Getting the Smoothest Shave
Get in the shower. Give yourself a couple of minutes to rinse off and relax before you break out the razor. You want your skin to have a bit of time to warm and soften up, otherwise you’ll risk irritating it.
Exfoliate your legs with a body scrub. You can easily make your own sugar scrub with a simple mix of olive oil, sugar, and lemon. Or you can get a bit fancier and make a honey-based scrub. Since honey has antiseptic properties, it will help heal any cuts or nicks that you get while shaving. Other common ingredients include oatmeal, baking soda, and salt, all things that are probably already in your kitchen cabinets. There are plenty of great recipes out there, and once you have a good base, you can tinker with it to suit your needs. Make sure you leave the scrub on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it off. You might want to just turn your shower off and soak in the steam while you let the scrub work its magic.
Start with a great shaving cream. Not all shaving creams are created equal—but they definitely beat using a bar of soap. Your shaving cream does two things. First, it lubricates your skin so you don’t get razor burn. And second, it moisturizes, making your legs feel soft as well smooth. If your shaving cream isn’t doing both of those things, try a different kind. If you like being more natural or adventurous, there are alternatives to shaving cream. You can also use conditioner, baby oil, sweet almond oil, and cocoa butter or a similar moisturizing lotion. Just make sure that whatever you use is sufficiently thick and moisturizing. For example, coconut oil is often touted as a skin oil, but it might be too light to prevent razor burn if you use it while shaving.
Use a sharp razor with a good number of blades. Razors can be super expensive (and ladies, no matter how cute that pink razor is, you can probably buy the same number of blades for less in the men’s section). But if you want to have fabulous-looking legs, you will probably have to fork over a little extra cash for something good. Whether you opt for disposable razors or refills, you want to use a razor with a minimum of three blades, and more is better. Also make sure to replace your razor as soon as it starts to get dull, because you increase your chances of cutting yourself.
Shave with the direction of your hair first. When you shave against your hair’s natural tendencies, you will get a closer shave. But to reduce irritation, it’s a good idea to start by shaving downward.
Reapply shaving cream and shave up to finish. This step is optional, but again, it will probably give you a smoother final result. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you might not want to reverse at all. If you don’t mind shelling out the money for a wax or are fearless enough to do it yourself, then you might find that it’s a good way to stay fabulously hairless longer. Regardless, it's still a great idea to exfoliate a day or two beforehand and moisturize well afterward.
Moisturizing for Super Softness
Find a moisturizer that meets your skin's needs. For example, if you have dry skin, you may want a heavier moisturizing lotion with cocoa butter or shea butter. Or if you tend to get razor burn, look for a lotion with ingredients like calendula, witch hazel, almond oil, aloe, and tea tree oil, which are all soothing and may be naturally disinfectant. Note that lotions containing alcohol or heavy fragrances may sting if you have nicks or cuts from shaving.
Smear a liberal amount of lotion on your legs. Take the time to rub it in thoroughly. You can use this time as an opportunity to give yourself a mini calf massage if you want.
Sit back and let your skin absorb the lotion. You've probably had the experience of moisturizing and then trying to throw on a pair of leggings or skinny jeans right afterward. It's tough, because the lotion leaves your skin feeling a bit tacky at first. If you wait a half an hour before trying to don your clothes, it won't be as difficult or uncomfortable.
Repeat this process after shaving and either daily or every other day. Make it a regular part of your bedtime routine. While you're sleeping, your skin will drink up the lotion and you'll wake up feeling like a goddess with your incredibly soft legs.
Creating Your Own Leg-Toning Fitness Regimen
Determine which part of your legs you’d like to focus on. The goal is to have sexy, toned legs, but you only have so much time. When you figure out where to focus your efforts, you can maximize your work out. Maybe you like the shape of your calves, but you have heavier thighs. Maybe you think your shorts could use a little more end game. Or maybe you just want an all-over workout. The point is to make it work for you.
Choose a selection of toning exercises that work out your target areas. Squats and lunges are the most common leg exercises. They’re great because they work out most or all of your major leg muscles and they can be easily customized to target specific areas. You can search for exercises that work a particular area, or you can just look for leg toning exercises and test them out to see where you feel your legs working the most. For example, to give your inner thighs an extra workout, you can squeeze a medicine ball between your legs while squatting. Or to work your calves, you can bring your heels together with toes facing slightly outward, rise up on the balls of your feet, and go into a half squat. Even if you hate squats and lunges, there are other options. For example, bridge position is a good workout for your thighs and butt. Lie on your back on the floor with your hands down by your sides. Bring your knees up and place your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your arms flat for support, use your abs and glutes to slowly peel your butt and lower back off the floor, raising them until your torso creates a straight diagonal line. Hold for a few moments, then slowly lower back down with control. Repeat two more times. You can also make this a little more intense. From the raised position, lift your right leg straight up in the air with your foot flexed. Pulse up and down 10-15 times in this position, then lower your foot and slowly lower down. Repeat on the other side. You can also do this from crab position if you want to get a little arm toning in too, but make sure you pulse from your knee and elbows instead of your waist.
Make an awesome workout playlist. Pick some of your favorite, upbeat tunes and throw them together for a little extra inspiration. If you regularly use the same mix of songs, you may even find that it cues your focus and primes you for your workout so that you’re ready to go.
Set aside time to work out at least five days a week. For your toning exercises, you may not need more than a half an hour. Do give your workout priority status: whether you commit to doing your workout at the same time every day or prefer more flexibility, make sure that you’re giving yourself the time you need to reach your goals. Consistency is important here.
Set and meet a walking goal for each day. You may want to get a pedometer, or you can use a pedometer app if you have a smartphone. Regardless of how you choose to keep track, set a goal to walk a certain number of steps every day. The extra activity will be great for your health, and it can improve your strength and fitness as well.
Go for a hike, a long bike ride, or a run. The toning exercises are strength training, but you should also get in some cardio. These activities will elevate your heart rate and improve your physical fitness. Of course, you’ll also be getting in some extra legwork to help you meet your goals.
Stretch. Regardless of the activity you’re engaged in, make sure that you stretch properly before and after your workout. The point isn’t to injure your legs—it’s to take them from good to fabulous.
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