With summer fast approaching I bet we’re all excited for sunny days, picnics on the beach, sundresses and shorts. We may love summer clothes and getting our legs out however that leaves us dreading one thing in particular – shaving our legs. Constantly. Let’s face it, no guy is going to find our winter bear legs attractive and most of the time we don’t either. If only shaving were easy…If you’re anything like me (or me before I did all this research!) you’ll cut yourself constantly, be left with random, irritating bits of stubble and a far from perfect finished result. Thankfully, those days are over for me though and they can be for you too with the aid of these ten handy tips and tricks…

1. ALWAYS Use Warm Water

One of the biggest mistakes women make when shaving their legs is using cold or merely tepid water. Using warm to hot water softens your skin and your hairs, making them supple and easier to shave. You’ll find your razor glides over your skin much easier and with better results if you use this tip.

2. Don’t Rush Into Shaving

Following on from using warm water, you need to give your legs time to soak it up. Instead of shaving your legs as soon as you get in the bath or the shower, wash your hair and soap your body first. By the time you come to shaving your legs your hairs will be soft and ready for your razor.

3. Soap It Up

Okay, so I didn’t actually mean that, it just made for a good title. When shaving your legs you should avoid using soap at all costs as this can dry out your skin. Instead use a specialised shaving gel and rub it into a thick foam across your skin before using the razor. Here’s a handy tip – if you’re out of shaving gel you can substitute for conditioner. It makes your legs super smooth and your razor will just glide across your legs while shaving. Plus it’s cheaper too!

4. A Clean Shave

They say you should never shave against the direction of your hair growth but, from personal experience, you’re pretty safe to do this when it comes to your legs. Place your razor on your ankle and gently let it glide up your leg towards your knee. This will result in a smooth, clean shave.

5. Rinse Between Strokes

Always rinse your razor blade between strokes to keep it clean and sharp. This removes any hairs and excess soap which may otherwise get in the way while you’re shaving and cause a rash. While we’re on the subject of razor blades, make sure the one you use is always sharp. I change my blade once a week just to be sure and it results in a much smoother shave. Also, keep the blade wet while shaving too.

6. Exfoliate

Exfoliating before you shave means you’re removing dead skin from your legs and raising hairs so you get a cleaner, closer shave. It’s a simple step but one that should not be missed. I also like to gently exfoliate my legs again after I’ve shaved, just to get a super smooth finish.

7. Position Yourself

For an easier shave either sit on the edge of your bath or on the shower seat and prop your leg up. If you aren’t able to do it try resting your leg on something to elevate it slightly. Wherever you position yourself just be sure you’re stable – you don’t want to slip and cut yourself!

8. When Shaving Your Thighs

Shaving your thighs is the most difficult part of shaving but sadly needs must. Position yourself just like you would when shaving your lower leg and run your razor from your knee to the top of your leg, making sure to go all the way around you leg. Exfoliating is usually twice as important on your thighs and is essential if you want to get a smooth shave.

9. Rinse

Once you’re done shaving don’t forget to rinse your legs with warm water. This gets rid of any excess shaving foam, dead skin and hairs, leaving your legs silky smooth and supply.

10. Moisturise

Phew! We’ve finally finished shaving our legs and have reached the final tip! To really make the most of your shave and ensure you get supple, silky skin afterwards apply a small amount of moisturiser to your legs. You can use normal moisturiser but I highly recommend you buy one that either slows down the rate of hair growth (Yes, those do exist! Miracles do happen!) or, my personal favourite, buy an in-shower moisturiser. In shower moisturisers are fab, you just wash them on and wash them off. My legs have never been as soft as when I started using them!

As women, I’m betting we’ve all been there – we’ve all enjoyed a nice relaxing bath or shower and attempted to make our legs silky smooth in preparation for a night out or simply to make ourselves feel fabulous and we get out to discover…oh…razor bumps. Suddenly we’re not only left with unsightly, blotchy bumps on our skin but often an itchy and painful rash too.

But why do we get razor bumps? you ask. Well, here it is… Razor bumps are caused plain and simply by hair follicles getting infected with bacteria. This then causes redness and inflammation of the infected area and you’re left with razor bumps for a short, irritable while.

