Soft, velvety legs are a must when wearing shorts or mini skirts, not to mention a bathing suit. However, if your legs look unattractive, chapped or patchy, don't worry: with the right care you can have fabulous skin in no time. Just spend a little time taking care of your legs during a shower or bath to have soft and velvety skin again.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Skin
Step 1. Immerse your legs in the water
Whether you're bathing or showering, let your skin and hair soften before shaving for a closer shave. Some people recommend soaking your legs in the tub for 15-20 minutes, while others claim that just three minutes in the shower is enough.
Try to go through your usual cleansing routine first - body cleansing, shampoo, and conditioner - and shave at the end. This will give your skin more time to soften, whether you are in the bath or shower
Step 2. Use lukewarm water
Hot water, even if it is more pleasant, dries the skin, so you should avoid using it. During a shower or bath, adjust the water to a pleasant but moderate temperature.
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Avoid ice water that is too aggressive on the skin.
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Step 3. Exfoliate the skin
This step is essential to prevent dead skin from blocking the razor. It can often be tempting to skip the exfoliation, however, try to make this effort before shaving.
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Use a salt or sugar-based scrub bought in stores or online - a wide range of products with different scents and prices are available on the market, for example, the body scrub from Nivea.
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You can also make a natural body scrub at home. Mix 250g of sugar, 375ml of oil (olive, coconut, or baby oil) and 45g of lemon or lime juice.
Get Soft Skin on Your Legs Step 3Bullet2 - Exfoliation is useful for eliminating ingrown hairs which, in addition to being unsightly, can ruin your efforts to achieve perfect skin on the legs.
Part 2 of 3: Remove the hair from the legs
Step 1. Gently shave your legs
With a sharp razor, shave your legs by making several gentle upward movements instead of making firm movements. This way you are less likely to cut yourself and you will be able to shave off all hair, even the shortest ones.
- For shaving, avoid using regular soap or body cleansers as they will dry out the skin. Instead, it is advisable to use a specific shaving product, such as shaving cream or gel, to achieve smooth and radiant skin.
- Pay close attention to how the hair grows. It is advisable to shave against the grain and in some areas, to best remove the hair, it may be necessary to shave upwards or downwards, depending on the direction of growth of the follicles.
Step 2. Choose the right blades
Cheap razor blades will not allow you to shave the hair from the base. If the hair is thin, a razor with 3 or 4 blades should be fine; while if the hairs are thicker, use a razor with 5 blades. It's best to use a razor with a lube strip included if you have sensitive skin.
Change your razor frequently, whenever you notice that the blades are corroded or dull, or if you notice that your shaving is less efficient. Replacing your razor often also helps prevent cuts or unsanitary conditions. As a general rule, it is advisable to change the razor after three uses
Step 3. Wax
Waxing removes the root of the hair from the shaft, leaving the skin soft and smooth for much longer than razor. You can wax at home by buying a kit at the supermarket, or you can go to the beautician to have a professional wax.
Waxing is mildly painful (even if the pain is short-lived), so it may not be the best choice for people with sensitive skin or limited pain tolerance
Step 4. Use hair removal products
Creams, lotions and depilatory sprays are chemicals that dissolve the hair from the surface of the skin. You can use these painless products in the bath or shower. They are formulated to stay on the skin until you remove them with a sponge.
- Depilatory creams have a very strong smell; however, the newer products have a less annoying smell, some are even scented with tropical fruits!
- Depilatory creams must be used more frequently than waxing because they do not tear the hair from the root.
Step 5. Get laser treatments
A permanent solution to remove hair from the legs are laser treatments (usually 3 or 5 sessions are sufficient). The laser removes the hair by directing a very concentrated beam of light into the follicles.
The laser is quite expensive (approximately € 250 per session) and since it will take several sessions it is important to consider the total course before deciding to do the treatment
Part 3 of 3: Moisturize the skin
Step 1. Put on a moisturizing lotion immediately after shaving
Apply a generous layer of moisturizing lotion immediately after a shower or bath. Try to use the cream when the skin is still damp (but not completely wet) since the water helps to retain the moisturizing effect of the lotion in the skin.
- Moisturizes the skin after shaving and never before. The moisturizing lotion, when applied before shaving, clogs the pores and prevents the razor from reaching all the hairs.
- Avoid lotions that contain alpha-hydroxy acids or alcohol, which can irritate freshly shaved skin.
- If you have particularly dry or eczema-prone skin, try using a richer moisturizer instead of lotion. For example: the Moisturizing Cream from Cetaphil or Roche Posay, which you can buy in pharmacies, in some supermarkets or online.
Step 2. Apply the lotion frequently
Although applying the moisturizing lotion after shaving is essential, it is advisable to moisturize the skin daily, especially if you spend several days between one shave and the next. Get used to applying the lotion every day at the same time (for example in the evening before going to sleep, or in the morning before getting dressed) so that it becomes a habit so as not to risk forgetting you.
While you need to moisturize your skin frequently, don't overdo it - too much lotion can clog pores. Once or twice a day is enough
Step 3. Try olive oil
Before going to sleep, massage some olive oil on your legs, let it absorb and rinse in the shower. The skin will be very soft and velvety!
Advice
- In the cold months, it is advisable to wear warm clothing (such as opaque pants and tights) that help prevent the skin from cracking.
- Instead of drying yourself completely after a shower (removing moisture from the skin), gently pat your body with the towel.
- To keep skin looking smooth, it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.
- Fish oil supplements can help improve skin hydration.
