Smooth Operator

Shaving is a pain.  Not only do you risk injury, but you're probably also coating your legs in some iffy chemicals when you use normal run-of-the-mill shave creams, foams, and gels.

I recently tried a few products from Pacific Shaving Company and, though they didn't make shaving the most pleasurable moment of my day, they were a nice change of pace.  Pacific Shaving Company makes both an all natural shaving oil and an all natural shaving cream.

ALL NATURAL SHAVING OIL, $6.95
Designed for both men and women, shaving oil comes in a tiny bottle--but a little goes a long way.  Here's what the company says about the oil: provides a consistently smooth shave that leaves your face conditioned and moisturized, not oily. It also applies clear so you can finally see where you're shaving - particularly great for shaving around blemishes, sculpting a beard or moustache - even shaving your head! (Ladies - say goodbye to those cuts around your ankles.).  Here's my take: I didn't use this on my legs--I wasn't sure how it would do over a larger area.  But I did try it for my underarms and it was nice.  I liked that it was clear so I could see what I was doing.  It would probably be good for the bikini area, too.

ALL NATURAL SHAVING CREAM, $8.95
Also for men and women. From the company: With natural and certified organic ingredients, our unique, low-lather formula is about to become your skin's best friend. But this isn't only about closer shaves - it's got you covered before, during and after. Here's what you can expect: Softer whiskers and superior lubrication, Healthy, hydrated and soothed skin, Protection from harsh environmental factors. And now my take: Of the two, I prefer this product. I like the feel of it better and I really like that a shave cream wasn't a bright, artificial color. I used this on my legs and it did a good job. I think I am way too used to crappy shave creams, but this was a decent, more natural alternative.

Pacific Shaving Company products can be purchased at Whole Foods, Target, CVS, and drugstore.com.

Want to win a year's supply of Pacific Shaving Company Products?  Head over to their Facebook page by the 15th to be a big winner!

Eyebrow Raised in Speculation...

This post can be summed up by two nice, neat bullet points:

• I don't trust mall kiosks
• I sorta like the process of waxing

Random?  Perhaps...but keep reading.

So....over at my closest mall, the central pathways are littered with people selling all sorts of crap interesting things from kiosks.  They sell cellphone cases, tacky stickers, hair straighteners, creepy sketches, ironic t-shirts, crummy art, etc.  Kiosk vendors frighten me a little--they're like the mall equivalent of freakshow barkers, but unlike freakshows, I have no interest in what they're peddling. They can be a little aggressive, and when you're trying to dodge through the slow-moving mall masses who are intoxicated by the ulta-potent stink spray wafting from Abercrombie, the last thing you want is a kiosk vendor trying to clip fake hair into your scalp.

Then one day a few months ago, I noticed it.  Right near the food court.  Some unsuspecting mall shopper was plunked down in a salon chair, leaning back.  Another woman (kiosk barker) hovered over the sprawled out shopper, raking what looked like a long, thick piece of dental floss over the shopper's face.  I couldn't stop staring.  The kiosk lady had one end of the thread IN HER MOUTH while she dragged the rest of the thread over the shopper's eyebrows, chin, and so on.  Then I saw the sign, "Eyebrow Threading."

I had never heard of eyebrow threading, so I looked into it a bit:

• Threading is a "ancient" hair removal technique that comes from Asia
• It removes hair from the follicle, so it's relatively long lasting
• A pure, thin, twisted cotton thread which is rolled over untidy hairlines, mustaches and so on
• Threading removes an entire row of hair, resulting in a straighter line 

I'm all for trying new things, but a few things struck me here:

1. When I am getting a spa procedure done, especially one that involves having hair removed from my body, I prefer to have said procedure done in private.  This eyebrow threading kiosk was, as I said, in the middle of the mall, right near the food court.  Thousands of people walk by on their way to get their hit from Aunt Annie or that slut Cinnabon.  There's no privacy smack in the center of the mall. There was no partitian, nothing to allow for at least the appearance of discretion.
2. The threader kept holding the thread in her mouth.  HER MOUTH!  ICK!  I'm probably just being a germ-phobe, but the whole mouth thing just hits me wrong.  It seems so unsanitary.

