Do you like to rock short dresses? Do you want shiny, smooth legs? Of course, I know you do. In this article, I will explain to you how to exfoliate your legs correctly.
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from your body to stimulate the growth of new skin cells. This helps in making the skin pop and glow. The easiest way to achieve radiant and glowing skin is through exfoliation.
Are you wondering why you should exfoliate your legs? Here’s why; Exfoliating your legs helps to give them a bright appearance and soft texture. Not just that, exfoliating your legs will also help to boost the circulation of blood to your legs.
How to Exfoliate the Legs
Having nicely toned legs will give you the confidence you need to flaunt them without worry. Here are the proper ways to exfoliate your legs.
There are two ways to exfoliate your legs: You can either exfoliate your legs physically or with chemicals.
Physical exfoliation is done by scrubbing, which requires the use of a brush or sponge. While chemical exfoliation uses gentle acids such as Retinol, hydroxyl acids and such, to remove dry skin from the body.
Either one of these two methods can be used in exfoliating the legs. However, you need to know which method works best for your skin type. This is important as it reduces the risk of skin irritation. It will also help you achieve your desired result.
For dry skin, do not use products that will irritate your skin. Go for products that contain gentle scrubbing properties. Also, look out for peels with low acid concentrations. Such as glycolic acid.
However, for oily skin, it is safe to use stronger chemicals and physical exfoliators. You can make use of products that have a high concentration of salicylic acid to exfoliate your legs.
If you have sensitive skin, the use of BHAs is the best exfoliants to consider. It is less likely to irritate your skin. If you have normal skin that gets irritated easily, then feel free to try any exfoliator of your choice.
SEE: How to Exfoliate the Body: The Safest and Best Methods
A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Exfoliate Your Legs
In this step-by-step guide on how to exfoliate your legs, all methods of exfoliants will be included. However, only use the ones that are appropriate for your skin type. If you have sensitive skin, skip any step that doesn’t work for you; to avoid irritation.
1. Get Your Supplies Ready
The first thing you need to do is to get all you need for your leg exfoliation ready. For your leg exfoliation, you will need the following:
- A dry brush
- Clean towels
- Preferred product for exfoliation
- Water
When all these are prepared and ready, proceed to the next step.
2. Dry Brushing
Leg exfoliation can be done by dry brushing. This is the process of using your dry brush to gently scrub off dead skin cells from the layer on the surface of your skin. All you need for this is your dry brush. You do not need water or any other product.
To dry brush your legs; simply rub the dry brush on your legs in a circular motion. Start from your ankles up to your arm, or from your groin down to the ankle. Avoid wounds and sensitive spots when dry brushing; to avoid bleeding.
When scrubbing, avoid rubbing the brush too harsh on your legs; to avoid bleeding.
After scrubbing, use lukewarm water to wash off the dead skin cells. Or do this before bath, so that after scrubbing off the dead skin cells, you can take a warm shower. This will wash off the skin cells. Dry your legs with a clean towel.
3. Body Cleansing
After dry brushing your legs, cleanse your skin by stepping into a shower. Dry brushing helps to remove dead skin cells and generate new ones. These new cells are prone to germs and bacteria. It is not enough to just pour water on the skin.
After dry brushing, use soap or body wash to wash off every dead skin cells. Bathing/showering after dry brushing helps to open pores and deeply clean the legs.
4. Time to Exfoliate
It’s time to use your exfoliating product. Apply the product on your leg, and rub in a circular motion. Apply little pressure; this will help increase the circulation of the exfoliant to your legs. The next thing to do is to rinse the product off your legs with water.
Once you are done with this, dry your legs with a clean towel. However, note that whenever you are exfoliating your legs, be gentle. If you are using a sponge or brush, do not apply too much pressure on your skin.
Avoid exfoliating areas on the leg with open cuts or wounds; this will reduce the chances of skin irritation and discomfort.
