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Sure, waxing can offer long-lasting smoothness but it’s painful to some people. If you’re one of those people who have a low-threshold in pain, then a good numbing cream can be your lifesaver. Numbing creams can desensitize your skin so waxing can be almost painless, even in sensitive areas like the bikini line.
There are so many numbing creams available on the market today. If you don’t know how to find the best numbing cream for waxing, here are a few of our recommendations and guide below.
Comparison Table
Numbing Cream | Image | Volume | Lidocaine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
>>No.1 Choice<< |  | 38 grams | 5% | |
 | 30 grams | 5% | ||
 | 57 grams | 5% | ||
 | 30 grams | 5% | ||
 | 10 grams | 4 % | ||
 | 56 grams | 4 % | ||
 | 56 grams | 4 % |
Top 7 BEST NUMBING CREAMS FOR WAXING 2020
Ebanel Numb 520 Lidocaine Cream is an efficient topical numbing cream that can be used for various purposes, like waxing, tattooing, piercing, and micro-needling. The numbing effect will take effect within 20-25 minutes and will last for about 1-2 hours. If you want to maintain the maximum effect of anesthesia, reapply as necessary.
Here are the best features of Numb 520:
PROS
CONS
The Best Numbing Gel For Long-Lasting Effect
Enjoy long-lasting numbing effect up to four hours with Numbskin. This deep numbing cream can also be used to make waxing less painful associated with tattooing, piercing, and laser hair removal. It contains 5% lidocaine, which is the strongest mix out there, and its shelf-life can extend up to three years.
Here are the features that make the proprietary formula of Numbskin unique:
PROS
CONS
The Best Cream For Soft Skin
If you have dry skin, Uber Numb is a great numbing cream to try as it includes Vitamin E to moisturize and hydrate the skin. It contains the maximum dose of lidocaine allowed by the FDA which is 5%. This topical anesthetic cream is great for tattoos, waxing less painful, and pain relief for anorectal disorders.
Here are the features that make Uber Numb one of the best anesthetic numbing creams out there:
PROS
CONS
The Best Cream For Versatility
Not just for bikini waxing and body waxing, Super Numb is also a good numbing cream for tattooing, laser hair removal, body piercing, and permanent cosmetics. It’s also great for injections and wart removal. One 30-gram tube can cover 6x6-inch area of your skin.
Here are the excellent features of Super Numb:
PROS
CONS
The Best For The Budget
If you have a limited budget and you only have to wax a small area in your body, then the Ultra Numb might suffice. This 10-gram container covers about 4x4-inch skin area. It’s also good in numbing the skin for minor procedures, such as laser hair removal, piercing, and tattooing.
Here are the features that make Ultra Numb a great formula:
PROS
CONS
The Best For Less Inflammation
Most numbing creams contain lidocaine and several fillers, but not Deeveeant. This numbing cream has a special formula that combines lidocaine with botanicals to regenerate your skin. It’s a great pain relief for waxing, microblading, tattooing, laser, epilating, electrolysis, and injections.
Here are the features that make Deeveeant a great numbing cream to consider:
PROS
CONS
The Best Numbing Cream For Brazilian Waxing
Avoid the scorching sensation of Brazilian wax with Medinumb. It contains 4% of lidocaine to stop the pain from kicking in plus three botanicals: aloe vera, tea tree oil, and jojoba oil. Aside from Brazilian waxing, Medinumb is also ideal for tattooing, laser, piercing, injections, and epilating.
Here are other features that make us love Medinumb:
PROS
CONS
The Buying Guide
What Is A Numbing Cream?
A numbing cream is a topical anesthetic containing lidocaine, benzocaine, or other local anesthetics. It’s mainly used to desensitize the skin surface temporarily. It’s generally an over-the-counter medication meaning that you can buy this at any drug store without a doctor’s prescription.
How Do Numbing Creams Work?
