Limber up: 10 steps to summer legs

It’s time for the big reveal, says Emma McCarthy. If the thought of taking those tights off makes you shudder, fear not: here are 10 steps to summer legs
Summer Legs Pic: Getty Images
Getty Images
1 May 2013

1. Scrub

No matter how scaly your pins are beneath the 100 deniers, it’s nothing that a good scrub can’t fix. Get to work with a handful of Sanctuary Spa’s thermal Hot Sugar Scrub (£11.25, boots.com) — now newly relaunched with extra grit — while the caffeine in Fig + Yarrow’s Cardamom and Coffee Body Scrub (£31, cultbeauty.co.uk) helps to shift cellulite and wake up your skin.

2. Smooth

When the mercury goes from zero to 25 in 24 hours, there’s no substitute for a Mach3. The chamomile-rich formula of Kiehl’s Simply Marvellous Legs Shave Cream (£15, kiehls.co.uk) promises to make the process less of a chore, while Bliss’s Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads (£26.60, blissworld.co.uk) will take care of lumps and bumps.

3. Maintain

It’s not too late to invest in a bout of laser hair removal. This week’s launch of the latest at-home kit from Tria — the 4X laser (£375, harveynichols.com) — works in just three months to leave you fuzz-free in time for your summer holiday. Until then, a slathering of Adonia’s cult hair-minimising lotion (£29.99, adoniahairreducer.com) will help to maintain your hard work.

4. Revive

Give sluggish pins a boost with Clarins Energizing Emulsion for Tired Legs (£26, clarins.co.uk). The mix of basil, sage and cypress will kick-start your circulation and leave your skin soft and refreshed.

5. Nourish

Dry skin plus moisture equals a no-brainer. With its potent blend of nine essential oils and evening primrose, Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil from This Works (£39.50, spacenk.com) is one of the best softening solutions around.

6. Tone

Treat your legs as you would your face with a few drops of Dr Hauschka’s Rosemary Leg & Arm Toner (£24.95, drhauschka.co.uk) every day. Quite ingeniously, it can be applied straight through tights — perfect for girls on the go who haven’t quite managed The Big Reveal yet.

7. Streamline

As the weeks creep on (and hemlines rise), tougher measures may be in order. Sunday Riley’s Liquid Diet (£85, spacenk.com) drains excess fluid from the legs and thighs to refine your silhouette. Or, for a slightly cheaper option, try USculpt’s BLT (“bum, legs and tum”) lotion (£39.50, ultimobeauty.co.uk).

8. Glow

Achieve a two-week holiday golden glow in one step with Caudalie’s freshly launched Divine Legs Lotion (£26, caudalie.com) — also known as your new best friend for summer. To give nature an extra helping hand you could also try St Tropez’s Perfect Legs Self Tan (£10, st-tropez.com).

9. Perfect

Per-fékt’s Matte Body Perfection Gel (£41, Selfridges.com) is a godsend when it comes to covering all manner of sins, from rough skin to redness through to stretch marks and varicose veins, while MAC’s Skinsheen Leg Spray (£21.50, maccosmetics.co.uk) is a quick fix for instantly airbrushed pins.

10. Top-to-toe

And finally, a great set of legs are nothing if they end up topping a scabby pair of feet. Look to pedicurist to the stars Bastien Gonzalez for the answer — his Révérence de Bastien Foot Balm (£35, brownsfashion.com) is guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

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