Now that the weather is getting warmer that means showing more skin. So even if you have been hiding those long limbs under pants, maxi dresses or tights for months here are a few great tricks from Real Beauty to whip your gams into shape.
Slough off dead skin
Sloughing off dead skin cells is vital to snagging a glowing complexion below the belt (plus, alligator legs are pretty unsightly). Just be careful not to scrub too often or too hard. Stick to two to three times for oily skin and no more than once a week for results.
Minimize Cellulite
While there’s no magic cure to get rid of cellulite, you can reduce its appearance. Deal with the dimples on the cheap with a daily dose of firming cream, which usually contains skin-tightening ingredients, like caffeine and seaweed. Bonus Tip: Amp up circulation to these spots by smoothing over pesky bumps with a massager or rolling pin, too!
Manage Ingrown hairs
Bumps and burns will not make you feel date-ready. Shop around for a gentle cream that exfoliates ingrowns while soothing irritated skin. We like the Malin + Goetz Ingrown Hair Cream ($34; malinandgoetz.com) for its plant-based ingredients.
Get Glowing
Our favorite way to get news-anchor gams sans shimmery oils, is to apply a gradual-build self-tanning moisturizer everyday. Use one in place of your regular body lotion, and after a subtle glow will appear after a few days. We like Jergens Daily Glow Moisturizer
Contour Your Legs
“When wearing short skirts, add a little highlighter up the center of each leg to contour,” suggests Meredith Baraf, who preps Victoria’s Secret models for the catwalk. “This trick reflects light to the middle of the leg and recedes over the outer leg, making your gams look leaner and longer.”
Cover Imperfections
The right heavy-duty concealer (one designed for the body, not the face) can really disguise spider veins. Opt for a long-wearing, water-resistant formula like Dermablend Leg and Body Cover Crème
Tighten Your Thighs
Try this during the next commercial break: “Stand up straight, with your feet hip-width apart and try to lift your right leg hip-level high,” adds Walsh. “Attempt to hold this for one minute, then switch sides. Your thighs will feel leaner, pulled in and tighter.” (Just don’t try this in heels!)
Add Cardio
Have five minutes to spare before going out? Run up and down your stairs or get a sturdy step-ladder and do 100 up-and-down movements. (Add dumbbell presses to burn extra calories!)
Wear Skin Toned Shoes
Calling all petites! “If you’ve got shorter legs, wear skin-toned shoes,” advises Marcia Kilgore, founder of Bliss, Fit Flops, and Soap & Glory. “They don’t cut your legs off at the ankle, which gives you another couple of inches, visually.”
Take the Stairs
Wear your stilettos up the stairs to add an extra calf-tingling element to your regular strolling. Stomping up 20 sets of stairs can burn up to 100 calories!
For more leg enhancing tip see the full story at realbeauty.com
Photos: Getty images, real beauty