On a final note: I am going tomorrow for a much needed brow and upper lip waxing (and express pedi!) at my favorite (private and hygienic) spa.  There's something about waxing that is almost pleasurable to me.  I like the feeling of the hot wax on my skin, the way the gauze is rubbed into the wax, and that moment right before the gauze is ripped off my flesh.  Those silent seconds of anticipation are a hoot.  I don't think I'd give that up for someone to rake a thread (dangling from their mouth) over me.  But that's just me.  I'm stuck in my ways, I suppose!

If you've had threading done or if you want to convince me that it's better than waxing, leave me a comment!

Trim it Up!

I was wandering around one of my favorite stores the other day (Target, of course!) and I noticed an extra value kit from Schick. For the low, low price of $8.99, I picked up a Quattro for Women TrimStyle Razor, Hawaiian Tropic Creme Lotion, and Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave. And, of course, I have opinions!

QUATTRO FOR WOMEN TRIMSTYLE RAZOR
This is the razor advertised with bushes getting trimmed into various shapes. It's a double-ended razor: on one side is the normal, 4-blade razor surrounded with aloe; the other side is a waterproof trimmer that allows you to adjust the comb position so you get the desired length you want.

The TrimStyle takes a little bit of time to get used to it. Because of the battery of the trimmer, the razor is heavier than I'm used to. The actual razor part of this is easy enough to use. I like the four blade--it seems to do a pretty good job at hair removal and the aloe left my skin smooth. I did accidentally press the button for the trimmer while shaving my legs--there was no harm done, but it did startle me at first!

The trimmer also takes some getting used to. You can adjust the comb so you get as close of a trim as you want. At first I couldn't get the trimmer to stay on without constantly holding down the button (I eventually figured it out!). The trimmer is very effective in trimming away hair in the bikini area. It doesn't give super smooth results you get from shaving, but it does whack away a lot of hair with relative easy.

So far my only complaint is that it's all a bit messy...but then shaving certain areas tends to result in too much hair on the shower floor (ick!). Another complaint? The razor blade seems a bit difficult to clean out. Over all, though, I'd give the razor a thumbs up! Give it a try.

HAWAIIAN TROPIC CREME LOTION
I honestly haven't used this product yet, but I like that it's a 50 spf. I'll take this with me on my upcoming vacation.

SKINTIMATE MOISTURIZING CREAM SHAVE
I love this stuff! I normally buy cheap shave cream (usually men's shave gel, if truth be told), so this felt a bit luxurious for me. And I like it. The kind that came in the package is called Cashmere Rain--that sounds a bit like a stripper name to me, but whatever. The scent is really nice and it seems to leave my skin really soft. This is a cream, so it's not going to foam up like shaving gels. Once you get used to that, you know what you're in for. I would have never purchased this product, but now that I'm using it, I love it! Maybe I'll make the change from Edge Gel!

Overall, this was a pretty good kit. It didn't set me back too much money and it allowed me to try out some new products. Nice!

The Results Are In!

Ok last week I previewed Nair Silky Sensations, and I finally got a chance to give it a try.

First, let me say that I had very low expectations. I figured there was no way Nair would work. I thought it would smell bad and do very little to get my legs hair-free.

I followed the directions to a T. Here's what you're supposed to do with Silky Sensations:

Squeeze cream into palm of hand. Smooth an even layer to cover hair. Do Not Rub In. Wash your hands immediately after application. Leave on for 3 minutes. Then check a small area for hair removal. Total hair removal depends on hair thickness. If the hair does not come off after 3 minutes, leave on for a few minutes longer. Do Not Exceed 10 Minutes of total application time.

Remove Cream and Hair: Gently wipe off the cream and hair with a damp washcloth. Do Not Rub. Once all hair has been removed, rinse skin thoroughly with lukewarm water in the shower. Pat dry. Keep tube closed when not in use. To maintain smooth and radiant skin, apply your favorite moisturizer daily.

I was certain that when I wiped away the product, I'd be left with my normal stubble. I WAS SHOCKED when I saw a hair-free patch of skin as I wiped the Nair off my leg. I continued to wipe off the Nair with a washcloth and was left with a smooth, soft leg devoid of hair. WOW!

