How to avoid nicks, ingrown hairs & irritation
Shaving first became popular during World War II when nylon stockings were in short supply & bare legs became a trend that has yet to cease.

Today, more & more women are turning to waxing, however, shaving remains the least expensive form of hair removal. Here are some  tips & tricks to ensure you're doing it the right way & cutting down on the nicks & irritation so common to shaved skin.

1. The trick to shaving is to wet your skin & let it soften from the heat & moisture. You don't want to shave dry skin. Shaving is a natural exfoliator & you'll clog up the razor with dead skin while putting yourself at risk for nicks.

2.You are going to have to experiment with razors until you find the perfect one for you. Ask your friends for recommendations & look for a razor with lubricated strips, pivoting heads & spring-mouonted multiple blades. I've sampled several types & varieties & was amazed at how different each feels. My favorite? The Gillette Venus razor. Another great & new bet: Schick Quattro for Women, which has 4 super-thin blades & a pivoting head.

3. Be sure to change razors or cartridges on a regular basis, a dull blade can lead to nicks. Also, whatever you do, don't borrow your guy's razor. His hair is coarser & will dull a blade. (Plus, don't men typically hate it when women borrow razors?)

4. Be sure to exfoliate your skin before shaving. It gets rid of all the dead skin cells that could clog up your razor, preventing a close shave.

5. Since your leg hairs grow down, you'll want to start at your ankles & shave up. For your underarms, you'll need to shave in every direction since the hair there grows every which way. 7. When finished, apply oil or moisturizer. The skin on your legs have few oil glands & has a tendency for dryness.

6. Ingrown hairs are caused when the hairs curl back under the skin. Avoid ingrowns by exfoliating daily & using a glycolic acid body lotion.

7. If you have a chronic case of ingrown hairs, try Trend Skin, an over-the-counter lotion for ingrown hairs, applying it in the morning and at night. The bumps should disappear within a couple days.

8. Consider opting for waxing, at least on your legs. You'll find that if you have coarser hair, it won't grow back as fast.

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