Smooth Away?

So, if you've got a television set, you've surely seen it. One of the latest additions to Oxy Clean, Mighty Putty, and the Snuggie. SMOOTH AWAY. It looks like a giant nail buffer, and it claims that it will remove the hair from your legs without the hassle of shaving. Here, take a look:
The first time I saw the infomercial, it was one of thsoe things. I saw it, and I wanted it. I don't buy things from the TV, but I decided that if they got them in at Walgreens on their "As seen on TV" shelf, I'd try it. Mostly because it wasn't pricy and I just ALWAYS wonder if these things can actually do what they claim and work.



I bought my Smooth Away last week. It comes in a little foldup plastic pouch, the small and large smoothers and the 'crystalized' pads. They look sort of like a nail file, but are smooth to the touch. They're not even as rough as an emory board. In fact, touching it with your fingers, you kind of wonder how it could possibly work.


Now, I admit that when I started, my hair was... well, let's just say it was significantly longer than the 1/4" that's recommended in the instructions (shut up, it's winter). So I started buffing. Clockwise, then counter clockwise. The instructions say 3 times each way, but I found that with the length of my hair, I needed more than 6 rotations in some areas.


The end result? My legs were smooth, but not quite as smooth as with a shave. If I ran my hands down towards my ankles, they felt perfectly smooth, but if I ran them against the grain of the hair, I could feel stubbly-ness. I couldn't SEE anything, but I could feel it.


I did do some research beforehand, and I found mixed reviews. Some people liked it, some thought it was somewhat painful. When I was done, I did have one area where my skin was irritated. It basically felt like a rug burn, not horrible, but it was an area that I did towards the end, and maybe rubbed a little too long or a little too hard.


In the end, I was satisfied. Here's what I think:

• It would be a good product for summer, when you need to keep your legs smooth for skirt and shorts wearing.


• I think it would be great for people who need to remove hair from their face. It is gentle enough and would be easier than shaving in that area.


• I'm not sure about the bikini area. You have to keep the whole area dry, so that could possibly be a little difficult. I guess because the area is usually pretty sensitive I'd be a little wary of using it there. Who knows though... maybe I'll try it later and let you know.


• If you have sensitive skin, I would not try it. It's not worth the risk, and it could just end up really irritating your skin.


• It's not quick. In fact, it's possible it takes longer than shaving. But... you can't shave in front of the TV, can you?

I guess it's a trade off. It seems to work fine, but I don't know that I would say that it's BETTER than just trusting the handy old razor. It seem like just another equal option for the most part.