Owner | Church & Dwight |
---|---|
Markets | United States |
Nair is a hair-removal product manufactured by Church & Dwight.
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]
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]