How to get smooth legs: the best ways to remove leg hair

Shaving legs: what’s the best way to shave your legs?

Shaving is a classic hair removal method for legs, and for good reason. It’s quick, cost-effective, and can be done at home as part of your regular shower routine.

But, for most people, removing leg hair by shaving tends to lead to quick regrowth, with stubble appearing after just a day or two. Because of this, you’ll likely need to shave your legs regularly to maintain smooth skin. This can lead to irritation, with up to 57% experiencing redness or razor burn on their legs after shaving.²

For smoother, less irritated skin, we recommend following these tips for how to shave your legs:

• Exfoliate first: Gently remove dead skin cells with a scrub or loofah to help prevent ingrown hairs after shaving.
• Use warm water: Shaving during a warm shower or bath softens the hair and opens pores for a closer, more comfortable shave.
• Use a sharp, clean razor: Dull blades tug at the skin, causing irritation and razor burn on legs. Make sure to replace yours regularly for smoother hair removal.
• Shave in the direction of hair growth: This reduces redness and bumps when removing leg hair, especially if you have sensitive skin.
• Rinse and moisturise: Finish with a hydrating lotion or oil to lock in moisture and soothe your skin.

It’s also smart to invest in quality shaving tools when learning how to shave legs. We recommend finding an electric leg shaver you can rely on, like the Philips Lady Shaver Series 8000, which is designed to be gentler on sensitive skin. You can also use it wet or dry, so if you prefer shaving your legs in the bath or shower, this is a great option for your grooming routine.

Removing hair from the root: waxing, sugaring and epilating legs

For longer-lasting results, consider tackling hair at the root. Here are some of the most common, longer-lasting methods for how to remove leg hair:

• Epilating: You’ll use an electronic device that quickly grips and pulls out multiple hairs at once.
• Waxing: Warm or cold wax is applied to the skin, which is then pulled off to remove hair from the root.
• Sugaring: A natural hair-removal method that uses a sticky sugar paste to lift hair from the root, similar to waxing.

When leg hairs are removed using these methods, it takes hair longer to grow back, meaning that you won’t see stubble quite so soon. When done correctly, you can expect up to 2-3 weeks of smooth skin. It’s also been found to be less drying than shaving, making it a good choice if you struggle with dry, flaky skin.³

While waxing, sugaring, and epilating legs have longer-lasting effects than shaving, they’re still not going to get rid of your hair for good. In addition, because wax and sugar paste are directly applied to the skin and removed, the upper layer of skin can be damaged during the hair removal process, resulting in irritation or skin reactions.

Of the three methods that grab hair from the root, the gentlest option is epilation. An epilator uses fast-moving tweezers or disks to pull the hair out quickly, making it a super speedy version of plucking your leg hairs. By targeting the hair directly, epilators protect the skin and make the leg hair removal process more comfortable, resulting in less irritation and longer-lasting, smoother legs.

Happy ending guaranteed: IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) for hair removal

Still looking for how to remove leg hair with longer-lasting results? We recommend exploring options for intense pulsed light (IPL) hair removal.

IPL works by targeting your hair follicles with gentle pulses of light. These penetrate the skin and reach your hair at its root, damaging the follicles to slow growth over time.⁴

Make sure you choose a reliable IPL device for effective hair removal, such as the Philips Lumea 9900 Pro. This smart hair removal tool adapts to your skin tone, ensuring safe use at home, and is trusted by users around the world. After just two sessions, you can expect more than 80% hair reduction* and up to 5 years of long-lasting smooth skin**.

With the Philips Lumea 9900 Pro by your side, your at-home hair removal is in good hands.

Tip: Use the large, curved body attachment of the Philips Lumea 9900 Pro for your legs. Specially designed for large body areas, it adapts perfectly to your curves and has a large surface area for safe and effective treatments.

* Median result on legs.
** With ongoing monthly touch-ups following the indicated treatment schedule.