Encouraged by the results on my right leg, I continued onto my left leg. Again, the Nair worked well. I should have left the Nair on my left leg a tad longer, but with just a few wipes of my washcloth, my legs were way better than they were when I started.

Let's break this down to key points:

THE GOOD

• Easy to apply
• Easy to remove
• Left skin very soft and relatively hair free
• No knicks, no bleeding!
  

THE BAD

• Though the smell is VASTLY improved, there is still an under-note of hair remover/chemical weirdness
• To have perfectly hair-free legs, I need to get the timing down better. That, or I need to bust out my razor to shave the hair that Nair missed
  
• It seemed difficult to get the Nair off my hands. I felt a little OCD washing them as much as I did!
• I liked that the Nair worked and left my legs so smooth, but I am a little hesitant to use this on a regular basis. There seem to be a lot of chemicals involved in the Nair process, and I'm not a big fan of over-using somewhat harsh products.

A WORD OF WARNING

• Before you try this product, be sure to do an allergy patch test (as recommended on the product). I do not have sensitive skin as a rule, but I still went through the process to make sure I wouldn't have a bad reaction. If you're going to use it on your legs, test on your legs first. If you're going to use it on a different part of your body, be sure to try it where you're ultimately going to use it as well. Your skin may react differently to this product from use to use, location to location. BE CAREFUL and make sure you follow all the directions to a T.
  

OVERALL

• Though reluctant to even TRY this product, I'd give it a cautionary thumbs up. It removes hair and leaves skin soft...just like it's supposed to. If you're not a fan of chemicals or have sensitive skin, stick with shaving!
  

Product Preview: Nair Silky Sensations

Quick: What's do you think about when you think about Nair?

For me, I think of the annoying "short shorts" commercials in the 80s/90s (Who wears short shorts? Nair for short shorts!) AND I also think about the odd/disgusting scent of Nair hair removal products. I haven't used Nair in ages. My memory of it isn't great--for me, it was always stinky and it never really worked that well.

Now, it seems as though Nair is trying hard to change our minds about their products. They have hair removal products with more pleasant scents, like lavender, cucumber/melon, and pomegranate/soy.

I received a box of Nair products to try out. I gave my sister a tube of cucumber/melon to test, and I'm going to put the pomegranate/soy through the paces. I'll report back and let you know what my sister and I think about the new Nair products. I'm hoping to get smooth, hair-free legs with minimal effort. I really hope the new products are effective.

Here are the product details:

Nair Hair Remover Silky Sensations, dual moisturizing blend--with 20% moisturizers. For legs and body. Provides 7 days of smoothness and promises radiant, silky skin. Available at drugstores for about $10.

NOTE: I have a few other Nair formulas to try out, too. I'll let you know what I think about those when I get around to using them! In the meantime, let me know if you've used Nair and had any success!

Hairy Situation, Part 1

I was on vacation and didn't have the TV on (except to play the Wii!), but I keep hearing about Mo'Nique's legs at the Golden Globes. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, apparently Golden Globe winner and Precious star, Mo'Nique, cause quite a stir because she did not shave her legs for the awards ceremony. From the little I know about Mo'Nique, I hear that she's not a fan of leg shaving...can't say I blame her.

Anyway, the photo above is making its way around the web and everyone in the world seems to be chiming in. People (especially a surprising number of woman) are slamming Mo'Nique for going au natural, calling it "disgusting" and "shocking" that she would hit the red carpet with some extra fur of her own on her legs.

Here are my two cents on the whole deal:

• My initial thought? Who cares about Mo'Nique's (or anyone else's) legs? Honestly, don't we have more important things to worry about?
• Having said that, it does look a little weird to see a woman in a formal gown, with her hair and makeup done, with unshaved legs. It's not something we're used to. That doesn't mean that it's right or wrong...it's just different.
  
• As much as I hate shaving my legs (and I really, really do), I am absolutely certain that if I were going to attend a major awards ceremony, I'd take the time to shave my legs.

Mo'Nique's legs will (hopefully) stop being a source of discussion soon enough, but I ask you: hairy legs at a formal event: In or Out? I say it's an out just because it looks so damn out of place. Leave me your thoughts!

Home Leg Waxing HELP!!!