The numbing method relies on the active ingredients used, like lidocaine, benzocaine, pramoxine, dibucaine, and tetracaine. Since most of the numbing creams for waxing we reviewed above use Lidocaine, let’s focus on that active ingredient.
Lidocaine works by temporarily blocking the route of pain signals along the nerves. It stops the sodium from entering the nerve ending at the pain area. As a result, you feel no pain because your brain doesn’t receive any pain signals, to begin with. Expect to feel a bit of pressure at most.
The numbing effect may take place between 15 to 45 minutes and can last up to 5 hours. Besides waxing, you can use this topical numbing cream in a lot of purposes, like tattooing, piercing, cosmetic surgeries, and other minor surgeries.
Are Numbing Creams Safe And Effective?
Yes, numbing creams are safe as long as you follow the directions on the box properly. It’s important that you only use a numbing cream that’s FDA approved and contains the right amount of lidocaine. The highest concentration of lidocaine allowed by the FDA is 5%.
Doctors consider these creams very safe since the numbing effect disappears as soon as they get washed away. A few side effects may happen with improper use though. For example, using too much in a large area may increase the risk of nerve blockage.
In regards to effectiveness, the FDA has approved this type of product to reduce the pain caused by the waxing process. These numbing creams, especially the ones we reviewed above, have been tested to provide the benefits claimed on the label. While the formula may vary to each brand, most work to desensitize your skin and make it easy for waxing.
What To Look For When Buying The Numbing Cream
1. Ingredients
The good numbing cream should contain the maximum dose of lidocaine which is 5%. Out from all the local anesthetics available, lidocaine is the most effective in minimizing pain related to waxing. It also doesn’t change your skin’s surface features as it has a less than 7 pH level.
Look for Vitamin E if you want your skin to recuperate fast after waxing. Soothing ingredients, like aloe vera, also helps to reduce redness and inflammation after the waxing process.
2. Safety
While the main goal of numbing creams is to desensitize the treatment area, it’s also essential that it’s safe to use. Lidocaine shouldn’t surpass 5% and it should be FDA approved. If you have sensitive skin, look out for paraben, harmful chemicals, and fillers that may cause allergies.
Some numbing creams may cause side effects. To make sure that your skin is protected from adverse reactions, test the product before use. Apply a small amount of cream on your wrist to see whether a negative reaction occurs.
2. Efficacy Period
The numbing cream for waxing should last for a large amount of time. For small waxing areas, you want one that lasts at least an hour. For large areas, choose one that lasts at least three hours.
3. Non-Greasy Formula
The best numbing cream should be water-based. It doesn’t contain any oil or grease because they can stain your clothes and bed. The problem with oil is that it can block the pores and cause irritation.
A good numbing cream shouldn’t leave any sticky residue on the skin. It should be light to the skin and easy to wash away.
4. Price And Availability
A more expensive numbing cream doesn’t always mean that it’s more effective. The effectiveness of the product depends on the formula. In most cases, the numbing cream with the most potent active ingredient is the most effective in reducing the pain when waxing.
Selecting a numbing cream that offers a reasonable price can be a smart choice for waxing. Also, the availability of the product matters. Look for the most affordable product with the best quality and easy availability.
5. Money Back Guarantee
To ensure the quality of the product, look for numbing creams that offer a money-back guarantee. You can ask for a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the product.
How To Use Numbing Creams
Obviously, following the instructions on the box or container produce the best results. Regardless of the brand, make sure that you apply the numbing cream ahead of time. Don’t forget to wear gloves because anything that touches the numbing cream will dull its sensation.
Conclusion
Based on our reviews above, the number one is Ebanel Numb 520 Topical Anesthetic Cream. This cream has the maximum painkilling strength, thanks to its 5% lidocaine concentration formula. It works quickly in only 20 minutes and can last up to two hours.
Compared to other numbing creams in this list, Ebanel contains no paraben and other fillers. It’s also formulated with liposomal technology to penetrate deep into the skin. If you’re not happy with the product, you can always ask for a full refund within 90 days from purchase.