Nair (hair removal)

Nair is a hair-removal product manufactured by Church & Dwight.

Nair

Owner	Church & Dwight
Markets	United States

Nair is a portmanteau of "No hair." The brand is mainly known for its depilatories that work by breaking the disulfide bonds of the keratin molecules in hair.

Nair's slogans include: "The Less That You Wear the less you have to fix your hair,^[1] the More You Need Nair!"; "Like Never Before"; and "We wear short shorts, Nair for short shorts". The initial ad for the "short shorts" commercial won a Clio.^[2] It was based on the 1958 song "Short Shorts".

The original Nair lotion was introduced in 1940.^[2]

Nair was purchased from Carter-Wallace in 2001 via a partnership with Kelso.^[3][1] Also in 2001 Nair introduced its line of men's products.^[4]

As of 2007, Nair had 25 products ranging from hair removal waxes to bleaches.^[4][5]

Active ingredients

Calcium hydroxide is an active ingredient that chemically breaks down the hair for removal.^[6] Some formulations also contain potassium thioglycolate, which breaks down the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin.^[6] The products often include softening agents, such as mineral oil, to help offset the harsh active ingredients.^[6]