I got the message below from one of my readers, and I really need YOUR help in answering her question:

Hi Lydia,

I want to save money by not having to spend $25 at the parlor each time to get my legs waxed. I tried a home product where you need to heat the wax first before applying, and nearly burnt myself!

Is there a product out there that you could use at home that does not require prior heating?

**********

So here's the deal: I have never waxed my legs! I've never gone to a professional to have it done, and I've never tried it at home on my own. As a kid, I vaguely remember my mom applying honey-colored wax to her legs with Popsicle sticks and being terrified at the prospect of at-home waxing.

I know there are products like Nair that you can use in the shower, but I always think they're smelly and not that effective.

So I need your help with this one! If you're an at-home leg waxer, please let me a comment to let me know what you've used, what works, and what doesn't. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

What a Waste of Time!

I saw this little tidbit in Allure magazine a few months ago. I wrote it down and just now found it again. According to Allure:

58.4: The number of days a woman spends shaving in her lifetime.

58.4 days lost to shaving?!?! To balancing on one foot in the shower, trying to avoid getting sliced to bits by a razor? Ugh. That's totally depressing!

I can't believe that almost two months of my life will be lost to such a mundane and dreadful task as shaving. Bleh.

Now I wonder how much time is lost to hair drying, brow plucking, and makeup application. It's time consuming to be a woman!

Dear Old Dad

Father's Day is just around the corner, and while you could get your dad the usual gift (a tie, bbq equipment, etc.), why not pamper your poppa with some of these great products. Men like to be taken care of just as much (if not more!) than women do, and you can share your love of skin care/beauty products with your dad by checking out these goodies:

Every Man Jack Beginner's Luck Kit, about $25: Every Man Jack products are awesome! They're well priced and easy to find (just head to your local Target!), and they do a great job. Their signature mint fragrance is subtle and clean smelling, and will be fun to use. I've used their bar soap in the past--it was pretty and smelled great. Every Man Jack products aren't tested on animals and they're not packed with nasty chemicals like some shaving products. Totally budget friendly, Every Man Jack products are approachable and damn good!

Lab Series Daily Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 15 Gift Set, $37.50: Men need to use SPF just as much as women do, but we all know that they're far from enthusiastic about it. We get to sneak in our SPF by wearing foundation containing SPF, lipgloss with SPF, etc. This set, designed specifically for men, includes a face wash, shave cream, and sun block.

Sephora Brand Scent Sampler, $50: I love this gift! You get a box full of samples of the top selling fragrances for men. You also get a coupon for a full sized product of your choice. Your dad can test out ten different scents and then go back to Sephora for a full sized version of his favorite. If looking good and smelling good is important to your dad, this is a great gift...one that will let him get exactly what he wants.

Take care of your dad this Father's Day!

Ask Lydia: Upper Lip Waxing

Hi Lydia,

I have a question about lipwaxing. Am a lipwax virgin. Afraid to try for fear the hair will grow back thicker, true? Is bleaching an option? Or is there a cream ointment I could use that will kill the hair follicles? Funny how the older you get you start losing the hair you want (like the hair on your head) and start growing it in unwanted places, like around the mouth!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Hi and thanks for your question.

It sucks being a mammal. We have hair all over the place, and it can show itself in some truly horrifying places.

When it comes to facial hair removal, we do have options: tweezing, cream hair removers, waxing, or more permanent hair removal techniques. And all options have pros and cons. Now, fair warning: I am not an expert...so if anyone has anything they want to add, be sure to leave a comment.

TWEEZING
Pros: it's easy, it's almost free (you just have to pay for the tweezers), it requires very little skill, it is a precision job, and it's best for small areas of hair (upper lip, eyebrows, etc.)
Cons: you need really good lighting, it can be painful (have you ever pulled a root out? Ouch! Plus it can bleed--yuck!), it's easy to miss hairs, ingrown hairs can happen if you over-tweeze or incorrectly tweeze, and it seems like tweezing is a never-end job
Do it right: if you want to tweeze, invest in a decent pair of slant-ended tweezers (check out Tweezerman's selection at Sephora--they're worth the money), a decent mirror, and a good light. Click here for pointers on how to tweeze properly.

