Let's talk about Smooth Away. Yes, the body hair sander. I've tried other methods of hair removal with varying degrees of success. (Epilady, anyone?) I've found that waxing is not for me - even when done by professionals. Shaving really does the job with no complaints and I haven't nicked myself since I started using Schick Intuition. So, why did I grab Smooth Away while I was registering at Bed Bath and Beyond? Do I really need to ask that question?
Smooth Away is NOT the be-all, end-all of hair removal. It DOES NOT work on underarms or facial hair, as indicated on the commercial. (Quite frankly, I wouldn't even test it on my bikini line.) I have read tons of reviews from people having terrible experiences with it, not to mention all the magazines who say it's too time-consuming for daily use and that it's too expensive for how many uses you get from each pad.
Personally, I love it. Here's what I've learned:
1. Read the instructions. The commercials show women gliding the remover pad up and down their arms. The instructions clearly state that you move the pad in 3 clockwise and 3 counter-clockwise motions over each area. An up-down stroke will result in irritation and possibly ingrowns. Yeouch. You don't have to make small circles, but your legs will thank you. Also, make sure your body is 100% dry before attempting to use this (another reason this product is terrible for underarms).
2. Don't be afraid of the dust. The exfoliation part of this product is no joke. You are literally sanding your skin. A layer of white dust will appear everywhere you use Smooth Away. Just moisturize after you use it and the dust disappears.
3. Each pad lasts longer than you think it does. I've owned Smooth Away since late January. I still have one new pad left. I don't have to use the product every day and each one works well for 6-8 uses.
4. Don't press too hard. Overzealous sanding will result in horrible stinging pain when you go to apply lotion. Yeouch X2.
I have pretty fine and blond body hair, so this may be more effective for me than for some. A good friend with coarse hair said Smooth Away didn't work a darn for her.
