How to Get Smooth Legs without Shaving
Gather your materials., Prepare your skin for waxing or sugaring., Warm up the wax or paste up from room temperature., Determine the direction of hair growth., Using the applicator stick, apply a thin layer of the warmed product to your skin., Apply...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather your materials.
Waxing and sugaring follow the same process, but you spread different products on your skin.
If you want to wax, you can find an over-the-counter waxing kit in any grocery store or pharmacy.
Sugaring kits aren't as widely available, but can be purchased online or made easily at home.
A waxing kit should include wax, waxing strips, and a stick to spread the wax across your skin.
A sugaring kit should include sugaring paste, sugaring strips, and a stick to spread the paste across your skin.
To make a homemade sugaring kit, use muslin or denim for sugaring strips and a Popsicle strip for application to the skin.
Follow these instructions to make homemade sugaring paste with sugar, salt, lemon, and water.
You'll also need access to a microwave to warm the wax or paste up from room temperature. -
Step 2: Prepare your skin for waxing or sugaring.
Although it's not harmful to your skin if you take the correct steps, these processes could have unwanted effects like redness and soreness if you don't take the appropriate precautions to protect your legs.
Make sure your leg hair is long enough for waxing or sugaring.
Ideally, it will be between 1/8" and 1/4." Make sure don't have any cuts, scrapes, irritation, or sunburn on your legs.
Pulling hair from skin that's already damaged will only make it worse.
Clean your skin with soap, and dry your legs.
Remove dead skin from the surface by using a body scrub, loofah, or shower glove.
Don't rub too hard, though — you don't want to irritate your skin off the bat! Soak your legs in warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Moisturize your skin with an oil-free lotion.
Oil on your skin will prevent wax from getting a firm grip on your hair. , Over the counter wax and sugaring paste usually comes in microwave-safe containers, but if it doesn't, transfer the product to a container you can either microwave or put on the stove.
Follow the warming instructions on the box.
Properly warmed wax should have a soft, easily-spreadable consistency like honey.
Properly warmed sugaring paste will be soft and sticky.
Be careful not to over-warm it.
Hot wax or sugaring paste can burn terribly. , You want to remove the entire hair in this process, or else you may get painful ingrown hairs.
To prevent this, check which direction your hair is growing in.
On legs, hair will grown downward.
This means that when you get to these steps, you will apply the wax in a downward motion, then pull the waxing strip off in an upward motion.
If sugaring, you will apply the paste in an upward motion, and also pull the sugaring strip off in an upward direction. , Remember to apply it in a downward direction if waxing, and an upward direction if sugaring.
Don't apply too much product, or it will be gloopy and won't attach strongly to the strip.
A layer of bout 1/4" is ideal. , Rub your hand over the strip to encourage the strip to grip the product, and the product to grip your hair.
Do this gently, but firmly. , Grip it from the bottom with your dominant hand (right, if you're right-handed, left if you're left-handed).
With your other hand, hold the skin taut by pulling it in an upward direction from above the removal strip.
Reverse directions (grip the top of the strip, pull skin below the strip in an upward direction) on areas where hair grows in the opposite direction. , Do this quickly and firmly! If you pull too slowly, the product and hair will be left behind. , Especially at first, this process may take you a long time.
You'll get faster with practice, but the first few times you try, your wax or paste might cool down too much to be effective.
If it becomes difficult to spread, reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches the ideal consistency again. , Temporary redness and irritation is normal, but you'll want to soothe your skin.
Wash your legs with gentle soap again, making sure not to use overly-warm water.
Spread moisturizer over the entire affected area.
If the irritation really bothers you, try soothing the skin with an ice bag. -
Step 3: Warm up the wax or paste up from room temperature.
-
Step 4: Determine the direction of hair growth.
-
Step 5: Using the applicator stick
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Step 6: apply a thin layer of the warmed product to your skin.
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Step 7: Apply the removal strip over an area slightly smaller than the strip.
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Step 8: Prepare to remove the strip.
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Step 9: Pull the strip off in an upward direction.
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Step 10: Reheat the wax or paste as needed.
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Step 11: Take care of your newly-waxed or sugared skin.
Detailed Guide
Waxing and sugaring follow the same process, but you spread different products on your skin.
If you want to wax, you can find an over-the-counter waxing kit in any grocery store or pharmacy.
Sugaring kits aren't as widely available, but can be purchased online or made easily at home.
A waxing kit should include wax, waxing strips, and a stick to spread the wax across your skin.
A sugaring kit should include sugaring paste, sugaring strips, and a stick to spread the paste across your skin.
To make a homemade sugaring kit, use muslin or denim for sugaring strips and a Popsicle strip for application to the skin.
Follow these instructions to make homemade sugaring paste with sugar, salt, lemon, and water.
You'll also need access to a microwave to warm the wax or paste up from room temperature.
Although it's not harmful to your skin if you take the correct steps, these processes could have unwanted effects like redness and soreness if you don't take the appropriate precautions to protect your legs.
Make sure your leg hair is long enough for waxing or sugaring.
Ideally, it will be between 1/8" and 1/4." Make sure don't have any cuts, scrapes, irritation, or sunburn on your legs.
Pulling hair from skin that's already damaged will only make it worse.
Clean your skin with soap, and dry your legs.
Remove dead skin from the surface by using a body scrub, loofah, or shower glove.
Don't rub too hard, though — you don't want to irritate your skin off the bat! Soak your legs in warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Moisturize your skin with an oil-free lotion.
Oil on your skin will prevent wax from getting a firm grip on your hair. , Over the counter wax and sugaring paste usually comes in microwave-safe containers, but if it doesn't, transfer the product to a container you can either microwave or put on the stove.
Follow the warming instructions on the box.
Properly warmed wax should have a soft, easily-spreadable consistency like honey.
Properly warmed sugaring paste will be soft and sticky.
Be careful not to over-warm it.
Hot wax or sugaring paste can burn terribly. , You want to remove the entire hair in this process, or else you may get painful ingrown hairs.
To prevent this, check which direction your hair is growing in.
On legs, hair will grown downward.
This means that when you get to these steps, you will apply the wax in a downward motion, then pull the waxing strip off in an upward motion.
If sugaring, you will apply the paste in an upward motion, and also pull the sugaring strip off in an upward direction. , Remember to apply it in a downward direction if waxing, and an upward direction if sugaring.
Don't apply too much product, or it will be gloopy and won't attach strongly to the strip.
A layer of bout 1/4" is ideal. , Rub your hand over the strip to encourage the strip to grip the product, and the product to grip your hair.
Do this gently, but firmly. , Grip it from the bottom with your dominant hand (right, if you're right-handed, left if you're left-handed).
With your other hand, hold the skin taut by pulling it in an upward direction from above the removal strip.
Reverse directions (grip the top of the strip, pull skin below the strip in an upward direction) on areas where hair grows in the opposite direction. , Do this quickly and firmly! If you pull too slowly, the product and hair will be left behind. , Especially at first, this process may take you a long time.
You'll get faster with practice, but the first few times you try, your wax or paste might cool down too much to be effective.
If it becomes difficult to spread, reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches the ideal consistency again. , Temporary redness and irritation is normal, but you'll want to soothe your skin.
Wash your legs with gentle soap again, making sure not to use overly-warm water.
Spread moisturizer over the entire affected area.
If the irritation really bothers you, try soothing the skin with an ice bag.
About the Author
Eric Morgan
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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