Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo Review

Olay recently launched their first depilatory, a hair removal system called Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo. It's a two-step hair removal system for fine to medium facial hair. What makes the Olay Smooth Finish Hair Removal system different from others is that this depilatory has the Olay touch. It doesn't irritate the skin like other hair removal products can and it contains ingredients, such as beeswax, canola extract and soy, which are great for the skin. The Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo retails for approximately $29.99 CDN. 

One of my biggest issues with facial hair removal at home is that it can be irritating to the skin and/or that it doesn't remove all the hair completely. Having your unwanted facial hair removed by a professional at a spa or salon through waxing, threading or sugaring is equally irritating and/or expensive and time-consuming. I'm very much a do-it-myself-type gal.

Here's what's inside the box. An instruction booklet, a tube of hair removal cream and a wand of skin guarding balm.

Skin Guarding Balm on the left and Hair Removal Cream on the right. 

The two-step process is simple, I swiped the skin guarding balm onto my skin and rubbed it out slightly over where I was going to use the hair removal cream. The rubbing also helps to remove the balm from the hair so it doesn't interfere with the cream. It is designed to keep the hair removal cream from irritating the skin.

The hair removal cream goes on next and you'll need to apply a good layer to the area of hair you wish to remove. The instruction booklet shows the product being used on the upper lip and if that's the only area you need to remove hair from, you'll be fine. If you require hair removal on a larger area or multiple areas, this tube will not last you very long. Leave it on for 6-8 minutes (the instructions warn to not leave it on longer than 10 minutes) and remove with a cloth, tissue or cotton ball (damp clothes may work better than dry). 

I found the hair removal quite effective. Any lingering hairs were likely due to being too thick or heavy for the cream to work on it but those can be tackled with tweezers. As for my skin, it felt different in a way I would call irritated but not at all like it feels after waxing or with other cream depilatories. It wasn't pink or red and didn't feel dry or itchy but it did feel like I'd had something irritating on it. Perhaps I didn't apply enough of the balm. There was also a peeling effect on parts of my face but I'm not sure if it's from skin irritation or leftover residue from the balm or the cream. I noticed this immediately after using the depilatory and after I washed my face with cleanser at the end of the night. 

The next morning though, my skin simply felt smooth and non-irritated. There were no little bumps or pimples and none occurred in the days that followed.

If you're wondering about the scent of the hair removal cream, it's much milder than other depilatory creams but still smells like one. 

Cost-wise, it's pricey for a depilatory and you don't get a lot of product for the price but it is effective and it doesn't cause irritation.

Overall I was impressed with the effects of the Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo. My skin felt smooth and soft and I didn't have to deal with redness, rash or pimples from irritation. I could use this before I went out and not have to worry about a rosy upper lip.

Have you tried the Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo? What do you think of it?

C.