I’ve struggled to remove both facial and body hair for the last 20+ years. Having excess dark hair growth from being diagnosed with PCOS, I’ve used shaving, waxing, sugaring, chemical hair removal creams and laser hair removal to remove all of my unwanted hair – and it’s all exhausting!
So I was super excited when I was gifted the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device to test out for Blush & Pearls, because I really can’t say no to any device that promises smooth, hair-free skin at this point.
I’m not new to laser hair removal; I’ve had professional laser hair removal done on my stubborn facial hair in a cosmetic surgeon’s office when I was in my early twenties (it removed a lot of that hair permanently, but not all if it…I’ll explain more later in the post).
I also have two other at-home laser hair removal devices from another brand that I purchased 10 and five years ago, so I feel like I’m pretty well versed in the use and experience of laser hair removal at this point!
I’ll be sharing how to use the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL device, as well as my experience with it. I also have a discount code for anyone interested in purchasing one within this review!
*this device was gifted to me by CurrentBody for my honest review and opinions*
**this post includes affiliate links*
How Does IPL/Laser Hair Removal Work?
The SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL works by using powerful flashes of light to damage and kill hair follicles. The light is absorbed by pigment in the hair shaft and transformed into heat to reduce hair re-growth with continued treatment. Over time with regular use, more and more of those hair follicles die – leading to long term or permanent hair loss in areas where you want to be bare.
The SmoothSkin Pure Fit takes it one step further to prevent skin damage; it has a UV filter to block harmful rays and 10 intensity settings and two automated power adjustments determined by skin sensors in the device to meet your skin’s treatment needs.
The treated hair will usually fall out within a week or so. While these hairs can be shaved in the meantime, do not pluck or wax them while waiting – let them fall out on their own.
BUY THE SMOOTHSKIN PURE FIT IPL: CURRENTBODY (use discount code BLUSHSS for 15% off!)
How Permanent Is Laser Hair Removal?
First off, I wanted to talk briefly about laser hair removal and some myths out there. Laser hair removal is touted as a permanent solution to hair re-growth, but this isn’t the case for everyone.
In truth, the results of laser hair removal can vary from person to person and may change over time. Some people will have great results, with minimal to no hair growing back after treatment, while others may have stubborn hairs that just refuse to die, like some of mine.
I’ve had professional laser hair removal treatments on my PCOS-induced facial hair over 10 years ago with good results. While the majority of the thick, black hair disappeared, I still have some hair that grows in thinner and lighter, while a few stubborn black ones still grow in on my chin.
Hormonal conditions (like PCOS) or changes in hormones over time due to pregnancy, menopause or medications can also affect the results of laser hair removal (e.g previously removed hair may grow back).
Is it worth trying laser hair removal to stay hair free? In my opinion – yes! I’ve had great results on my arms and lower legs with laser hair removal where my hair no longer grows back and I’m hoping the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL will finish off the hairs that I haven’t treated yet, as well as the stubborn ones on my chin and underarms that refused to die with previous treatments with other devices.
And because IPL/laser hair removal kills the entire root, you don’t get any annoying stubble or see little dots of stubble in the skin. Once the hair is destroyed, it is totally gone, which leaves skin feeling super smooth.
Destroying the hair also means that you get less instances of keratosis pilaris (e.g. red bumpy “chicken skin”) since there is no hair follicle to clog anymore. Totally worth it people!
My PCOS Symptoms + Diagnosis
Do you suffer from irregular/missed periods, excess hair growth, acne or weight gain? You could have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS.
SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device Features
The SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Remover is an intense pulsed light (IPL) device with 10 energy settings ranging from 4 – 6 J / cm2 and up to 130 flashes a minute (that’s a lot!) of IPL hair removal treatments and you can see results in just four weeks.
This device has been clinically tried, with 86% of users seeing less hair in under a month and the brand boasts 99% hair reduction in 12 weeks! The SmoothSkin Pure Fit is safe for use on most skin types and has sensors in it that check your skin tone and create a personalised intensity level just for you (see the skin tone chart further below for qualifying skin tones for IPL treatment).
There are 10 small lights on the side of the device that light up white to indicate the power level applied. When all 10 lights light up white, that is the highest power setting, which is mainly used for lighter skin tones. Darker skin tones will have a lower power setting applied with less of these lights being lit. The sensors in the IPL device determine what power setting is required automatically.
Where Can It Be Used? SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL can work on large areas for hair removal like arms, legs and stomach, or can be used with the Precision Head attachment to work on smaller, tighter areas, such as the top lip, bikini line, toes or fingers.
Device Settings: It has three operating modes to give you the best hair removal experience for your sensitivity level. The setting applied when you turn on the device is the strongest setting as a default referred to as “Power Mode” (which is my personal favourite).
The button with the Leaf symbol on it is the gentlest treatment setting for more sensitive skin (Gentle Mode), while the button with the Clock symbol is the fastest treatment setting for larger treatment areas or when you need some IPL done fast (Speed Mode)!
Reach for the SmoothSkin Pure Fit to complete a 12-week initial treatment (one treatment per week) and then just one treatment every 4-8 weeks to maintain your results and catch any stray hairs that are super stubborn or got missed during treatments.
Shopping Tip: Planning on purchasing the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device or any other CurrentBody gadget?
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You can read more about how Rakuten works in my detailed post here.
