Have you ever considered your armpits as yet another area of your body that needs improvement? Apparently, the marketing department at Dove has. Yes, that Dove – the ones who promote “Real Beauty.” Dove has a new deodorant that promises to shape up your pits in just five days. The Ultimate Go Sleeveless deodorant protects your pits from odor and wetness, but it also is supposed to moisturize underarm skin and make it smoother and less irritated. Unilever, the company that makes Dove, conducted a survey in which the majority of women said they viewed their armpits as “unattractive,” and 62 percent suffered from itching or discoloration. With deodorant usage at nearly 100 percent (thank goodness) in the United States, it makes sense that people might be interested in some fringe benefits of using it. But is pointing out a typically not-thought-about area of the body as “ugly” or “nasty” the way to sell a product?

Regardless, Dove has put some thought behind the campaign – not to mention star pit power. Jessica Szhor of Gossip Girl fame is the face, er, pit of the product. “I know a lot of women are very shy to show their underarms or wear something sleeveless and it can kind of limit women’s fashion choices,” she said. If you suffer from itchy or irritated skin under your arms, then there are several ways to fix it. When (or if) you shave, try a gentler razor and always use a new one to get the closest shave you can while minimizing the risk of cutting yourself. Look for a razor with moisturizing strips to help with irritation. If you don’t have a problem with excessive sweating, then look for a gentle deodorant, which will curb odor. Using more gentle products on your armpits will automatically help them look better without needing a product that’s specially formulated to do so.