CREAM FACIAL HAIR REMOVERS
Pros: potentially not as painful as other hair removal techniques, relatively easy to use, readily available
Cons: creams can be irritating to skin, can smell nasty, and can be messy. You may need to get a prescription if you use products like Vaniqua.
Other thoughts: I have never bleached or used a cream facial hair remover, but I have tried products like Nair on my legs in the past. I found the product to be harsh-smelling and it didn't do as good of a job at removing my leg hair as my trusty razor. Since the blade has no place near your face, I'd personally recommend tweezing or waxing over cream removers.

WAXING Pros: excellent results, someone else does it for you, hair takes longer to grow back
Cons: somewhat painful, can be irritating to your skin, requires regular upkeep which means regular visits to your salon/spa for a wax
Other thoughts: This is my preferred facial hair removal method. I personally like the way a waxing feels...it's somewhat painful but also a bit cathartic. You will need to let the hair grow in a bit before going in for a wax. You may also want to exfoliate the area somewhat regularly before your waxing appointment to deter ingrown hairs. You might experience some redness, swelling, or tenderness immediately after a waxing. (If you're in the Seattle/Everett, WA area, the Mill Creek InSpa does excellent waxing and I've rarely had to deal with post-waxing redness after an appointment!)

PERMANENT MEASURES
There are more permanent options for getting rid of unwanted hair. If you're interested in laser hair removal or electrolysis, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a professional. They should be honest about what you can expect, how much pain and money will be involved, and how many sessions you'll need to undergo.

For facial hair, I prefer waxing and tweezing. They seem to be the most easy and cost-effective. If anyone has any thoughts on this, go ahead and leave a comment!

OMFG

My husband and I were chilling the other night, watching the classiest of the classy tv shows...Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels...and we saw the funniest commercial. If you haven't seen the ad for the Schick Quattro TrimStyle for Women, check it out below.

Watch the bushes and enjoy the subtly of this ad.

I've read that people find it to be offensive. I think it's kinda funny. What say you?

Hairy Situation

Men and women have one thing in common when it comes to the world beauty: we all need to shave various parts of our body.

According to a recent survey conducted by King of Shaves…

• 70% of men shave before a date; 10% of men will only shave if it is a first date.
  
• 47% of men would like their girlfriends to shave her legs everyday.
  
• 64% of women shave their legs before a date.
• 71% of women prefer men to be clean shaven; only 7% of women admitted to preferring facial hair on men.
  
• 70% of women complained that men’s (husband/boyfriend) facial hair has irritated their face at one point.
  
• 64% of women have used men’s shaving products; 64% of women did not like men’s shaving products and prefer using shaving products for women.

Here are my thoughts:

• I prefer my man to be clean shaven. And he usually is. However, this year, my husband's been growing out his facial hair, which is tough for him. He's not a hairy guy, but he wants to see if he can get the Lemmy look. Here's Lemmy (from Motorhead) and his fabulous facial hair--and below Lemmy is super hottie Peter Steele sporting his own unique facial hair--also an inspiration for my husband's 2009 look. The facial hair grow out has been fun, and I'm all for a little experimentation! It's going to be weird once he shaves it off.
• When it comes to shaving my legs, I am terrible! In the summer I'm much more diligent, but during colder months? Forget it...I can't be bothered. Thankfully, I'm a married lady and my husband doesn't mind.

What are your thoughts on shaving?

Be Kind To Yourself

Holy guacamole! It's been a hell of a week and it's only Tuesday. This is not a good sign for me, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

Now that the holidays are over, all we're left with is the residual signs of excess: debt from buying too many gifts, extra pounds from all the yummy things we snarfed down, and a feeling of exhaustion from all the get-togethers and now getting back into the swing of things at work. In my humble opinion, January sucks. Sure we have the whole fresh start with a new year, but once we're a week or two into the month, we get into the wintertime blahs.

My advice for all this: Be kind to yourself, now more than ever. How? Well, here are some things I do:

• Pamper yourself with a mid-winter pedicure. Even though no one will see your perfectly painted toenails, you'll feel better. And looking down to see 10 lovely bright red toenails will lift your spirits. Plus your heels will feel softer and smoother. Good stuff.
• Go for a brow wax. There's something so cathartic about having my brows waxed. I love the way it feels, as sick as that may sound. But what's better than having my stray eyebrow hairs yanked out of my face is the way a brow wax looks. It's subtle, but having cleaned up, professional shaped brows does wonders for your looks. Plus it's relatively cheap and quick.
  
