Splitting hairs

A SMD team member’s before and after pictures post using Ghar Soaps’ powder. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Some women can't resist trying out the latest in facials, the new-now cosmetic brand or a visit to Zara every season. Our scientific interest lies in testing every new hair-removing method, especially if it says "herbal". You won't get it if you are not hirsute; and give ye thanks for that. So when one after the other, we saw advertisements on our social media feed for herbal waxing powders and depilatory leps, more-than-average-testosterone-for-a-woman rose to the challenge. In the interest of hairy ladies everywhere, we tested three products on different parts of the body so that you won't have to.

Ghar Soaps was the only one of the trio that boasted of organic ingredients. We tried their mogra wax powder (priced at Rs 999) on the leg, on growth
that was a couple of weeks old. Like most of the ones we tried, this one two had a noxious smell reminiscent of hair removal creams. A colleague (of course we do this at the workplace, you don't?) likened it to sewage and she wasn't exaggerating. It lingered after the product was wiped clean, so you might want to time application much before any sexy times. We made a thick paste with tap water and waited for it to dry, as instructed. When after 30 minutes, it did not, we wiped it off with a damp cloth. It had done its job, albeit leaving behind ingrowth, a problem this candidate has even with waxing. Then why not go for a more effective chemical formulation, that's quicker?
gharsoaps.shop

Deyga was the cool kid on the block, being vegan, plant-derived (but it has barium sulphide) and cruelty free. Priced at R590, it also listed "love" as an ingredient. Unfortunately for it, our middle-aged cynic tried it on. On the smelly scale, it came second with a sinus-tingling chemical aroma with undertones of dread. This one too warned us against using it on the face, and we had to keep it on for 20 minutes. Like all the others, Deyga made it clear that it would not be uprooting hair, merely dissolving the shaft on the skin's surface. We tested it on fine and stubborn hair, and it was rather effective; but left behind, say, 10 per cent of our hairy friends. Not compelling enough for us to switch over from good-old waxing.
We're not certain whether long-term use of any of the products would result in discolouration like it does with hair removing creams; and we are not tempted to try. Even to satisfy scientific curiosity.
deyga.in

The Wellness Shop's offering struck a small amount of terror in our hearts: We were supposed to make a paste with the powder, but were warned against mixing it using our finger, applying it on our face and leaving the product on for more than 10 minutes. Odd for a product that is supposed to go on to some of our most sensitive areas. So we looked closely at the fine print, and it clearly said: The Wellness Shop is a marketeer of this product and does not manufacture it on its own. Over the next few lines of legalese, the brand extricated itself from any liabilities should we be deformed. Thanks, but no thanks. Besides, it was as ineffective as the BMC at filling potholes. We tried their hair removal powder, priced at Rs 999, on the fine hair of our torso and it could not even prove 20 per cent efficacy. The only thing in its favour? It was the least smelly of them all.
thewellnessshop.in

Sunday mid-day paid for the products and reviewed them anonymously