I probably should have shared this in the beginning of the summer but since we shave our legs all year round this is something I'm always dealing with and you may be too!
I
have extremely sensitive legs. It's something I've experienced ever
since I started shaving in middle school. If I try to use any kind of
shave gel, soap, or lotion during or after I shave, I get terrible a
razor burn that's probably on the verge of a mini allergic reaction.
Bumps and burning that sometimes make me think I'd rather just not have
shaved at all! As an esthetician, I tried going the waxing route which
for a while was amazing. No razor burn, my legs stayed smooth for longer
and the hair was coming back looking much finer because you're seeing
the tip of the hair versus the blunt middle of the hair shaft that a
razor cuts at. However, the hair started coming back so fine that I was
getting a huge amount of ingrown hairs on my shins due to the hair not
being strong enough to break through the surface. So I was back to
having bumps on my legs that no amount of exfoliation could prevent. So
after 6 months of trying it I picked my razor back up and shaved my
legs.
I'm happy to report though that I think I've got it down to a science now. The right products and what
exactly causes the problems. I figured I can't be the only person with
this annoying smooth leg issue, so I'm here, ready to report what I've
found gives me silky smooth legs!
The Exfoliation: Since I cannot use a shaving cream or lotion, I have figured out a way to moisturize and smooth my legs without using one. I take a good moisturizing exfoliator (the one I show above is a shea butter sugar scrub from Tree Hut) and give my legs a good rub. I find that this moisturizes them enough to give me a good shave after but doesn't irritate anything because most of the product gets washed off before I shave. The sugar helps get rid of dead skin cells which will help with over all smoothness.
The Razor: I have used all sorts of razors. Expensive ones with 500 blades, ones with the moisturizer all around the edges, and I find that the ones that are the best for my sensitive legs are the good old cheap BIC Silky Touch Disposable ones you see in the picture above. Normally they're in at least a 10 pack for $3 or $4 and they are good for a few shaves. Since they are so cheap, I don't mind only using each one a few times, which I think is also a secret to getting a close shave; I'm always using newer blades. No shave cream, just water.
The After-care: Now this is where I typically see the most irritation. My legs hate all lotions after I get out of the shower, so what I'll typically do is skip the lotion for a few hours. I find that the shea butter exoliator gives me enough hydration to last this time until my legs heal a little from the shaving. Then I'll add my favorite body butter later on which is usually either the Satsuma or Coconut Body Butter from The Body Shop.
So there you have it. This is my perfected shaving routine to give me smooth legs when dealing with high sensitivity! Let me know if you have any tricks and if you try this out!
Have a beautiful week,
Dre
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