Just in Time for Spring: 20 Steps to Your Sexiest Legs Ever
Whether you're looking for a quick beauty fix or must-try workouts, we've rounded up the best how-to's for gorgeous gams.
1. Do a Serious Scrub
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 sensitive skin.
2. Make Your Shower Do Double Duty
Tub-time is the perfect place to squeeze in a few calf raises while you suds up. Switch the stream to cool water and your body will work overtime to maintain your normal temp.
3. Fight Off 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!
4. Sequester Your Saddlebags
Feeling hippy in your jeggings? "Try a resistance band step-touch," claims celebrity personal trainer Terri Walsh. "Loop a resistance band around your ankles, and stretch the band to the side in a step-touch motion. Your hip and saddlebag areas will appear tighter and smoother instantly."
5. Remove Your Stubble
When there's no time for waxing or laser treatments, revert back to your hair removal ABCs and give your bod a good, ole fashioned at-home hair-removal session. Hairless legs reflect more light, creating the illusion of slimmer stems.
6. Get Toned
While tanned legs may be at the top of every gal's summer to-do list, toned legs are just as important for rocking cut-off shorts. We recommend side leg-lifts if you prefer calisthenics, or inversion poses (even modified ones!) if yoga's more your speed.
7. Tackle 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.
8. Do Wall Sits
"If you feel like your inner-thighs are looking less than toned, place a book or a yoga block between your knees as you sit with your back up against a wall, with your knees bent and the back of your legs parallel to the floor. Hold this position for up to five minutes. Your legs will definitely feel less jiggly," suggests Walsh.
9. 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 ($5.99, amazon.com).
10. Shape Up
Thinking about wearing a mid-thigh shaper with pants or maxi skirts? Don't. "I recommend that people go with a style that doesn't stop on the thigh. It's always better to create a line by wearing a bum-shaping brief or footless pantyhose instead," explains Spanx founder Sarah Blakely.
11. 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."
12. 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 ($18, amazon.com).
13.Tighten Up
Not loving your legs in that mini skirt? For instantly tighter-looking skin, rub baby oil on your stems (especially along the shin bone) to create the illusion of longer legs. Go for a drugstore score, such a Johnson's Baby Oil with Aloe Vera ($4.99-$9.49, soap.com).
14. Thwart Sun Damage
To prevent scars and stretch marks from getting darker with sun exposure, slather them with sunscreen. At night, apply a scar-minimizing topical to old wounds and new stretch marks to repair damaged tissue.
15. 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!)
16. At-Home Moves
You can even exercise, while you wait for your coffee to brew! Lie on you back, with your legs bent and you feet planted on the ground, hip-width apart. Pin your shoulders and head to the floor and gently raise your pelvis towards the ceiling, while pulling in your stomach. Do 20-30 reps of this move every day for a tighter tush.
17. Do Extra 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!)
18. Fix Uneven Tanner
Having a subtle glow is sexy, having weird streaks on your legs isn't. Body expert and owner of Completely Bare, Cindy Barshop, says all you need to even out a tan is a sugar exfoliator and a lemon. First, exfoliate the blotchy area with a sugar and lemon juice scrub. When your skin is completely dry apply a gradual sunless tanner directly on the clean area and finish off with a blow dryer (on the cool setting) to get the tanner to dry completely.
19. 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."
20. 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!
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