Hello, loves!
Let me start off by saying that I was not always a fan of my legs. As a matter of fact, I hid them whenever I could. It was a combination of my (horrendous) ex-boyfriend telling me he didn’t like my legs and that I shouldn’t show them in public, but also me not being able to accept that they were far from perfect. It took me some time to know that I’m not the only one in the world with cellulite, stretch marks and spider veins. That being said, just as I put makeup on my face to even my skin tone and blur imperfections, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with putting a little extra effort in to making my legs look as gorgeous as they can. Today, I wanted to share how to get your legs sexy for summer and the products I use on my own stems (Clueless reference!) Most of them are very budget-friendly and available at your local Target or Amazon.
Pre-shower, I definitely recommend dry exfoliating with a body brush. Fair warning, your first few times using a body brush are a little intense. You use it before a shower, before stepping in, against your bare skin. Use a circular motion, starting at your ankles and working your way up to your thighs. It’s gross/cool that you’ll literally see flakes of skin just float up and away. The intenseness that I mentioned isn’t exactly “pain” but more of a discomfort, sloughing away all of that dead skin can feel a little rough until you get used to it.
Another option for exfoliation is an in-shower scrub. I LOVE the Tree Hut brand sugar scrubs and purchase them frequently off Amazon. They all smell incredible, from the Mango to the Coconut Lime, I haven’t tried a single scent that I didn’t like. They’re also super cheap as add-on items with Amazon Prime, around $7 for a nice-sized tub.
A good razor is imperative, although I think it’s slightly ludicrous to suggest swapping out after only 3-5 shaves, I would end up spending the same each month as I do in gas! I personally swap out about every 3-4 weeks and don’t ever have an issue with it getting too dull. Truthfully, the only time I ever get irritation is when starting to use a brand new razor!
For shaving lotions, I love the EOS shave cream. It’s about $3-4 at any drugstore, is super smooth and you don’t need a lot to get a nice, clean shave. I’ve used several other pricey lotions (around $15-20) and none have really compared to this really inexpensive version.
Large toiletry bag, BohoCheri.
Moving on to after-shower items, the very first thing I do when I know that I’ll be applying self-tanner is to rub some lotion on my knees and around my ankles/heels and allow a few minutes for it to soak in. There are a few tanners that I adore, of varying price points. The Bath & Body Works Bronzing Self-Tanning Lotion is my out-and-out favorite. It’s a bit pricey, at $15 a tube, but it leaves the most gorgeous slightly shimmery, believable and streak-free glow. The Summer Color “Light/Medium” lotion from Banana Boat is also pretty great, but doesn’t leave the same sheen once it’s dried.
For any nicks that may have occurred while shaving, or if I feel any area is a little raw, I apply Bikini Zone cream to prevent/help with any ingrowns and soothe the area. It has lidocaine in it, so it temporarily numbs any irritation.
On a day-to-day basis, I try to keep consistent with Nivea’s Skin Firming & Toning Lotion. My absolute favorite product like this is from Clarins, their Body Lift Cellulite Control Cream, but I don’t know anyone who can afford to blow $70 every few weeks to keep up with that regimen. The Nivea one is quite effective as well, and SO much less expensive. Working out is of course great for toning, but something for your skin is helpful as well.
For a little fun-in-the-sun sheen, I adore Kopari’s Coconut Body Glow. It looks a little scary orange in the bottle, but it leaves this gorgeous sheen on legs, blurring imperfections and making them look a bit more toned. Any shimmer product will work, but I have a little rule. I prefer to look for more neutral/gold-toned shimmer products for daytime and being in the sun, and more silvery-toned shimmer products for nighttime and going out. The gold particles warm up your skin, while silvery ones can look really obvious and not as flattering, especially on paler skin tones in the harsh direct sunlight.
Large toiletry bag, BohoCheri.
I’d love to hear what products you use and how you get your legs summer-ready!
😀