How to get smooth legs to show off in the sun

1. Moisturise often, but pick your moment.  

Cold air can take a lot out of your skin, even if you’ve been living in your jeans for the last four months. Try moisturising once a day, ideally after you get out of the bath or shower. Cleansing products and hot water take some of the skin’s natural oils away, so dry your legs gently and top up that lost moisture with a lotion or cream. If your skin is a little sensitive, choose something gentle and odourless, as chemical fragrances can irritate.

As the weather gets sunnier – even a British summer includes at least one warm day – it’s a good idea to team your usual moisturiser up with sun lotion to prevent sunburn.

2. Consider switching up your hair removal routine.

If you’re wondering how to get smooth legs without bumps from ingrown hairs, shaving rashes and nicks and cuts, the answer might be to either invest in a gentler shaving device, or stop shaving altogether. If waxing seems a bit messy, an epilator will do the same job with no salon expertise needed. For a gentle, fast option that lasts up to 8 whole weeks* (so, perfect for the holidays) IPL is a great investment.

If you do find yourself shaving, consider applying a specially-designed shaving cream to help the blades glide over the skin. Always shave in the direction the hair is growing to avoid irritation. Rinse the blades regularly, and replace them often to make sure they’re always clean and sharp.

3. Exfoliate once or twice a week.

The idea behind exfoliation is that it helps to remove dead skin cells and dirt, revealing the natural radiance of the skin underneath. The mistake a lot of people make is exfoliating too often: too much scrubbing can irritate the skin, especially if your skin is sensitive in the first place.

Adult skin tends to renew itself in about 20-40 days, so it’s usually enough to exfoliate once or twice a week – more often in the summer, and less often in the winter, when skin tends to be drier and more easily irritated. This will depend a little on what you’re using to exfoliate, too, so read the packaging on any products or tools you use.

So, what’s the best way to exfoliate your legs? Try sweeping a body brush over your skin before you take a bath or a shower, and following up with a body scrub during your wash routine. With both options, it’s important to be gentle: lightly buff your skin to avoid scratching or irritating it.

4. Try Intense Pulsed Light technology.

Philips’ Lumea Prestige uses IPL technology to provide a fast and lasting way to remove hair at home: no salon required. Not to be confused with laser treatment, it works by applying gentle pulses of light to the hair root, stimulating it into its resting phase. The hair falls out, and regrowth is prevented. Developed with dermatologists, it removes hair with minimal discomfort – just a slight warm feeling as you move it over your skin.

Here’s the best part: after the first four treatments, you can relax and enjoy smooth skin for up to two months before using it again*. Hairs that do grow back are softer, too, so you’ll have silky-smooth legs for quite some time.

So, that’s how to get smooth skin on your legs, ready for some sunshine. With these four tips, your legs should be soft and shiny – why not show them off?