• Give yourself an at-home facial. If you have a microdermabrasion kit, use it. If not, head down to the drugstore and pick up a fun, inexpensive face mask. Slather it all over your skin, lie down on your bed and relax for 15 minutes. Your skin will look better and you'll feel more rested. Don't forget to apply a decent moisturizer and lip balm once you're done.
• Take a bubble bath. We just celebrated National Bubble Bath day last week...if you weren't able to participate, go ahead and indulge whenever you get the chance. You deserve 30 minutes to an hour of alone time, and bubble baths force you to turn off the TV, hang up the cell phone, and step away from the computer.
  
• Shave your legs. During the winter, I don't shave my legs as often as I do in the winter. Sometimes I forget about it completely for far too long. My husband doesn't complain, but there comes a point where I get downright irritated with my hairy legs. I take time to shave my legs, making sure not to miss any patches. And I follow up a shave with a whole hell of a lot of moisturizer, especially in the winter. It feels so good to have smooth, satiny legs!
• Start each day with a wonderful body moisturizer. Instead of applying perfume, try using a scented body moisturizer. Doing so will provide double duty: your skin will be soft and touchable, and you'll smell great. No one else may notice, but that's ok. You'll know you spent a few minutes in the morning lavishing attention on yourself...and there's nothing wrong with that.

If you don't take the time to be kind to yourself, no one else will. You have to treat yourself the way you want to be treated.

These are just my suggestions. What do you do to pamper yourself when you need a little TLC? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Beauty for Boys

This holiday season, don't forget to pick up a personal care product for the men in your life. Men may not admit it, but they like to be pampered just as much as we do...and unlike us girls, they don't always buy themselves anything nice.

Here are a few of my favorite men's products you should check out:

• Sephora Brand Scent Sampler Best Sellers for Him, $50. If your guy thinks that Old Spice is the best he can do for a fragrance, maybe he needs to have his horizons broadened. This kit includes deluxe trial sizes of the ten best selling scents for men. Once your man picks the fragrance that suits him best, he returns to Sephora with the included gift certificate for a full sized bottle of his favorite scent. Nice! (They have this for women, too!)
• GoSmile Smile Whitening Kit, $89. I tried a sample of this product and was instantly impressed. Brighten up the smile of the man in your life with this high-tech tooth whitening set.
• Clinique's 3-Step Face Care for Men (prices vary). Men need to take care of their skin just as much as we do. Clinique's famous 3-step skin care system for men will encourage your guy to wash, tone, and moisturize. Since men are more likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer, be sure to pick up the moisturizer with SPF to protect his skin.
• Ear/Nose Trimmer, $15. Hey, we're all humans...we get hair growing in the strangest of places. It may seem like a weird gift, but an ear/nose trimmer for men is a must-have!
• Korres Absinthe Shave Cream. This product is tough to get in the USA and I have no idea why. I got it a few years back for my husband and he loved it. If you like in Europe, pick up this product immediately! Its pricey, but its creamy and gives men a great shave. My husband was very happy with this product! (Hey Sephora! You used to stock this...please bring it back!)

There you have it. My top picks for guys. If you have a fave, leave me a comment!

Who Wears Short Shorts?

The warm weather is finally here and that means it's time for flirty skirts, practical capris, and comfy shorts. All of these require smooth, hair-free legs. Shaving your legs is a necessity in the warmer days...and though we all do it, we're not all doing it RIGHT. Here are some tips for beautiful, naked legs, courtesy of Cosmopolitan.

1. Soften Your Skin

Scrub up. For smooth stems, wash with a gentle exfoliating body scrub. Look for one that has moisturizing oils to prevent dryness and flaking.

Banish bumps. Get rid of any small red bumps on your thighs with a daily dose of Lac-Hydrin cream, says Jeannette Graf, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. Its lactic acids dissolve prickly patches fast. Get one with 2.5 to 3 percent formulas over the counter and stronger ones by prescription.

Reduce jiggle. Coat your legs with a firming body lotion (it'll call this out on the package). These formulas contain ingredients like caffeine and seaweed extract that temporarily tighten the skin.

