Luscious Summer LEGS

When I was a kid, there was a commercial for a leg-product who "dared" women to wear short-shorts.  This offends me!  Why should we DARE to show our legs?  Like the décolletage, a woman's legs are alluring, sexy and beautiful!  Ok, so some of us have discoloration, bruising, spider veins, and the occasional in-grown hair perhaps?  If aesthetics is preventing you from flaunting your stems, then read on!

 Forget about the cellulite people....forget about the wanting of thinner thighs....forget about your skinny ankles.....just FORGET about it!  Embrace what you have, acknowledge the beauty and allure of your legs, and tweak those aesthetic imperfections with some grooming and cosmetic camouflage.

EXFOLIATE:  I love using a granular exfoliator on my legs.....It is my belief, especially if you shave, that the skin on the legs require perpetual exfoliation.  I'm not so picky about *spherical scrubs for leg skin (as opposed to the face).  A salt or sugar scrub, every other day, work great.  I always exfoliate prior to shaving....always.  Exfoliating will prevent in-grown hairs and will maintain soft, smooth skin.

 TAN:  The sun's UVA and UVB rays are damaging. The problem with many drugstore self-tanners, however, is that they tend to leave an orange hue rather than the bronze glow many of us crave. I love the self-tanning micro-mist by Sun Laboratories.  It actually smells nice and tans my skin to bronze perfection.  Best part?  No sun damage!

COSMETIC CAMO:  I'm crazy about this airbrush-color by Sally Hansen, it works great!  It comes in three tones and when dry, does NOT transfer onto your clothes....yay!  Just spray the product into the palms of your hands and distribute the color all over your legs.  This product can be layered, so if you have stubborn discoloration or a small spider vein, add more color to those areas to conceal.  When dried (after about a minute), your legs are bronzed and even-toned with a shimmery finish....VERY short-shorts worthy I think :)  

MOISTURIZE!! Always, always, always, ALWAYS moisturize your leg-skin, especially after bathing and/or shaving.  I cannot live without this Neutrogena Sesame Oil...it's delicious!  Sesame oil is light and is great for moisturizing the skin. This product leaves skin silky smooth, with a hint of sheen, and a lovely light scent.  The best part?  It costs under ten dollars and can be found at your local drugstore.

UNSIGHTLY VEINS:  Consult with your general doctor for information pertaining to vein therapy, you may be a good  candidate.   There are amazing technologies using lasers and micro-needles that may help you  manage those unsightly veins.  If spider or varicose veins is what's causing your insecurities to flaunt your stems, then do something about it!  Don't let a cosmetic issue dictate what you wear :)

UNWANTED HAIR:  There are various reasons for excessive hair growth; hormones, ethnicity and certain medications are the primary. If dark prickly stubble upstages your creamy white legs, then laser hair removal may be an option for you.  Laser hair removal can be life changing, especially for women with light skin and dark hair.  It works by killing-off the blood supply to the hair follicle, resulting in semi-permanent hair removal.  If you're a woman, chances are you know of at least one other person who has been treated for laser hair removal.  Ask a friend for their recommendation, inquire about the laser being used on your skin and do your research prior to your treatment.  Ask if that particular laser is appropriate for your skin type. Take lasers very seriously...if not performed properly, the laser treatment can burn the skin and/or cause hyper-pigmentation. Therefore, make sure your doctor or certified technician comes recommended to you.  As previously mentioned, laser hair removal is only semi-permanent (Electrolysis is the only permanent form of hair removal).  Therefore, for larger areas, such as the legs, I recommend laser hair removal treatments, followed-up by Electrolysis (upon post-laser, sporadic growth).

* see my blog on EXFOLIATE!

--Ciao for now  ;)