How to Get Your Lovely Legs Summer-Ready with Skin Care

It’s heating up out there! You might already be prepping to feel your best in all your summer wear, and if you want to love the way you look in shorts and bathing suits, maybe you’re already doing squats and lunges all over the house. But whether or not you’re looking for toned legs this spring and summer, everyone wants healthy, glowing skin they can feel good in, and that’s where your skin care comes into play. Check out these top skin care tips for stunning legs this year.

Add Lotion to Your Shower Routine

Okay, I know this one sounds obvious, and body lotion is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about how to make your legs look better. But so many of us (yes, present company included) don’t do the full-body moisturizer as often as we should. Many who do are also missing out on some of the benefits by doing it before bed.

Instead, moisturize when you get out of the shower and just make it part of your shower routine. When you moisturize right after a shower, you lock in the hydration that your skin soaked up from the water. Start doing this regularly and trust me, you’ll notice a difference.

Skip the Dimples with Cellulite Treatments

Cellulite happens to nearly all of us (according to the Cleveland Clinic, quite literally 90% of women as well as a lot of men). There’s nothing wrong with it, but if you prefer a smoother look when you’re rocking shorts and swimsuits, it may be worth investing in an anti-cellulite cream.

Cellulite is a tricky issue, and it’s widely misunderstood. It’s caused by a particular type of fat under your skin and by rigid connecting tissue that pulls down on your skin. So essentially, the fat pockets are pushing up in between the connecting tissue bands that are pulling down, so you get an array of dimples in your skin. Sometimes it can be reduced by losing fat, but not always. The most effective way to treat it topically is to firm your skin so that your skin can withstand the pressure better, and that’s what cellulite-fighting products are all about.

Try Dry Brushing

Moisturizing might be the most universal thing you can do to improve your skin throughout your body, but dry brushing is a close second. Dry brushes have fairly stiff bristles, and you use them by gently massaging your skin in circular movements, starting at your feet and working your way up.

Dry brushing has several ways to make your legs spectacular. First, it’s a fantastic gentle exfoliation that you can do several times a week. This buffs away dead skin cells to make your skin smoother and it helps to tackle issues like keratosis pilaris.

Second, it improves healthy circulation throughout your skin which can help your skin get the nutrients it needs for a healthier glow. And finally, it may even stimulate lymphatic drainage which means reducing bloat and clearing out cellular waste (what your cells produce while they function from day to day). I especially love doing it right before a shower or especially right before shaving my legs, but you can do it any time.

Put Your Razors on a Subscription

If you love having perpetually hair-free legs, you might be shaving every few days during the warmer months. As much as we all love that feeling of soft, smooth legs, shaving can also come with issues like razor bumps, irritation, or ingrown hairs. A lot of this simply comes from using razors too long and letting them become too dull, and I’ll be the first to admit that that often happens to me simply because I’ve forgotten to buy new razors or blades so I’m stuck using the old one.

A simple way to help yourself with this is to put your favorite blades or razors on a subscription or an autoship – something to make sure you get new ones regularly, so you know when it’s time to toss out the old and bring in the new.

P.S., don’t forget to use a quality shaving cream, because skimping on the lather will also put you at a higher risk for irritation, not to mention nicks, and who has time for those?

Keep Your Skin Safe with Sunscreen and Self-Tanner

If you’re someone who prefers how your legs look when they have a tan, there’s no shame in that. But there are safe and not-so-safe ways to go about it. I’ll get you a hint: racing outside at the first sign of spring and baking your legs in the sun all afternoon is not the safe way.

Today’s sunless tanning products are phenomenal and can give you a beautifully natural look without putting your health at risk. In addition to risking skin cancer, did you know that too much sun exposure actually makes your skin age and become thinner faster, which can lead to wrinkles and age spots, and it can even make cellulite more visible? Sunscreen and a faux tan are the way to go.

Clean Up After Your Workouts

As the weather gets warmer, that means your workouts will be getting sweatier. As healthy as a great workout is, when sweat sits on your skin it can lead to body acne, including pimples and blemishes on your legs. You don’t have to compromise on your gym routine, but make sure you’re showering promptly after each workout so you can rinse off the sweat

and other debris before it causes breakouts. If you’re still struggling, there are plenty of anti-acne body washes that can help too.

If you want to lounge poolside and sport all your favorite shorts and skirts with confidence this summer, now is the time to give your legs a little extra skin care so they can look and feel their best. The tips above are all you need!