SEE: How to Exfoliate Your Face Without Hurting Your Skin [Pro Tips]
5. Moisturize Your Legs
Moisturize your legs once you are done exfoliating them. Exfoliation sheds the outer layer of your skin, and this causes water loss on the skin. Using a moisturizer after exfoliation helps your body (in this case your legs) to absorb water.
This will help smoothen the skin on your legs. Look for a product that works best in moisturizing your skin. Your skin type is a major determinant of the kind of moisturizer you should use. Ensure that you moisturize your skin after exfoliation, to avoid dryness.
6. Maintain Your Shiny Skin
The whole point of exfoliating your legs is to remove the flaky dry skin cells to obtain a glowing smooth leg. Now that you have achieved this, you have to keep maintaining the look. You can achieve this maintenance by exfoliating your legs once or twice every week.
The amount of times you can exfoliate your skin solely depends on your skin type. Also, keep the radiant look on your legs by moisturizing your skin often with body creams or moisturizers that don’t contain paraben and other chemicals.
SEE: This Is Why Face Toner Is the Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine
Safety Precautions to Take When Exfoliating Your Legs
Ensure that you follow these safety precautions when exfoliating your legs to avoid skin irritation
- Only apply little pressure when exfoliating your legs.
- Stop exfoliating as soon as you notice redness on your skin.
- Avoid exfoliating sensitive areas of your legs. If you must, be gentle when doing it.
- If you experience redness, stinging, inflammation or allergy reaction to a product, contact your doctor.
- Do not over exfoliate your legs.
DIY Leg Scrub Recipes
If you would like to prepare your own exfoliant; below are DIY leg exfoliator recipes you can make with ingredients you likely have in your home.
Sea Salt Scrub
Sea salt has a coarse feel. This coarseness is what will help exfoliate yourself
How to make it:
- Get 1/2 cup of sea salt, 1/2 cup of oil and a few drops of any essential oil.
- Mix all the ingredients
- Apply a little amount of this scrub to wet legs.
- Rub it in a circular motion.
- Rinse with warm water
- Apply moisturizer.
Honey + Sugar Scrub
Honey is a natural moisturizer. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties.
How to make it:
- Get 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Mix all ingredients
- Apply the mixture to your legs and rub in a circular motion.
- Rinse it thoroughly with warm water.
Brown Sugar Scrub
- Get 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of oil. You can use any one of the coconut, olive or almond oil.
- Mix all ingredients
- Apply mixture on your legs in circular motion.
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
SEE: How to Exfoliate Your Skin: Your Skin Type Is Your Safety Compass
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I exfoliate my legs?
It is best to exfoliate your legs two to three times a week.
For sensitive skins, only exfoliate your body at most once weekly. However, for oily skins, two to three times weekly exfoliation is alright.
Should I exfoliate my legs before or after shaving them?
Exfoliate your legs before shaving, it helps prepare your skin for a smooth shave.
It also helps reduce the development of ingrown hairs that comes after shaving. The legs become tender and delicate after shaving. Exfoliating the legs after shaving can irritate your legs.
Should I exfoliate before or after shower?
Exfoliate your legs after a shower.
Bathing or showering will help open up your pores and softening your skin. Run water on your skin for a few minutes before exfoliating your legs.
Conclusion
It’s quite easy to exfoliate the legs. You can use any of the methods of exfoliation, however, know the right method to use for your skin type; to avoid irritations. On knowing the benefits of exfoliating your legs, you might be tempted to exfoliate your body every day.
Say no to that temptation. Do not over-exfoliate; over-exfoliating can cause skin irritation, peeling, and inflammation. Stop exfoliating your body immediately you begin to feel pain, or when the skin starts to peel. Immediately you notice this, contact your doctor.
Now that you know how to get your legs to appear smooth and shiny, go slay that short dress with confidence.
Thanks for reading.
Africana Fashion provides you with beauty and wellness articles to improve your lifestyle.
