If you’re getting your legs out then you want them to look good, and if they’ve been hidden away under leggings or tights then a little limb admin may be in order. Here are five simple ways to get them looking great quickly and easily.
There are lots of reasons why we get dry skin on legs, and everywhere else as dermatologist, Dr Dennis Gross explains. “Dehydrated skin can be a result of harsh weather, lack of water internally (aka not drinking enough), or a deficiency of hyaluronic acid. Any skin type is susceptible if there is a lack of water in the circulatory system, which leads to less circulation to the skin and decreased skin elasticity. When the skin is dehydrated, it receives less nutrients, vitamins and oxygen – resulting in a dull-looking appearance.”
And it may seem strange that you get far drier and flakier skin on your legs compared with the rest of the body. But there is a good reason. Aside from the fact that we're all more condition to use hydrating skincare on a regular basis, the top layer of our skin, the stratum corneum, is where dead skin cells sit and linger and it's thicker on our legs compared with our arms so is more prone to look flaky and get dry. The great news is that it’s really easy to do something about it and with just a few tweaks and product change-ups you can transform dry skin. Follow this five-step routine to give dry skin on legs the heave-ho.
Step 1. Begin with brushing
Not only is body brushing excellent for getting rid of surface-level dry skin, but it also aids lymphatic drainage and boosts circulation. It’s best done on dry skin and the rule is to always brush towards the heart, so when working on your legs brush upwards. If you’re on the hunt for the best body brushes out there then look no more. One of our favourites is The Body Shop Round Body Brush, £12 as the bristles are soft and it fits perfectly in the hand.
Step 2. Move onto scrubbing
Next, it's another form of exfoliation but this time in the form of a exfoliating scrub. As our legs are more prone to dry and flaky skin, especially in the summer months it’s a good idea to step-up your body exfoliating to twice a week. By rubbing in a gritty scrub over dry skin you slough away all the dead skin cells lying on the surface. The best body scrubs will also help prevent in-grown hairs. The key is using a scrub that not only takes the dry skin on legs away, but keeps the skin hydrated at the same time. This Works Perfect Legs 100% Natural Scrub, £25 contains three different oils to help keep hydration levels balanced and has just the right level of scrub to it.
Step 3. Clever cleansing
One of the best things to help reduce dry skin on legs - and everywhere else - is to turn down the temperature in your shower. “Do not take long, hot showers. Instead keep the temperature at lukewarm. You can also keep the bathroom door closed to trap in the steam,” advises Gross. Excessively hot water saps moisture out of the skin so that when you step out of the shower your skin is already dehydrated. And when you’re in the shower swap out your regular shower gel for an acid and enzyme-rich cleanser instead. The liquid exfoliators will get to work on loosening the bonds between dead skin cells in the skin and washing them away. The new Beauty Pie Acidenzyme Exfoliating Cleanser, £28.50* for members, £60 for non-members can be used on the face and the body and contains salicylic acid and a papaya enzyme complex.
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Step 4. Hydrate and so much more
Of course, adding moisture to your legs is key but don't just settle for a one-trick body lotion when there are multi-tasking leg-specific products to choose from. Meet Legology Air-Lite, £45* it contains all the hydrating ingredients your skin needs to keep dry skin at bay but as well as this there’s caffeine to reduce puffiness, a plant extract called goldenrod that reduces puffiness in legs and ankles, butcher’s broom that evens skin tone and lemon peel extract which acts as an antioxidant and helps smooth skin. Not only does it smell of summer holidays but it does feel cooling on the skin, making it a joy to use all year round but especially in warmer weather.
Step 5. Add some glow
Now you've got a smoother surface to work with, to give your legs a final touch of TLC why not use an instant bronzer teaming with skin-hydrating ingredients to keep all the good work going? The Refy Body Glow + Duo Brush, £36 comes in a universal shade to add instant glow to the skin (it can be applied with the bigger end of the brush that comes with which makes buffing it down shins an absolute breeze) and contains clever pearlescent pigments that make legs look really healthy as well as giving, what was once dry skin on legs, a final hydration hit.