Nair is a hair removal

Hair removal

Hair removal is the removal of body hair, and describes the methods used to achieve that result.Hair typically grows all over the human body during and after puberty. Men tend to have more body hair than women. Both men and women tend to have hair on the head, eyebrows, eyelashes, armpits, pubic...

 product manufactured by Church and Dwight

Church and Dwight

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. is a minor U.S. manufacturer of household products that is based in Princeton, New Jersey. While it manufactures many items, it is by far best known for its Arm & Hammer line which includes baking soda and many other items made with it. The company was founded in 1896 to...

. It was purchased from Carter-Wallace

Carter-Wallace

Carter-Wallace was a personal care company headquartered in New York City. The company was formed by the merger of Carter Products and Wallace Laboratories. The company has a research facility in Cranbury, New Jersey.-History:...

 in 2001.

The brand name is a possible portmanteau of the words “No” and “Hair" to produce a word that rhymes with "Hair." The brand is most well known for its depilatories

Chemical depilatory

A chemical depilatory is a cosmetic preparation used to remove the hair from the skin on the human body. Currently, a common active ingredient is calcium thioglycolate, which breaks down the disulphide bonds in keratin and weakens the hair so that it is easily scraped off where it emerges from the...

 that work by breaking the bonds of hair so that the hair can be wiped away and removed. Nair's slogans include: "The Less That You Wear, the More You Need Nair!"; "Like Never Before"; and "We wear short shorts, Nair for short shorts".

Active ingredients

Products such as Nair often combine softening agents such as mineral oil to help offset the harsh active ingredients. Some of the important active ingredients are Calcium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide.

Calcium hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide, traditionally called slaked lime, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca2. It is a colourless crystal or white powder and is obtained when calcium oxide is mixed, or "slaked" with water. It has many names including hydrated lime, builders lime, slack lime, cal, or...

, traditionally called slaked lime, hydrated lime, slack lime, or pickling lime, is a chemical compound with the formula Ca(OH)₂. (Concentrated) Calcium Hydroxide qualifies as Health Level 3 on the "Diamond" of the NFPA 704, a standard maintained by the U.S.-based National Fire Protection Association.

Behind it is the even stronger Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye and caustic soda, which is a caustic metallic (alkali) base.

Both chemicals act to break down the structure of the hair deep into the root, delaying regrowth up to several weeks.

Products

Nair makes a variety of products.

• Lotions
• Shower Power
• Soothing Wax Kit
• Salon Divine Wax Kit
• Face Wax Strips
• Microwave Wax
• Bikini Cream
• Face Cream
• Upper Lip Cream
• Sensitive Formula
• Lasting Results Gel Cream
• Nair Pretty
• Nair For Men

"Pretty" controversy

Nair's newest product line, "Pretty", offers several fruit-scented hair removal products, all of which are marketed to girls between the age of 10-15. Controversy has spurred surrounding this line, as some vocal critics have said they are persuading children into adulthood too soon.