Glitterati want to know: Do “hair growth inhibiting” products like Jergen’s Shave Minimizing Lotion really work?
The Right Beauty Brain’s Rigorously Researched Response:
Uh, not really.
The hairy truth
These products don’t reduce the rate at which hair grows and they don’t even do much to reduce the hair that’s already grown out! We agree with the assessment of the folks over at Hairfacts, whom we quote:
Does it remove or reduce hair? No.
Does it make hair appear less noticeable? Maybe.
Does daily use make shaving easier? Quite probably.
Does daily use allow you to shave less often? Maybe.
Is it better at softening hair than any other extra-strength moisturizer? Not been proven.
This lotion contains a lot of heavy emollients (softeners) and a mild amount of an alkaline solution used to dissolve hair.
That pretty much sums it up. Products like the Jergen’s lotion actually claim to help make hair softer, finer, and less noticeable. That does NOT mean they slow down how fast the hair grows back, which is what they imply. (By the way, we doubt that there is sufficient alkali in the lotion to make a difference because products like this are designed to be left on skin and true depilatories must be rinsed off because prolonged skin contact will cause irritation.)
Finally, as Hairfacts points out, “The only quantitative claim they need to back up is their claim that it lets you shave “half as often.” If you shave every day or so, you might be able to go every other day or so.”
The Beauty Brain’s bottom line:
Sorry, looks like you’ll have to keep shaving.
Similar Posts:
Loading ...
Sherry Says:
Doesn’t really matter to me that you say it doesn’t work…..I loved Jergens shave minimizing lotion and really miss it. I have changed to Aveena’s product….don’t like it as well, but it’s better than nothing.
thebeautybrains Says:
Sherry: We didn’t say it doesn’t work. We said that it may help somewhat. If you’ve tried the product and you like the way it works for you, that’s great. We just don’t want other women to be “tricked” into trying it because the company implies that the product can do more than it really does.
Left Brain Says:
Right, you are always so sensitive.
Sherry, the Jergens may have been a great product and it may have made your legs feel better. But you’re just fooling yourself if you think it actually makes your hair grow at a slower rate. It doesn’t.
Left Brain
Rhonda Says:
My comment is, You people are crazy. You obviosly never tryed the product. Like Sherry, I used Jergens shave minimizing lotion and it worked and I also miss it. I shaved less often. Even 1 day less often is better than nothing. Before you talk foul about a product, you should try it your self. Jergens said you would shave less often, and you do. That’s not being tricked in my book.
Left Brain Says:
Crazy, maybe but that doesn’t mean this product works. In fact, I have tried it. I’ve also personally conducted a blinded leg test to see if there was any difference between this product and a regular lotion. The result…no difference.
Jeanette Says:
Actually, it really worked for me!! I am of German descent - light skin & very hairy!! Obviously, it doesn’t prevent shaving, but my hair was so much softer and would pull out much easier. However, Jergens has seen fit to discontinue this product, so… now I’m searching for a replacement.
Tricia Says:
I too am a fan of the now discontinued product! I have very thick, course hair. No, it did not make my hair grow at a slower rate, but it did soften my hair quite a bit, especially close to the bikkini area where hair is more course and uncomfortable when it grows in.
Grace Says:
I miss it too!
I wax my legs myself and nothing gets rid of that sticky wax like Jergen’s Shave Minimizing Lotion does. Logically I knew it couldn’t do what it claimed, but it sure felt like it.
I too, wish they would bring it back
Jori Says:
I love the Jergens as well. I just found some at Big Lots, and am so glad that I did! Even if it’s all in my head, which I doubt, my legs feel better, and I feel prettier. (And isn’t that what it’s really about, girls?)
Andrea Says:
I too love Jergens Shave Minimizing Lotion. I think you shouldn’t be so rough on the product. It worked great for me, and I miss is so much. I know that it worked for me, like Rhonda said, Jergens said you would have to shave less often, and I did. I could definetely tell a difference and so could my husband! I wish they would bring it back and I miss it so much!
chemGirl Says:
OF course it won’t make your hair grow slower…duh. I have found that the slightly alkaline lotions DO have more effect on hair than the normal lotions. (and I’ve tried A LOT of things. My hair’s dark brown and my skin’s so light and translucent that if i shave, as opposed to waxing, you can still see the “stubble” under the skin)
And for those who liked Jergens product, I’d suggest trying “Carefree After Hair Removal” it’s got the same active ingredients and in similar concentrations. I’ve only had it for a few weeks since it’s new, but I love it.
Laurie Says:
I loved that lotion and was very sad that I can no longer find it. For the person who said they tried a two-leg comparison, I also did, and there was a noticeable difference. It evidently depends on one’s hair type. Maybe that person already has soft hair, but my dark stiff nubs were softened quite a bit by this lotion.
Abbi Says:
I have very fair skin and very dark, thick hair on my legs, thighs & arms. What I noticed about the Jergens was it made the hair feel softer and thinner. I’m not sure it actually thinned the hair but maybe softened the texture so it wasn’t so coarse and nubbly. I used to shave every other day and when I was using the Jergens I could go every 4th day. That to me is a real benefit. It takes a long time to shave 2 long legs from toes to bikini area, and 2 arms from wrists to underarms. Oh and I also used it on my chin and upper lip. I didn’t shave there I tweeze it. And it did help make those hairs feel thinner and pull out a lot easier. I wish I could find another product that works the same way.
naomi Says:
i’ve tried a lot of these products and my 2 favorites (which i cannot, unfortunately, find in the drugstore anymore) are “hers inhibicell” and “surgi-hair stop”
they work(ed) for me and that’s all that matters ’cause Lord knows I need it
happy depilation!