Never fear – just because you’ve got razor bumps doesn’t mean you have to live with them until they go away on their own. Here’s some handy tips and tricks to get rid of your razor bumps, prevent irritation and avoid those pesky ingrown hairs…

Creams Can Help

There are various creams and oils you can apply to your skin to help fight the irritation and infection that cause razor bumps. Some of them are very effective and within hours your skin will be looking and feeling better.

• Witch Hazel – Witch Hazel is magic in a bottle if you ask me. It’s good for just about anything! It’s an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiseptic and astringent all in one bottle. It’s great for calming irritation and can ease inflamed skin. You can either use Witch Hazel Gel by rubbing it into your skin or Witch Hazel Hydrosol which you apply to a cotton pad and wipe over the infected areas.
• Antibacterial and Antibiotic Creams – A daily application of various over the counter antibacterial and antibiotic creams will help to fight and heal the infection causing your nasty razor bumps. As with all over the counter creams, consult a pharmacist before using them. This ensures you’re using the right cream and that no harm will come of it.
• Hydrocortisone Cream – One of the worst things I find about razor bumps is the irritation and itching they cause. If this sounds like you then hydrocortisone cream may be the perfect solution for you. It will sooth the irritated skin and help to alleviate the itching. You’ll be rid of your razor bumps in no time with a daily application.
• Tea Tree Oil – Tea Tree Oil is another thing that’s good for many things. In this case it’s antiseptic and antibacterial properties are great for treating razor bumps and the infections that come with them.
• Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera seems to be another miracle cure for an awful lot of skin irritations. Once again it’s got antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which help to heal your skin and sooth the irritation and itchiness. It just takes a tiny amount to begin working, just be sure you allow it to soak into your skin and you don’t rub it off. You’ll find your skin even softer for using it too.

Exfoliate!

Exfoliating is good for your skin for so many reasons I can’t count. It’s not only a great for helping to heal razor bumps but regular exfoliating will help to prevent them in the first place! I recommend exfoliating twice a week (doing it too much will only make your skin raw and irritable) using a body scrub, mitt, loofah or a rough sponge. This will open clogged pores which helps to prevent infection of existing razor bumps. It will also help to remove any dead skin which means you can get a closer, smoother shave which is great for preventing razor bumps from occurring in the first place.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure!

So you’ve managed to heal your razor bumps for now but you’re worried they’ll reappear the next time you shave? Don’t worry, just because you’ve had razor bumps many times before doesn’t mean they’re inevitable. Here’s some key things to consider to prevent those horrid razor bumps…

Firstly don’t shave every day no matter how tempting it may seem. You need to give your hair time to grow a little and your razor bumps time to heal before you risk irritating the skin again. I’m not suggesting you become a bear, just give your hair an extra day between shaving and you’ll find your razor bumps heal better and you’ll get fewer of them to begin with.

Secondly, check you have a sharp razor. This is absolutely vital to avoid irritation. A dull, rusted blade will irritate your skin, not to mention the fact that they carry lots of harmful bacteria. Using an old blade will cause lots of ingrown hairs and the bacteria they carry will only make your current razor bumps worse as well as causing new ones. Change your razor blade weekly for the best results.

Always make sure the water you’re using is nice and warm, whether you’re having a bath or a shower. This will soften the hairs and make them easier to shave. Then, rinse off with cool water as this closes the pours of your skin which will help to prevent irritation.

When you’re shaving, don’t shave against the grain. Follow the direction your hairs grow for a cleaner shave. You’ll find it irritates your skin much less and is great for preventing in grown hairs.

And finally, once you’ve finished shaving use a moisturiser on your skin. This will reduce the redness of the skin and heal any irritation. As an added bonus your skin will be silky smooth and you’ll end up smelling lovely!

Hopefully these simple tips and tricks will help you on your quest towards beautiful, silk smooth legs. They’ve certainly helped me! If you’ve got any more helpful hints then I’d love to hear from you. Have you got some magic cure that I’ve missed or a wonderful in-shower tip to prevent razor bumps in the first place? If you do, feel free to share! Happy shaving!

(images sourced via pinterest.com)