While walking through the shaving product aisle at Target, a dark blue can with a bright neon green cap caught my eye. The new Noxzema Hair Minimizing Shaving Gel boasted that it would help minimize air re-growth and leave legs feeling smoother longer. Comparing it with my usual shaving gel by Skintimates, I noticed that this new product was using a breakthrough ingredient called Capislow, which minimizes hair growth. In addition, compared to the traditional vanilla, raspberry and pear scents of Skintimates, Nozxema Hair Minimizing Shaving Gel had a cucumber melon scent which appealed to me. Uncertain about which product I should try, I let the 98 cent price tag on the Noxzema product win me over. As my sister who was shopping with me said, even if it doesn’t work, it is only 98 cents. Compared to the $2.00 price tag on the Skintimates and the $3 and up price on other shaving gels, I realized she was right. It was worth a try.
Still uncertain about what Capislow even was and if it was an advertising gimmick, I did some research online about this new ingredient. Capislow is an extract from Larrea Divaricata, which is a shrub that grows in desert regions. Apparently Capislow is an up and coming ingredient used in depilatory products, produced by Sederma. Capislow effectively works by reducing keratinocytes, which inhibits the anagen phase of hair growth. The anagen phase is a fancy way of saying that the hair begins to divide and grow. Basically, what Capislow does is slow down the metabolic processes of hair growth. In addition, it also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent which makes it ideal to use in a shaving gel, where nicks and cuts are likely during the shaving process. In a study done by Prescribedsolutions, Capislow was shown to reduce hair density, which is how thick the hair grows in by 26% and in some cases, up to 50%. Hair length was shown to decrease by 11% and up to 30%.
It seems likely then that Noxzema’s new Hair Minimizing line could perhaps have something going. I was both skeptical with the fact that it would minimize hair re-growth and as someone who shaves nearly every day, hopeful about my legs becoming hairless by use of this new product and that I would never need laser hair removal because this 98 cent can would do the trick for me! So, I tried it.
I pressed down on the very easy to use button once I removed the cap and a large amount of green squiggly gel came pouring forth into my palm. It had a refreshing lime-ish scent which is reminiscent of cucumber melon, but not quite. The gel was thick and not bothering to follow the instructions on the can which state, “put a small amount onto fingers and gently massage into skin to create a rich lather”, I simply slapped the green glob onto my leg and started to rub it in. It took a bit longer to create a “rich lather” as compared to other shaving gel products I have used and I noticed even when putting a small amount in my hand that you do need to work the gel a little longer than other gels. I attribute this to the Capislow ingredient in it and figured that this is a good thing and was very promising for my leg hair. I do recommend creating the lather in your palm before applying it to the specific area you wish to shave. The shaving process was smooth, pleasant and uneventful, with the exception of the green gel I needed to wash off the shower wall and tub. This stuff really sticks! Just splashing water on the tub where it has fallen is not enough-you do have to swish it off with your hand or foot. Still, I think this is probably a good thing. My legs were left very smooth to the touch with no bumps, itching or red areas. I was pleasantly pleased with the effects of the Vitamin E and aloe and the pleasant fragrance lingered in the bathroom. I also liked the fact that even though the shaving gel took a while to wash off my tub, it did not stick to my legs and create a slippery surface which could prove dangerous in the tub when you have a razor in your hand, as other gels I have used have done. So then it was time to wait and see what would (or wouldn’t) happen to my leg and under arm hair.
The next day I noticed the hair on my legs was softer-it was still there again, but it was noticeably softer and was not the rough icky stubble that usually bears upon my legs the day after I shave. This was a nice surprise. So I decided to wait an extra day before I would shave again to see what would happen. The next day the hair was still soft, slightly more than the day before but it was actually growing in soft and not rough and stubbly! Was it possible too that there was a little less hair too? Hmmm…it seemed it could be but I wasn’t sure and still somewhat skeptical. So I decided to keep trying the gel and give it a trial run for a couple of weeks. The next time I shaved, I used a little less gel (a little really does go a long way and a dime size drop really is all you need), lathered before applying to the areas to be shaved and again had a good shaving experience. My legs remained smooth the entire day and the next morning it appeared that there was even less hair than the last time and it was really soft.
Now, two weeks into using Noxzema Hair Minimizing Shaving Gel, I can honestly say that I think the product does work, but my dreams of not having laser hair removal on my legs are not as clear as before. I am going to continue to give this product a try for the next few months and see if there are noticeable hair changes by that time. I already see less hair growth, the hair is very soft when it does grow back, it is lighter so you don’t notice it as much as before and it also seems sparse, meaning it is not growing back as thick or prevalent as before. My underarm hair growth is also noticeably different. I don’t have to shave every single day because the hair growth is much less; is softer; my deodorant goes on smoother and because it is not growing in as thick or as much as before, there seems to be less of it.
I can’t say that Noxzema Hair Minimizing Shave Gel will remove your hair for you, because I am highly certain that it will not. I also can’t say that you can stop shaving for a week and wear tank tops, and Daisy Duke shorts, figuring no one will notice the miniscule hair under your arms or your smooth, hairless legs. But, I can say that using Noxzema air Minimizing Shave Gel does seem to reduce hair re-growth, its thickness, does make hair that does grow back softer and seemingly lighter because there is less of it (so therefore, it is less noticeable when you don’t shave as often) and your legs and other shaving areas will remain smoother much longer than other products. Plus, for 98 cents at Target, it is less expensive than any other shaving gel there and Noxzema has long been a reputable shaving and beauty product that is both affordable, of good quality and a cut above the rest in finding innovative products to please their customers.