Use my code BLUSHSS at checkout to earn an additional 15% off the purchase price!
BUY THE SMOOTHSKIN PURE FIT IPL: CURRENTBODY (use discount code BLUSHSS for 15% off!)
Who Can Use This IPL Hair Remover?
The SmoothSkin Pure Fit works on many skin types, but not all. The brand provides the skin tone and hair colour chart below to provide some guidance as to which skin tones would not benefit from using this IPL device.
The SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL cannot be used on:
-skin that has been tattooed or marked with semi-permanent makeup;
-skin that has had any exfoliating peel treatments (wait 30 days before using the device on peeled areas); or
-skin that is sensitive to sunlight (photosensitive).
It cannot be used to remove red, gray or blonde hair, as this device will be ineffective on these hair colours.
How To Prep For & Use The SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL
Prep: Prior to using the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL device, you need to shave the hairs in the treatment area or they will get a bit singed during treatment (do not wax or sugar, as the root of the hairs need to be in tact to be treated and properly destroyed). Your skin should also be clean and free from any skin care treatments, lotions or creams. Add on the Precision Head attachment if treating smaller areas.
Using The Device: Plug in the device; it will automatically turn on once plugged in. Then select the treatment mode setting; the setting in place when the device is turned on is the strongest (Power Mode), but will automatically adjust to your skin’s needs using the device’s sensors.
The button with the Leaf symbol is the gentlest setting (Gentle Mode) while the button with the Clock symbol will make the IPL flashes go faster for a quicker treatment session (Speed Mode).
Apply the device on the area you want to treat against the skin and press the large activation button; the device will flash and you should feel a hot “snap” on the skin in that spot. Continue to move and flash the device over the entire area you want to treat. Do not treat the same area twice (e.g. two or more flashes on the same spot), this won’t generate better/faster results and could hurt or damage the skin.
You can keep the activation button pressed throughout the treatment and glide the device over each area, especially when in “Speed Mode.”
If you experience a weird smell like that of roasting hair, don’t be alarmed! That is actually normal during laser hair removal and nothing to worry about – it comes from the hair being heated up and destroyed, so it’s actually a welcome smell to me.
Once finished, clean the device head and store safely.
Note: the device must be touching the skin and the treatment window must be fully covered for the device to flash. There are lights on the side of the device that will flash red when there is poor skin contact.
How often should this be used? The brand recommends treatment on the same areas every week for 12 weeks, after which the device can be used in those areas every 4-8 weeks for maintenance. Remember, hair has different growth cycles so you need to space out your treatments to treat the hair growing in each cycle.
Does IPL Hair Removal Hurt?
There can be a bit of discomfort during IPL/laser hair removal. There is a feeling of warmth on the skin when the device flashes and a feeling of a hot snap, like that of a warm rubber band being snapped on the skin.
The feeling from the flash also varies based on the strength setting used; for example, the Power Mode will have a stronger “snap” than if the device was set to the Speed or Gentle Mode. Stronger “snaps” are also felt when the area being treated has a lot of dense, thick hair in it than if you were treating thinner, lighter hairs.
For example, the hairs on my chin that I treat are black and very thick, and when there a few of them that fall all at once under the treatment window, there is definitely a more uncomfortable snap that I get, especially using Power Mode! Other areas where the hair is thinner and lighter don’t bother me at all on the Power Mode setting.
Other areas of the body, like the bikini line, may have thinner skin or be more sensitive to treatment than areas with thicker skin, like the legs. In addition, everyone is different and has different discomfort tolerance or sensitivities.
My advice is if you have never experienced laser hair removal is to start on the Gentle setting and work up from there as you are comfortable.
My Experience With The SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device
My first impression when I used this device to treat some stubborn hairs on my arms was – wow, this thing is fast! As I mentioned earlier, I have two at-home laser hair removers and this device was way faster than both of them.
Slower working laser devices make treating large areas like the legs a time consuming task and can be a turn off for me for continuing treatment there, but the Pure Fit IPL was so fast I treated both my thighs during my first treatment session in about 10 minutes, which is amazing. I also love that the power cord for this device is very long, so you don’t have to sit super close to an outlet to use it.
I treated my arms, underarms, thighs, chin, neck and bikini line with the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL. Most of the treated hair fell out on its own in about a week’s time and left me with smooth skin. On my thighs and underarms where I have a lot of thick, dark hair I can see a lot of new hairs growing in that weren’t yet treated in the first round, so I’ll be having another go at them this week. I’m looking forward to the next couple months when these areas should get less and less hair growth.
I’ve also treated my legs below the knee – this area was treated in prior years by laser and is 90% hair free, but there are a few stubborn hairs that I’m hoping the Pure Fit will kill off for good!
For the most part, I experienced zero discomfort during treatment, except for a couple spots on my chin where my hair is super dark and thick and the area along my bikini line, which is naturally more sensitive (I used the Power setting for these spots).
Overall I am super happy with this device, especially how fast it works to complete each treatment. If you’re looking for an easy to use at home IPL hair remover, I think you will totally be satisfied with the SmoothSkin Pure Fit IPL Hair Removal Device!
BUY THE SMOOTHSKIN PURE FIT IPL: CURRENTBODY (use discount code BLUSHSS for 15% off!)
Will you be trying IPL hair removal soon?
