So many of us women have spent years shaving our legs, the quick and painless way to be hair-free. But are you doing it the best way? Shaving your legs should be an easy and pain-free thing but doing it incorrectly can causes rashes, ingrown hairs, cuts and terribly dry skin. No one wants that. To help you get your smoothest legs yet, follow our top tips for the best shave you'll ever get.
Exfoliate
Make sure that you use a scrub or exfoliating mitt the day before shaving. This buffs away all the dead skin cells, helps to prevent ingrown hairs and brightens the skin overall. It's great to do this the day before as it gives your skin time to recover before you whip out a razor.
Leave It 'Til Last
Did you know the best time to shave your legs is at the end of a shower or bath? The warm water softens the hairs and opens up your pores meaning it's much easier and smoother to shave your legs, so the longer you leave it, the softer the hair will be.
Refresh Your Razor
Blunt blades will causes rashes and a bad shave so use a new blade as often as possible. Also, old blades can carry bacteria on them so it's never a good idea to leave them lying around too long as they could cause infections if you nick your skin with them.
Don't Go Bare
You should never shave without using some form of lubrication on your legs as this can be painful and cause redness and nicks. Whilst many use shower gel or soap, this can dry out your skin, so use a shave gel for the sleekest shave. There are tips out there that advise to use hair conditioner, but only do this if really needed as shave gel gives the idea amount of lubrication for a pain-free, smooth shave.
Choose Carefully
Obviously you can just pop into the shops and grab the cheapest pack of razors in there, but getting the right razor for you can really affect your shaving experience. Going for one with more blades, a pivoting head and gel bars on it will give you softer, more comfortable and close shave than a very cheap one-blade razor. Razor choice is down to preference but bear this in mind when picking one.
Go Against The Grain
Usually shaving upwards towards your head is the best direction in which to shave your legs as this helps to prevent ingrown hairs.
Keep It Dry
After you've finished with your razor, carefully dry it and store it somewhere away from the wet shower/bath area. If your razor is left in the wet environment it can rust and corrode. Nobody wants to use a rusty razor so keep it dry ladies.
Remember To Moisturise
The final key step is to use a moisturiser afterwards to keep your legs supple and soft. Just be sure not to use one too perfumed or with a lot of alcohol in it as that can aggravate your freshly shaved skin.
Are there any other top tips you would recommend?