2. Go for Bare

Upgrade your razor. The best way to shave, says Cindy Barshop, founder of Completely Bare Spas in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, is with a four-blade razor. "It cuts hairs in a single pass so you don't have to drag the blade over your skin repeatedly."

Keep it steamy. Most of us grab the razor in the shower and get right to work. "But it's better to save shaving for last," says Dr. Graf. "The steam softens the hair, so removal is much easier." For the best technique, experts say to hold skin taut and shave in the opposite direction of hair growth. When tackling sensitive areas, like the bikini line, go with the grain to avoid ingrowns, advises Dr. Graf.

Lather with the right stuff. Shaving creams with lubricating ingredients, like silicone, oil, and cellulosic gum, can help ward off annoying redness and irritation since they soften the hair and allow the razor to glide right over your skin, says Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetics chemist in Fairfield, New Jersey. Scan product labels to find these smoothers.

Wax with less wincing. If you have the patience and the pain threshold, consider waxing your legs. "You're uprooting the hair from the follicle, as opposed to shaving it off at the surface, so it keeps you bare for a few weeks rather than just a few days," says Ann Marie Cilmi, director of education and development for Bliss. (Note: Ripping off an entire stretch of hair is pure torture. Try working on small sections at a time with precoated strips)

Treat ingrowns. Despite your best efforts, ingrowns might still happen — especially if you have coarse, curly hair. Don't pick at them; just massage the area with a cotton ball soaked in a glycolic and salicylic-acid face cleanser. "This sloughs the skin's top layer, opening the follicle so the hair can pass through," says Dr. Graf.


3. Add Some Shimmer

Enhance your base. If your legs are crypt-keeper pale, warm them up with a gradual self-tanner. "Ingredients in the cream react with the skin's amino acids to produce natural-looking brown pigments," says Dr. Graf. Your tone should peak in five to seven days; afterward, apply the lotion every other day to maintain your gleam.

Get a quick glow. If you want a tanned look this second, your best bet is a bronzing oil that you can swipe on before going out at night. The effects only stick around until your next shower though. For something with more staying power, try a mousse or towelette with sunless tanner: Both stain the legs a beachy, golden tint, and the color lasts about a week. You can choose from multiple hues to match your skin tone, and the products are easier to apply evenly than sprays, which can streak all over the place, says Jim Hammer, a cosmetics chemist in Easton, Massachusetts.

Put on the gloves. Before sweeping yourself with a towelette or mousse, pull on Latex rubber gloves. "That way, your hands won't soak up the color molecules meant for your legs," says Barshop. Just make sure your stems are not damp or greasy from any lotion, which can block the self-tanner from absorbing fully.

Use broad strokes. Spread the product from the tops of your ankles to just below your knees, with uniform swipes in all directions. Next, focus on your thighs, using a mirror to keep your backside in sight. For knees, dilute the tanner with moisturizer to ensure the dry skin there doesn't turn too dark. "You don't want to look like you're wearing knee pads," warns Barshop. Also, skip spots where the sun don't shine. "A tanned heel or sole is a dead giveaway," says Susie Hatton of Chocolate Sun, a sunless salon in Santa Monica, California.

Erase any streaks. If you end up with a few orange smudges, don't panic. "A quick shower should fade them away," says Joanne Gair, a makeup artist and celeb body painter. "If not, add a cup of milk to the bath," says Hatton. "The lactic acids should take down the color." If ankles are your only problem, buff away marks with the fine side of an emery board or lighten them up with a bit of cream bleach left on for two to three minutes, says Dr. Graf.

4. Get a Flawless Finish

Outsmart dimples. There's no magic cure for cellulite, but derms agree that lotions with caffeinated ingredients (like coffee, guarana, and tea) can boost circulation and reduce puckering temporarily. Another idea: Take a natural-bristle dry body brush and, starting at your ankles, rub upward, says Chantal Sanders, director of spa and boutique development for Clarins. This stimulates lymphatic drainage, which may ease puffiness. (You can also lay off the salt.)

5. Make Your Toes Pretty

Trim and file. Cut toenails straight across, and file away sharp corners, being careful not to round the edges, which can "cause the nail to grow into the surrounding skin," warns Dr. Graf.

