Anyone tried Boots 'Smooth Skin' home IPL hair reduction system yet?

RebekahR

imho wrote: »

Just so that fools still buy it .Trade description Act should be used on this product.

I always wondered why the people who brought it in the beginning was never coming back to say how they were getting on with it.:mad:
Marketing ploy .

Very good point!!

kiwigirluk

Hi,

just my two cents worth - I brought it three months ago as part of the £50 off offer. I used it three times, and it then stopped working.
It was replaced quite quickly by Boots, but as I've been away, Ive not had a chance to use it. I dug it out last night, and zapped the hairs on my arms. This morning I've woken up, and there are dark freckles that have literally come up overnight. I've not been outside, so its not sunlight exposure. Yes I had some light freckling on my skin beforehand (and I checked with Boots before buying that it would be ok), but these are dark to the point I have booked an urgent mole check on my arms..

Nitha

I think the problem with the SS system is it's different for every person. I used it pre pregnancy on my arms and the hair is now far finer but never got to the point of using it fully to the end (I didn't actually pay for it though so not taking the cost into account - lol). I'll probably use it again after I've had the baby. Couldn't use it on my legs though as it hurt!

gwhizz75

Kiwigirl, did you cover your freckles with some white eyeliner? If not, it sounds as though you could have burnt them with the smooth skin... Good idea to get it checked out though.

Personally, I have been following this thread since it started. I have a BSS and my feelings on it are very mixed. I have dark hair and pale skin so I am pretty much the perfect candidate. I've used the machine on my bikini line and underarms and also on a little line of hair I had below my navel.

I used it about 12 - 13 times then went on holiday and didn't use it for about 3 weeks. In this time, the hair started growing back. I've now started using it again and fortunately, the results seem to be quicker when you've done it before.

The hair grows back much slower and it has made a huge difference to my bikini line and under my navel. There is no hair under my navel now and my bikini line just has a few patches of hairs which grow back really slowly. My armpits haven't reacted quite so well, although I have went from having to shave everyday to shaving a couple of times a week. I also don't get that dark shadow under my arms which I used to get.

I agree with a previous poster that this device is only worth the money if you feel like you have no other options. I get horrible shaving rash on my bikini line if I shave too often and it makes holidays and swimming an absolute nightmare. Now, because I don't have many hairs left and because they are finer, I don't get the rash anywhere near as bad.

There have been moments where I have become quite angry at the BSS for so not living up to it's claims, and I have wanted to take it back for a refund at times. But at the end of the day, that would leave me where I was before and although it isn't PERFECT now, it's certainly better than it was.

I didn't buy the BSS thinking I would use it 12 times and be hair free, I knew I would have to use it regularly to "top it up". I guess what is most disappointing for me is that I am still having to use it every week when I hoped that after the intial 12 weeks, I could cut down to once every 2 - 3 weeks. I could NEVER do my legs with this as I really don't have the patience.

Oh, and I am in no way affiliated with boots or the company that makes the smooth skin. I don't think that all of the positive reviews of this machine out there are lies. I just think it works very differently for different people, and also, during the first 5-6 sessions, people see loads of changes and often leave reviews at that point, rather than waiting to see what happens long term. If you read the reviews on the boots website, the vast majority of negative ones are from long time users of the machine, and the positive ones tend to come from people who have only used it 4 or 5 times.

RebekahR

My view would be exactly the same as yours tbh! I would rate it a 5-6/10. Only use if no other choice. If real IPL in salons was cheaper I would try that. Long term just not viable for me. This was second best. And in places its done well. In others it was barely worth all the effort and at time pain. Armpits wish I hadn't bothered. Got down to about 75-80% reduction. For me I want full reduction other wise I still have to shave - in which case whats the point in the first place might aswell just shave as before.Yes hairs are thinner after a full years treatment but miss a week and i'm sitting on only about 10-20% reduction. Can't be bothered to do this area weekly as for me this is the most painful area too. have to shave regardless.

I brought this area primarily for my chin and neck as I was so embarrassed to the point I didn't even want to get close to my husband for fear of him seeing even worse touching it. This has been a life saver. Reduction 90-95%. All corse hairs under chin are gone and replaced with thinner hair. Chin still telegraph poles at times lol. But I did leave it a fortnight to see how it went and back it came a bit more. So I think I need to do this more regularly - weekly to keep it up. As this is my worst area I am more than happy to do this.

Nipples: Only about 3 hairs to go around each nipple. A massive reduction - so very happy with this also.

Tummy: 2 telegraph hairs to go lol. Again massive reduction and hasn't grown back in between 2-3 weekly treatments. Nice!

Bikini Line: Just started here really - Done around 5-6 treatments. Good reduction also around 60-70%. Reduces well but again a painful area to do!

Legs: completed 2 treatments a long time ago. Got sooo bored! Gave up. Did react well though with about a 5-10% reduction in that time.

Over all its worked well for me. But I wouldn't rush out and buy it. Mainly because of the top up's. Just a faff. And this is about the same faff as having to shave any way!

scottishchick27

Just a heads up to all you who have bought the machine and after using it for a while find it doesn't work for them. I bought one just after Christmas last year and used it once a week for about 6 months and didn't really notice much difference. I have quite thick hair on my legs which is probably why it didn't work for me. I contacted Boots customer care about it and they were really helpful. They told me to take it back instore for a full refund even though it's 9 months after I purchased it. I didn't have the till receipt but as I ordered through Boots.com but at my local store I had the delivery note. I got all my money back today in cash even though I paid part of it with gift cards I got for Christmas. I'm very happy with their customer service. Now I'm just trying to figure out what to get for myself seeing as it was Christmas money I paid for it with.

jenniewb

scottishchick27 wrote: »

Just a heads up to all you who have bought the machine and after using it for a while find it doesn't work for them. I bought one just after Christmas last year and used it once a week for about 6 months and didn't really notice much difference. I have quite thick hair on my legs which is probably why it didn't work for me. I contacted Boots customer care about it and they were really helpful. They told me to take it back instore for a full refund even though it's 9 months after I purchased it. I didn't have the till receipt but as I ordered through Boots.com but at my local store I had the delivery note. I got all my money back today in cash even though I paid part of it with gift cards I got for Christmas. I'm very happy with their customer service. Now I'm just trying to figure out what to get for myself seeing as it was Christmas money I paid for it with.

Boots do have excellent customer services, the item would have had at least a 12 month warrenty as it is an electrical item and you should have been able to get a full exchange or refund (depending on the stores own rules) if it fails to work within 12 months of the purchase date. Glad you were able to get a refund and werem't lumbered with another machine!

sfraser1234

I bought this device last friday, having attempted a patch test (which worked fine) i decided to do another quick patch test in another area, when i went to use the device (appliped gel, pressed against skin, trigger went red, but when i pulled the trigger there was no flash just the trigger flashing red after i had pulled it, can anyone shed any light on this problem, or am i just being stupid??

littlemissmoneypenny

Update - I've been using the BSS for a few months now. It hasn't had the dramatic results I had hoped for but it has slowed down the hair growth, I think. But now it seems that I have been left with black dots under the skin, a bit like tiny ingrown hairs. Anyone else had this and has it improved? Don't want to give up on it yet but it's good to know that Boots Customer Service is good if I decide to return it!

userdefinable

Mine stopped working after using it a few times, so maybe there is a faulty batch. However, it won't flash if all the contacts aren't touching your skin.

I'm quite unconvinced about the reviews on the boots website, how does the product get 4 stars out of 5 when every single review gives it 5 stars (do they allow star ratings from everyone, but only post the 5 star reviews?). Most reviews are very short, and many don't have a username attributed to them.