How to Shave Your Legs

How to shave your legs….seriously? Yes!  It takes more than a razor, soap (NEVER use soap to shave your legs!) and some water to get smooth silky legs! If you use my homemade shaving cream along with the tips I’ve listed below, you will have beautiful soft legs without needing to shaving as often.

Exfoliating your Skin Twice a Week and Before Shaving Helps to Prevent Razor Burn – This helps to get rid of any oils that are sitting on the skins surface and dead skin cells that can clog up your razor. Removing both gives you a closer shave. Close shaving can result in ingrown hairs and untreated razor burn can turn into longterm scarring. You can prevent annoying red bumps by using my exfoliating shaving cream twice a week to shed the skin that’s trapping your leg hairs.

Avoid Single Blade Disposable Razors Whenever Possible – Single blade razors have a tendency to drag on your skin causing razor burn, cuts and or rashes. You will get a closer, smoother shave using a multiple blade razor.

Best Time of Day to Shave – Legs will be smoother if you shave at night. As you sleep your legs swell slightly, which can make hair retreat back into its follicles.

Razors for Women with Sensitive Skin – Razors with moisturizing strips containing acai and jojoba give sensitive skin the extra protection it needs to help avoid allergic reactions and rash burn.

How to Avoid Razor Burn

• No matter how much of a hurry you may be in NEVER shave your legs while dry! NEVER use a bar of soap to shave, it will not provide enough lubrication for a razor to slide easily against your skin which increases the chance of getting cut. Using soap will aslo clog your razor and dry out your skin. Always use a good shaving cream or hair conditioner if you are in a pinch.
• On your first pass only shave in the direction your hair grows (down the leg), if you have extremely sensitive skin don’t shave upward at all. Going “against the grain” may get a closer shave, it also increases the chance of redness, rash and bumps. Once the hair on your legs are already very short, the skin is warm and lubricated, shaving against the direction of hair growth is much safer.
• If you want a closer shave reapply cream and shave again, however avoid shaving the same area more than two or three times.
• Clean your razor after every sweep, dirty or dull razors cause cuts and keep you from getting a close shave.
• Avoid cheap razors, you get what you pay for!
• Never shave skin that has rash, bumps, cuts or abrasions. Shaving over bumps misses the hair on your legs and will shave some of the skin off the tip of the bumps. This can cause scabbing, scarring and possible infection.

Treating Razor Burn – Place a warm compress on the affected area, the heat relaxes the hair. After showering, apply alcohol-free lotion/oil to soften the hair, this leaves your skin less prone to infections,

Your Legs Need TLC Post-Shave – Be gentle with your legs after shaving, avoid using a washcloth or loofa, the tugging at newly shaven skin can cause major irritation and can lead to redness, bumps and or rash. Always apply oil or alcohol free lotion after shaving.

When to Toss Your Razor/Razor Blade? – It depends on how often you shave. Each razor cartridge or disposable should be good for at least five uses. Sure signs your razor needs replacing is when the blade appears to be dull and you no longer get a close shave. Remember dull razor blades are more likely to cause bumps and redness and trap harmful bacteria, which can potentially cause infections.

Shaving Before Swimming at The Beach or in a Pool – Shave your legs at least 12 hours before going in the water. Several unpleasant things will happen if you don’t. The first thing that happens is your legs will sting/burn and turn red! This discomfort can last for to 24 hours for those with sensitive skin.  Newly shaved skin is sensitive, by shaving the night before or 12 hours before will avoid skin irritation and dryness caused by sun, salt or chlorine. If you are desperate and have to shave a short time before going swimming or to the beach, be sure to apply a good alcohol-free lotion, oil or shea butter after shaving. This not only makes your legs look smoother, it will soothe the skin and help seal out some of the salt water or chlorine. Some people use Vaseline for this, but it is very greasy and will cause sand to stick to your skin.

There you have it, everything you need to know to get the closest shave with healthy silky smooth legs!

A big thank you to Good Housekeeping for many of the great shaving tips and to Kristina from A Mother’s Niche for her coconut shaving cream recipe.

Exfoliating Shaving Cream

Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup shea butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 to 10 drops of your choice of Essential Oil

Instructions

 

• Mix coconut oil and shea butter until incorporated well.
• Add sugar until incorporated well.
• Seal in an airtight container
• Optional additions 1/4 cup of:
• Almond oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Olive oil
• Jojoba oil
• Or a few drops of vitamin E oil

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.