Prime the skin. Buff away any calluses and rough spots with a pumice stone, then apply a smoothing foot scrub, suggests Julie Serquinia, owner of Paint Shop Beverly Hills nail salon.

Soak it up. Push back your cuticles with a damp washcloth and rub in moisturizer and cuticle oil, letting them sink in for a minute or two. Wipe off any greasy residue that is left behind.

Paint it on. Apply a base coat and two layers of polish. The hottest spring shades bright, punchy colors like hot pink and purple.

Every Man Jack for Valentine's Day

If you've read my blog for awhile, you no doubt know that I love Target. And there's no shame in buying beauty products from the big-box retailer. In fact, Target has been stocking their shelves with more and more interesting bath and beauty products lately. One fun line of products is just for men and I've mentioned them before: Every Man Jack.

Every Man Jack products are very cool looking. Their square bars of soap look like wood, and all of their products have a decidedly masculine, wood-grain packaging design. For Valentine's Day, they have assembled their best selling products in a special gift box. The box is available online from everymanjack.com for $16. The individual products are also for sale separately at Target and include:

• EMJ Body Bars in Cedarwood: Neatly boxed together, Every Man Jack's three bars of soap look as good as they smell. The Cedarwood scent is very masculine, but the aroma isn't overpowering and doesn't linger. Store these bars in your dresser drawers and your clothes will smell amazing!
• EMJ Body Wash in Cedarwood: If you prefer a liquid soap to the bar soap, you'll enjoy this product. You get the same great Cedarwood scent in luscious body wash form.
• EMJ Shave Gel: Ladies, you'll want to steal this unscented, dye-free shave gel for yourself! I personally love that it doesn't contain any dyes. My women's shave gel has a pretty nasty, very fake blue dye that makes my gel messy and scary looking. Not this stuff! It's a pleasure to use, and the added Vitamin E leaves skin smooth. Nice for him AND for you!
• EMJ Face Cream: After your man shaves, he'll need to moisturize his skin. This face cream is also fragrance free and dye free, so it won't irritate his sensitive skin.

Men love being pampered, so EMJ products are perfect for Valentine's Day. The price is right, and you'll enjoy these products just as much as he will!

no!no! Yes! Yes!

Do any of you remember the EpiLady? It came out in the late 80s. I think we had one in our house--it was this hair removing device that had metal coils that painfully ripped the hair out of your skin. Because of its "revolutionary" design using theEpiLady resulted in (along with an unbearable amount of agony) smooth skin that remained hair-free longer than if you shaved. Though we had one, I never used it. It scared me.

I bring up the EpiLady because there is a brand new "revolutionary" hair removal product on the market (available exclusively at Sephora): the no! no! by nono (how annoying is that?). Available in three colors, the no! no! promises "hair density reduction at home, with no mess, no cuts, no burns, and no noise." It uses some brand-spanking new technology called Thermicon which uses gentle pulses of heat to remove hair. How does this work? Heat, but no burning, to remove hair? Consider me skeptical.

Here's what Sephora has to say about it "... a thermodynamic wire transmits the heat to the hair. This patented wire and built-in safety mechanisms has allowed for the adaptation of professional hair removal technology into a home use product. There's no pain, you don't have to wait for hair to grow long in order to remove it, and there is no skin irritation like in-grown hairs, red pimples, or rashes to cover up. no!no! is a treatment process for hair reduction and not a miracle cure for unwanted hair. Like any professional hair treatment, it takes time and dedication to achieve your desired results. The same holds true for the revolutionary no!no! hair removal system; with all the right moves, stubble-free, super smooth skin will be yours. Be sure to follow the directions closely for the safest, most effective results. No!no! is not recommended for use on the face. Additionally, the thermal heat signal destroys the hair, which is characterized by odor. Use the buffer to remove residue and maximize smoothness, then shower or bathe and follow with body moisturizer."

Hmm...sounds a little scary. At home sorta, kinda, not really electrolysis? Eek. While the idea sounds fabulous (hair "density reduction" at home, in private), I wonder how it works in the long run, if it damages your skin/hair, and if there are any other weird side effects that are either not yet known or not yet disclosed. I'll have to pay attention to see if any research comes out on this product. Since it costs $250, I don't think I'll hurry over to Sephora to try it out for you anytime soon!