grown tired of shaving all the time, this is the Hail Mary we needed. The Ulike Air3 is the perfect tool to begin the end of your hair removal journey. “There’s also less risk of irritation, allergy to razor blades, or inadvertent skin damage that is often seen with shaving and waxing,” Nazarian adds.

But what about the pain? “Laser hair removal, even home systems like Ulike, are increasingly comfortable with minimal pain. I strongly encourage my patients to consider laser hair removal over shaving or waxing whenever they can,” Nazarian says. “Shaving and waxing often leads to irritation, ingrown hairs, and occasionally even infection.” The Ulike Air3 has a cooling tip that offsets the heat and keeps the skin temperature from getting too hot for a comfortable at-home experience. I don’t feel a darn thing when using this device, and after just two weeks of using the Ulike Air3, I’ve noticed a visible slowing in hair regrowth. Soon, I’ll be hairy no more.

Aftercare

I’ve always had dry skin, especially after any hair removal session. The Glytone Resurfacing Body Oil is specifically formulated to gently exfoliate and eradicate rough bumps from the skin, so it’s your perfect post-shave partner. Utilizing glycolic acid, this dry oil is clinically shown to reduce roughness and provide hydration to the skin. My skin feels supremely protected after slathering this on.

Protecting your skin from sun damage is always essential—and that’s especially true following hair removal. To protect your skin from the sun this summer, be sure to use a face and body sunscreen that won’t irritate newly depilated skin. La Roche-Posay’s formulation is the most gentle sunscreen I’ve used.