Samantha Says:
Hey, I loved it and I miss it dearly. It was so moisturizing, and the scent was light but pleasant. It may not have removed any hair, but it did appear to make the hair grow back thinner and softer. Thus it meant less shaving for me since I didn’t have to deal with dark, noticeable stubble.
Daniela Says:
Who cares what the mechanism is by which this product works? I don’t care if it really slows down the rate of growth or takes my stubble and transports it to Mars. The simple fact is that not only did I shave LESS often (and I think a 50% decrease is QUITE substantial) but I also had a VERY noticeable decrease in density. Without this lotion, my hair grows in thick and in abundance. With it, I notice big patches on my legs where hair doesn’t grow for a long time. That girl who did the blind leg test probably didn’t use the lotion for long enough because you have to use it EVERYday for at least a couple weeks.
Jennifer Says:
I am transgendered and had lots of laser hair removal on both very dark and white hairs. When the treatments finally reached diminishing returns, I began using the Jergans, twice / day in conjunction with HRT and laser. Trust me, where I started from, what I called course hair, was far worse than most other women deal with. Did it work for me? well I sort of paniced B4 I found there were alternatived to Jergen’s product. I for one am a strong believer that they help. I have less regrowth, and what does come back is getting like peach fuzz. Laser has poor effects on fine or white hair. This product works on some percentage of it reasonably well, and makes what remains softer and finer - the later is exactly the product claim. I just use it more frequently, so results are more apparent. (I will note that hair on different parts of ones body is different and therefore some may think it works while others feel differently, because they tried it on different body parts. I hope this helps someone to give the product a fair evaluation.
Bina Says:
I don’t know about the rate of hair growth being affected or not, but this product worked wonders for me. I have always used moisturizers after shaving, and this is the only one that made my hair less coarse. It seems silly for anyone to nitpick at their marketing slogans when the product is actually really good.
I used to be able to see dark spots all over my legs from the hairs underneath the skin, but that problem quickly went away after I started using Jergens naturally smooth. My stock pile of it has dwindled away though, and I’m looking for a replacement.
Caitlin Says:
I loved the Jergens version. The Aveeno is good too. I will have to try the Carefree.
Like said above, duh, it does not make your hair grow at a different rate, but it did help my shaving nightmare. I have very dry sensitive skin and use Cetaphil (dermatologist recommended) everyday, head to toe, right after the shower. Taking a razor to my skin was torture, and the hair grew back so fast. I just stopped wearing shorts and skirts. Then a friend of mine (male even!) recommended this stuff. When I use it regularly, I can shave every day with NO irritation and the hair that grows back feels smoother and is lighter in color. No other lotion has ever been able to produce similar results for me.
I love these products and wish Jergens would bring theirs back!
Mandy Says:
I agree. The Jergens shave minimizing lotion worked! If you miss it as much as I do, please go to http://www.jergens.com/event.asp?action=entry&EventCode=jergenscontact and tell Jergens how you feel. Maybe if they realize how much of a demand there is, they will bring it back.
Barbara Says:
I miss Jergens shave minimizing lotion. I too used it and loved it!! It worked. I went from shaving everyday to 2 to 3 times a week. It did not remove the hair but it did make the hair finer. 8 members of my family used it also and had same results. We look out for it everytime we are a store like big lots hoping to find it. I hope Jergens come to their senses and bring this product back.
Terri Says:
Just like these other gals, Jergens actually worked for me too. I swear that I had to shave less often when using it and it made my hair softer. I wish they’d bring it back!
Smooth legs Says:
I used Jergens when it was available and LOVED it, it kept my legs smooth all day long but it doesn’t work as well for everyone. Two of my friends ended up giving me their Jergens lotion because it didn’t work for them. When Jergens was discontinued i ordered 8 bottles from drugstore.com when i ran out of those i was desperate to find something else like it and i did, i found Aveeno Shave minimizing lotion. That brand didn’t work as well for me, my legs didn’t stay smooth the whole day. A few months ago i found Keri lotion came out with a shave minimizing lotion and it worked just a great as the jergens had and now they’ve discontinued that too!!!! =(
SuziQ Says:
I recently found an old sample packet from a couple years ago and thought, what the heck, I will try it on my face. Damn if it didn’t work. It did! Remarkably so. I have used a tiny amount (less than quarter teaspoon) on my chin and jaw area several times since then and yes, it really does work. I am the original skeptic, which is probably why I didn’t try it when it first came out. So even after several years of sitting around in my junk drawer, this product still actually does work. Also, I have very sensitive skin, and it did not cause any break outs or rash, which is a bonus. To my dismay, it is now a discontinued product and I cannot now get a bottle. I wonder if your negative review had anything to do with that? Your claims that it does not work, are simply wrong. Because it does. Sorry “Brains” but you are wrong. I will try one of the other alternatives out there, and hopefully they will work just as well. SuziQ