Brett is bemused… So here’s my problem. I’m a guy and I cannot seem to ever get a close shave. I have tried all the recommendations I have found on the Internet (ie: use a brush, leave the shaving cream on for a long time, shave in the shower, etc) all to no avail. Even after I have just shaved it looks like I have a 5′oclock shadow. My facial hair is really coarse and my skin is quite pale. It bothers me especially above my upper lip when I’ve just shaved and the blade won’t get any of the super-short hairs that are still there. I was wondering a) what is better electric or blade, b) is it really that bad to shave against the grain if you are someone who doesn’t get ingrown hairs, and c) would it be safe/effective to use a nair-type product or a hair-bleaching product to get rid of the last remnants of hair after I shave and d) how often could these products be used (every day? once a week). (Questions C and D are the ones I’d like answered the most).

The Right’s Brain’s razor sharp response:
In answer to C and D: you can use a depilatory to get rid of facial hair, but it’s not without some risks.

Facial hair aware

The fine folks at Nair, for example, make a facial depilatory. They recommend that for coarse or hard to remove hair you saturate hair with lukewarm water for several minutes, pat dry and then apply product. But, they warn, don’t leave the product on for longer than 10 minutes. They also warn against other factors like not using the product at all if your skin is sunburned or iritated. Both likely conditions for a man’s face to experience, especially if you’re shaving. Finally, they tell you not to use the product more than once a week. That’s not great news if you’re trying to get rid of your five o’clock shadow daily, but hey, it still may help.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Facial depilatories may not be the answer to your problem, but it’s not gonna kill you if you try it. Basically, give it a shot but back off if you get irritation. Follow the products directions as closely as possible to reduce the danger to your skin. You might also want to consider bleaching to lighten the color of facial hair.

For more shaving stuff, we suggest you visit Shaveblog, a site that specializes in how to scrape hair off your face.

Vdot wants to know…The Epilar System claims to be a topical product that, when used in a series of 8-12 treatments spaced 5-6 weeks apart, can inhibit hair regrowth. Looking at the ingredients, I think the jury is still out on whether Trypsin (it’s an enzyme, right?) is a hair growth inhibitor. Thoughts on the ingredient combo here, and is it junk or worth a try for those of us who have to keep up with our girl ‘staches weekly?

The Right Brain responds:

We have an answer for you Vdot, sort of. While we haven’t had a chance to research Trypsin as a hair growth inhibitor we did just come across an article describing the discovery that licorice extract can effectively inhibit hair growth.

Hair growth inhibitor

According to the Dermatology Times, a study conducted at University Hospital, J. W. Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany has shown that an active compound extracted from licorice (glycyrrhizic acid) stopping hair growth in rats.  Do you girls realize what this means??? That’s right, the garbage dumps and sewers in large urban areas will soon be over run by bald rats! And then they’ll need some sort of Mouse Minoxidil to counteract their rodential smoothness.  And, oh yeah, it might also mean that Vdot can stop shaving her “girl ‘stache.”

All kidding aside, this discovery could be a breakthrough in controlling unwanted hair. The researchers found that after only three days of treatment the rats showed some reduction in hair growth and after a week or two their skin was almost as smooth as a baby’s butt. Better still, there was no sign of skin irritation or other side effects that hair removal/growth inhibiting products can cause. The scientists theorize that licorice extract works by causing the hair shaft to detach from the follicular wall. Only time will tell if this discovery is better than the Epilar system. In the meantime, watch out for those hairless rats!

How do YOU deal with unwanted hair? Leave a comment and share your tricks and tips with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

B. Cluz asks…Is there really a difference between men and women’s razors? The women’s razors always seem to be more expensive and I’ve heard it’s because they put in those moisturizing strips, women’s hair is different, etc, etc. But honestly, can’t we use a men’s razor to do the same thing?

The Left Brain’s razor sharp reply:
There is a popular notion belief that women’s razors get dull faster so they must be different. But when you compare apples to apples there doesn’t seem to be much real difference.

