Stops ingrowns early

Three acids clear the follicle and smooth the skin around it, so the hair has a clear path to grow through instead of curling back under.

Safe right after a service

Camphor, glycerin, and vitamin E calm and hydrate as the acids work, so it goes on right after waxing, sugaring, or shaving and dries without a sticky residue.

Works after any hair removal

Waxing, sugaring, laser, tweezing, or shaving, on the bikini line, legs, underarms, beard, neck, chest, and back, for men and women.

Roll on, pump, or pad

The 100 ml roll on in our regular scent, the 50 ml Dreamsicle roll on, the glass pump bottle, or the pads. Same formula in every one, so pick the applicator you will actually use.

Soft pastel feathers in pink, green, blue, and yellow from the Just The Strip brand design Soft pastel feathers in pink, green, blue, and yellow from the Just The Strip brand design

What is in Smooth Operator

Three acids do the work. Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it gets down into the follicle where an ingrown hair actually starts. Glycolic and lactic acids work on the surface, lifting away the dead skin that traps a hair as it grows back. Around them, camphor gives the cooling feel you notice on application, glycerin and vitamin E keep the skin hydrated so the acids do not leave it dry, and the alcohol base is what lets it dry in seconds so you can get dressed. Because it contains acetylsalicylic acid, choose Truth Serum instead if you are pregnant or nursing or have an aspirin allergy. The full list is below.

Complement your routine:

Three Just The Strip Sugar Body Scrub jars in Plain Jane, Dreamsicle and Slow Your Roll Open jar of Just The Strip Sugar Body Scrub with its lid leaning beside it

Sugar Body Scrubs

Slowyourroll Skin Care Oil
Slowyourroll Skin Care Oil

Nourishing Oils

Simply Pure Body Wash bottle, pH balanced and unscented, for freshly waxed skin Simply Pure Body Wash bottle, pH balanced and unscented, for freshly waxed skin

Body Wash

Woman owned skincare products
Woman owned skincare products

Why Smooth Operator works on ingrown hairs

If you get ingrown hairs or razor bumps after waxing, sugaring, or shaving, Smooth Operator was made for you. A licensed esthetician with almost 25 years of waxing behind her created it because her clients kept coming back with the same bumps no matter what they bought at the drugstore, and nothing on the market was strong enough to clear a stubborn ingrown yet gentle enough to go on right after a service. Used daily between appointments, it keeps the follicle clear so hair grows through instead of curling back, which is why it is the product our customers reorder more than any other.

Customer Reviews

Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 122 reviews.

Customer photo review of Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Just got this amazing product and start using it and a ready seeing the results and my skin is a ready looking really smooth and beautiful you must have this a part of your skincare routine….. can’t wait to add this the my store for my clients with ingrown to add to there routine as well for a better smoother skin!

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Customer photo review of Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

This has been such a great addition to my retail shelf, With something a little extra for those who struggle with uneven skin tones and deeply rooted ingrown, I couldn’t recommend a better product!

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Customer photo review of Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Absolutely love the smooth operator for my clients! It’s magic in a little bottle! I’ve been using the products myself as well and have noticed my underarms getting lighter too! Which has been a huge insecurity of mine.

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Customer video review of Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Everything arrived in excellent condition and you can really tell that they took their time packing everything. Love the little feather sticker, the sample wipe, and smarties. Clients are super excited and so am I!🤗💓

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Customer photo review of Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

I’m actually praying that this is back In stock very soon. I sold out of my last order of 6 in 2 days. I can’t keep them on my shelf, or in my suit for that matter. Nothing kicks ingrown hairs quite like the secret formula of the smooth operator pads. Must have for after waxing

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

This serum is wonderful! It’s light, scent free and extremely effective. I use it in combination with the plain Jane nourishing oil and my skin stays free of ingrown hairs and looks healthy!

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (single)

Beautiful products that glides on with quality ingredients.

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (single)

Store owner replied: This makes me so happy. Smooth skin is the goal — so glad Smooth Operator is working for you!

This stuff is amazing! I gave my sample roller to one of my clients that has had ingrown issues for years and she has tried everything! She is so impressed and hasn’t had any new ingrowns since she started using it. So happy to have found this company and the adorable packaging matches my room vibe.

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

I purchased this for retail and it literally flew off the shelves. It’s great for clients that experience ingrowns after waxing. I actually use it on myself after waxing, the active acids do its job without causing irritation!

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Loved the free samples of these so I am sampling to all my clients before they buy. It’s awesome that you can see a difference after only 3 wipes consistently. Such a great, simple product. They should sell themselves!

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

I was a little hesitant on getting the dreamcicle scent because sometimes it’s a little sweet for my liking but this is just devine! Just enough scent to smell good without being overpowering. The roller ball glides on super easy without using too much extra product and doesn’t feel slimy like some serums do.

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

i just recently started carrying just the strip for retail and using the smooth operator pads in service as well, and these have been FLYING off the shelf!!! i love them so much, and my clients do too! they’re so saturated that you can cut the pad in half to make them last even longer! 10/10

Smooth Operator Ingrown Hair Serum (Roll on & Pad Formula)

Most ingrown hair serums use a single acid. Smooth Operator uses three. Salicylic acid reaches into the follicle to clear it, and glycolic and lactic acids smooth the surface so hair grows through cleanly. Camphor, glycerin, and vitamin E calm and hydrate at the same time, which is why it can go on the moment your service is finished. It is the first product Just The Strip made and still the one our customers reorder most.

Right away, on clean skin, before you get dressed. The follicle is open in the first minutes after hair removal and that is when it is most likely to trap a hair. Apply a thin layer, let it dry fully, then follow with a few drops of Nourishing Oil. Between appointments, use it once a day on the same area.

Yes. Ingrown hairs form the same way no matter how the hair was removed, when a hair curls back or grows sideways under the skin. Smooth Operator is used after waxing, sugaring, laser, tweezing, and shaving, on the bikini line, legs, underarms, beard, neck, chest, and back, for men and women.

Yes, on the beard, neck, jawline, and after a lip or brow wax, keeping it away from the eyes. If your skin is sensitive or reactive, or you want something with no added fragrance for the face, Truth Serum is our acid free serum and the gentler choice for facial waxing.

No. Smooth Operator contains salicylic acid, so please choose Truth Serum, our acid free ingrown hair serum, if you are pregnant or nursing or have an aspirin allergy. Truth Serum is step two of the same routine, and it is the ingrown hair serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing.

The 100 ml roll on in our regular scent is the everyday choice and the one most clients start with. The 50 ml Dreamsicle roll on is the same formula in our orange vanilla scent. The 100 ml glass pump bottle suits anyone who prefers to apply by hand, and the pads are made for travel and gym bags. The serum is identical in every format.

Simply Pure Body Wash in the shower before you apply it, Nourishing Oil after it dries to hydrate and seal, and a Sugar Body Scrub two or three times a week, starting 24 to 48 hours after your service, while Smooth Operator itself goes on right after your wax, sugar or shave and every day after that. Skip other chemical exfoliants and abrasive scrubs on the same area while you are using it.