My legs occupy about 5’ of my 5’2 ¼” frame. The rest is hair. That’s why I’m a little preoccupied with both. (I’ll be posting my cheap, quick curly hair routine soon – it’s groundbreaking!)
Looking through my mom’s stash of photo albums recently, I came across a picture of myself before a dance recital. I think I was in 4th grade. There I was, in my black and white sparkly dance leotard, with long gangly legs that didn’t look like they could support me. Years later, I still have skinny legs that don’t look like they can support me. Sure, I could exercise and make them more shapely, but that would be unnatural. I mean, if the good Lord had wanted me to be curvy, I would have been born curvy. Right?
Plus, I hate exercise.
Except yoga. I kind of like yoga. And I’ve become really committed to it. I’ve already gone twice this summer.
I’ve also recommitted myself to my creams. Creams are awesome because they smell lovely and don’t require getting off the couch. Also, French women swear by them, which is all the scientific evidence I need. I believe there’s a lot you can do to make the legs you have the legs you want, without lunges. So, here, my tips for how to get great legs in 5 easy steps.
Smooth Things Over
Exfoliation is essential to great legs (and skin in general) and, fortunately, there are several ways to exfoliate. Physical scrubs include scrubbing lotions and creams, loofahs, sponges and body brushes. Chemical scrubs include lotions with alphahydroxy acid and betahydroxy (salicylic) acid and can be found in body washes as well as lotions. I tend to prefer scrubbing devices followed by exfoliating body lotions to scrubs, because they can get messy and much of it ends up down the drain, but I do love a yummy smelling scrub on occasion. Here, my top picks for keeping your legs smooth and soft.
Lose the Hair
My mom used honey to wax my legs in high school. Oh, and my arms. Egyptians take hair removal seriously. She would cook it on the stove until it boiled over, poured it out onto a plate, and then let it cool until it formed a sticky wax. This is the concept behind sugaring, because, as every kid knows, sugar is sticky. Fortunately, there are neater (and less painful) ways to accomplish the same thing, with home sugaring kits readily available. Or, you can stick with shaving – fast and cheap. Chatting with some mom friends recently, I learned that most of us pull out the shaving cream only on occasion, and often just shave without anything, at the end of a shower, or with our body wash, so I’ve included a product in this lineup that acknowledges the fact that many women don’t have time for another product and another step.
Out With the Ingrowns
Exfoliating before hair removal really helps prevent pesky ingrown hairs, but they’re still a fact of life, especially for those of us with curly hair. Classic treatments for ingrown hairs, like Tend Skin, are now available in user-friendly versions like roll-ons and moisturizing gels. Another tip? Pick looser, airier clothes. “Tight clothes compress your hair against your body, increasing your chances of getting an ingrown hair. Regularly exfoliation is important to buff away dead skin cells and avoid clogged pores,” says Noemi Grupenmager, founder of Uni K Wax Centers.
Tone and Tighten
Think a lotion can’t help tone your legs. Then you’ve never tried a good one. The best leg toners and cellulite treatments really do help skin look smoother and less jiggly, especially when combined with exfoliation. Can they replace exercise? Well, not exactly. But they can make the most of what you’ve got. And that might just be good enough.
Add Shine and Color
No matter what shape your legs are in, a little shine and a little color will instantly make them look better. Glowing legs highlight the definition in your legs and can make them look leaner, and the same can be said of a little color on fair skin. Combine both and you create the illusion of slimmer, more toned legs.
See how simple! Only 5 steps and 84 products and your legs can look their very best. By exfoliating, removing hair, fighting ingrowns, toning and adding shine, you can skip that dreaded 6th step — exercise. 🙂 Looking for more ways to replace gym time with pampering time. Check out my post on How to Look Flawless in a Bathing Suit in 7 Easy Steps.
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