Razor reality

First, it is likely you’ll see differences if you’re comparing different brands at different price points. For example, if you’re comparing a basic Schick disposable for women to a Gillette Mach 3 for men with triple blades and a moisturizing strip, yeah, you will see differences.

Second, you may also see differences in razor performance because of the difference in how men and women shave. Men shave thicker beard hairs off their face that has a relatively small surface area. Women shave thinner hairs off both legs that have a much larger surface area. Scraping across all that leg skin can dull a blade much faster.

Masculine marketing

If you want to read more, here’s a USA Today article that discusses Gillette’s expansion of their Mach 3 vibrating razor technology into their Venus line for women. While there’s no proof that the blades are the same, there’s no mention of any fundamental differences in technology between the two either. But even if the razor’s aren’t very different technically, the razor companies should know how to market to men and women differently. Here’s a great post from Learned On Women about how NOT to market to women. This blog tells the truth about marketing to women the same way The Beauty Brains tells the truth about science. Check it out.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

The simple answer is, yes, you can use a man’s razor. There are obvious differences like color, style, feel of the grip, etc., but functionally they’ll both cut hair the same way.

Have YOU ever shaved with a man’s razor? Did you notice a difference? Leave a comment and share your shaving suppositions with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Eva asks…Is there a difference between men’s and women’s shaving creams? And what are the merits of shaving oils and lotions?

The Right Brain replies:
The main ingredients in shaving creams are the soaps that soften hair and lubricate skin. Most formulas create this soap my mixing a fatty acid (like stearic acid or palmitic acid) with an alkaline ingredient (like triethanolamine). This is true of products for men or women.

Shaving science

Let’s look at some ingredient lists for examples:

Typical Men’s shave cream #1 (Edge):
Deionized Water, Palmitic Acid, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Isopentane, Sunflower Oil Monoglycerides, Sorbitol, Aloe Barbadensis Gel (Aloe Vera Gel), Fragrance, PVP, Isobutane, PEG 90M, FD&C Blue 1

Typical Mens’ #2 (Gillette):
Water, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Isobutane, Laureth 23, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propane, Fragrance, Butane, BHT

Typical Women’s Shaving Cream (Skintimate):
Purified Water, Palmitic Acid, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Isopentane, Sunflower Oil Monoglycerides, Sorbitol, Lanolin Alcohols, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E, USP), PEG-90M, PVP, Fragrance, Isobutane, FD&C Red 40

See the similarity? There products differ by a few ingredients but the basic soap components are the same. The sensory characteristics are different but both types perform the same basic function.

What about lotions and oils?

Most lotions are similar to creams in composition but they’re usually not in aerosol form. Shave oils are quite a bit different. They usually consist of a mixture of vegetable oils without any water. Therefore, they don’t wet the beard as well as creams although they do lubricate the skin. Some people prefer creams, others prefer oils. Go figure.

Mid Brain reports:

It turns out, more is not always better, at least not when it comes to laser hair removal.

In an article published in the Archives of Dermatology, scientists report that a treatment with a single type of laser was more effective than one with two kinds of lasers.  Twenty individuals were treated in various spots with a Nd:YAG laser, an alexandrite laser, or a combination of those.  They found that the most effective, least painful treatment was the alexandrite laser.  It had an 84.3% reduction in hair versus a 73.6% reduction of the combined laser.  The combination treatment also caused more burning (an unfortunate side effect of this procedure).

Does laser hair removal work?

According to this research, laser hair removal does work. It is believed to work by destroying the hair follicles. The other finding was that this treatment lasts.   After an 18-month follow-up, the hair removal treatment was still effective.  So, if you can get past the pain of the procedure, it does work.  And it’s certainly longer lasting than both shaving or waxing.

Have you had a hair removal laser treatment?  Did it work for you?  Leave a comment and let the rest of the Beauty Brains community know.