How To Exfoliate Legs The Right Way
Alright, ladies, it is time to discuss those gorgeous gams. Yes, we mean your legs.
Summertime is all about the leg. Yes, we want to look good in our bikinis on beach trips, but more often than not, we aren’t living our entire summer lives at the beach. Although we wish we were.
So how do we bring those beach vibes home? By showing off smooth tanned legs in short shorts and short skirts all summer, that’s how! We all want supple, smooth, showable legs that are free of redness, razor burn, and ingrown hairs. How in the world do we get there?
Why Exfoliating Your Legs Works
There seems to be a product or treatment for everything these days. Trust me, we get it.
There are only so many hours in a day. There is only so much money in the bank and only so much shelf space in that bathroom. So how can we get the legs we want without the next best thing in beauty trends?
Why, with the age-old practice of exfoliation! This stuff has been around for centuries. Even the Egyptians exfoliated in one way or another using clay, alabaster, and honey.
So with all this new technology in skincare, why is exfoliation still the number one way to get the legs you want?
Exfoliation has advanced leaps and bounds since ancient times. While the process of exfoliation is still simple in steps, it has advanced in accessibility and versatility for a variety of different skin types.
Back to legs. If there is anywhere on your body where exfoliation is most beneficial, it’s the legs. Our legs are prone to all kinds of little skin irritants that, if not treated or rather, mistreated, can lead to scarring and unsightly rough patches.
Every 28 to 30 days, our body produces brand new skin cells under the layers of the epidermis. Our skin tries its best to remove these dead skin cells on their own, but sometimes they can become clogged in our pores and follicles. These clogs can lead to blemishes and ingrown hairs.
Exfoliation is the act of applying friction with a scrub or exfoliation tool to remove these old dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, lifting the hair away from the follicles and anything blocking its way and creating a smooth surface for shaving.
So, let’s go over the best way to exfoliate your legs properly for the best, most comfortable shave of your life!
Step One: Steam up the shower and start with a cleanser.
A warm steamy room will help soften up your skin and prehydrate it, making it easier to cleanse deeply.
Go ahead and wash your legs with warm water and a hydrating soap before exfoliating. Especially if you have been using a lot of tanning products or SPF on your legs, try an oil cleanser to really get in there and get the product build-up and grime out of there.
Bar soap can possibly dry out the skin, and, if you improperly store bar soap, it can harbor bacteria. This could lead to irritation and dry legs if used before shaving.
Pro Tip: Steer clear of hot water while showering, but especially while cleansing and exfoliating. Hot water will draw the moisture out of your skin, making your treatment have to work harder to keep your skin hydrated and smooth.
Step Two: Exfoliate!
After cleansing your legs, the next step is to exfoliate. This will help prepare your skin for a smoother and closer shave.
We’ve found five steps to get the most out of your exfoliation routine:
- Start at your feet and work your way up. Go ahead and give your heels and toes a once over while you’re down there so you can have gorgeous feet to match your smooth legs.
- Next, please pay close attention to your ankles. Shoes and socks can rub the backs of our ankles and create small ingrown hair bumps. Gently exfoliate this area in a circular motion with medium pressure before moving on.
- Move onto the calves and exfoliate in a gentle upward circular motion, being sure to pay extra attention at the knee and back of the knee before moving up the thigh.
- Don’t forget to exfoliate the inner thigh where our legs can often meet and rub, causing bumps and chafing.
- Don’t over-exfoliate, or you will end up with opposite results from what you want to achieve. Exfoliation is a treatment that works best over time with gentle, circular strokes that are not too hard.
Pro Tip: Exfoliate before shaving. Legs can be really tender and sensitive after shaving. Exfoliating after shaving not only defeats the purpose of exfoliating, you want to remove all the dull cells and build up before shaving. It can also be too harsh a treatment on recently shaved legs.
Step Three: Rinse it all off.
Make sure to thoroughly remove all the body scrub or body wash from your skin and say bye-bye to all that build up.
Note that build up occurs from not only specific products but the tools you use. It’s best to rinse thoroughly for a few minutes before beginning to shave. If your shower pressure is low, use a removable shower head to really reach and wash away any residue. Or, grab a clean washcloth and wipe down your legs.
Step Four: Get ready to shave!
Whether you shave with a cream, a gel, a body wash, or our personal favorite, body oil, be sure you are using something hydrating and not just regular ol’ bar soap. The key to smooth legs and a smooth shave is retaining moisture. Find a shaving solution that adds moisture back in as shaving itself is a very drying process for the skin.
Pro Tip: Though your shaving tools and method are up to you, we always suggest starting with a sharp razor blade. A dull blade is way more damaging to your skin than any tiny knick you may get from a sharp blade.
Make sure you clean your razor well, removing soap and hair debris. Store your razor in an upright position to allow it to drain and always store in a dry place to reduce rust and degrading between now and your next shave.
It’s annoying, but it’s best not to keep your razor in the shower where it can repeatedly come into contact with moisture several times over before its next use.
And, be sure to use a razor blade that will contour around your shin bones and knees so you can get every nook and cranny when you are shaving your legs. You also might need four or more blades in your razor for it to work as efficiently as you need. Typically, more razors can assist in getting a closer shave so you stay silky smooth for longer.
Step Five: Moisturize like it is going to save your life!
Because honestly, it is going to save your skin! You’ve just performed two intense treatments on your legs. While they both are going to help your legs feel absolutely magical, we want all that magic to stay inside of our freshly buffed skin!
Moisturizing not only adds that extra layer of smoothness, but it helps lock in moisture to all those fresh new cells we uncovered.
Pro Tip: Moisturize right after shaving, let that soak in, and then moisturize again before you leave the house. All that smoothing and buffing and shaving made your legs thirsty, and a second round will ensure they stay hydrated, smooth, and silky all day long.
Exfoliating Your Legs The Right Way is Worth It
Putting in the extra time and steps for smooth legs pays off every time.
Now that we’ve shared the best way to exfoliate your legs properly, we want to know how you are getting your shave on.
Are you a shave everyday kind of gal? Do you have a specific regimen you follow? Nighttime shaver or daytime shaver?
And if you want to elevate and luxuriate your exfoliation routine, be sure to check out all that Spongellé has to offer. Our body wash infused buffers make cleansing and exfoliating while moisturizing your entire body a dream come true.
Our pedi buffers will make light of those calloused toes and cracked heels, ensuring you’ve got excellent summertime feet to go with those silky legs.
And you can always finish off the process with one of our amazingly hydrating body lotions, a personal favorite of mine for its refreshing. Yet, soothing scents of summer is the Beach Grass, which also comes as a pedi buffer and a body wash infused buffer.
Exfoliate your legs properly, and you’ll be dying to wear that short dress in no time!
Sources:
https://www.glamour.com/story/how-to-shave-correctly
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