Maybe you look at glossy, red carpet images of Jane Fonda, Jennifer Lopez et al, see their long, smooth, perfectly bronzed legs, then look at your own crocodile skin and think, ‘Meh, who cares?’ But J-Lo and co weren’t born that way; they simply know a few tricks of the trade. Here are the key techniques to getting that glow on your own legs – fast.
Smooth: First, get rid of lizard skin with a simple scrub. Salt scrubs are slightly more abrasive than sugar versions, and you can easily make your own by stirring a big handful of brown sugar crystals or rock salt into half a cup of any cooking oil – sunflower oil will do. Massage it in carefully – you don’t want to miss anywhere – but let the granules do the work. You don’t need to press hard. Then soap it off well.
Soften: After exfoliating, follow with moisturiser and use it twice a day, every day. One of the most transformational, and ideal for anti-ageing, is Epionce Renewal Enriched Body Lotion, £37.50
Even on the roughest, most dragon-like skin you’ll see radical improvements from the first time you apply it. (And I’m speaking from experience!) However, any body lotion or oil will soon smooth dryness-prone shins, from designer potions such as This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle , £37 or Nivea’s best, try their Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser, £5.09 even if you’re not usually much of a body lotion enthusiast, you’ll soon see the difference. if you’re not usually much of a body lotion enthusiast, you’ll soon see the difference.
Colour: Apply bronzer over just-moisturised skin so that it glides on smoothly and doesn’t ‘grab’ dry patches. If you have areas of discolouration, self-tans will tone them down but, being transparent, won’t conceal them properly. Wash-off colour, which is more like make-up, contains powder that makes them more opaque and better at hiding everything from freckles and broken veins to bruises. Try Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, £11 which comes in a choice of shades from Light to Dark, or L’Oreal Dream Legs BB Instant Perfecting Tanning Care 5-in-1 Wash Off, in Fair to Medium, £9.99.
Flatter: Apply a little extra flattery by adding shimmer down your shin-bones. Let’s face it, even J-Lo doesn’t look that glowy by accident. Buff on Benefit’s Take A Picture It Lasts Longer Body Balm, £50 which gives that luminous sheeny glimmer.
Help: If you’re prone to broken capillaries and veininess, vitamin K (found in red vine leaves) helps support the elasticity of blood vessel walls, so it’s also ideal for tired, aching legs. Or try Antistax Leg & Vein Massage Gel, £99 which contains red vine leaf extract, peppermint and menthol to make legs feel lighter and skippier.
Firm: Use exercise to firm flabby muscles. (Toning your thigh muscles will even help ‘lift’ saggy knees.) Do it regularly rather than vigorously, so whether you choose walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, aim for at least three hours a week.
Cheat: Finally, when all else fails (and even it doesn’t), wear heels! By elongating the look of your legs, they appear sleeker and more streamlined. And it’s the fastest way to a leg makeover.
[su_button url=”http://www.sosensational.co.uk/hair-and-beauty/beauty/” background=”#6c20b1″ size=”7″ center=”yes” icon=”icon: arrow-right”]See more beauty articles [/su_button]
Leave A Reply