Get perfect pins to be proud of with our top leg-toning exercises and leg-enhancing beauty tricks. We've got the only five tips you need to get legs to rival Angelina Jolie so take note and then prepare to bare, ladies!
Leg-beautifying exercises
The first step to perfect pins is toning them up. Perfectly smooth, moisturised legs probably look great but perfectly smooth, moisturised and toned legs will look even better. The best way to achieve this? Squats, leg lifts and good old fashioned walking.
What and how?
Squats - for hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings
Place your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart with your feet facing forward and extend your arms out in front of you with your palms to the ground. Inhale into your stomach and start moving your hips back while slowly bending your knees. As your bottom sticks out, make sure you keep a straight back with your shoulders upright. Exhale as you reach the ground and then rise up again, using the strength of your legs and core to support you.
Leg lifts - for mainly the thighs and bum
Lay down on your right side on top of an exercise mat or carpeted surface and rest your right elbow on the ground. Take a deep breath and then exhale as you move your left leg up towards the sky as high as you can. Repeat on your other side and do two sets per day for optimum results.
Walking - for inner and outer thighs and fat burning
Walking is the perfect leg toning exercise if you favour cardiovascular work over strength training. For maximum results, walk up a hill or another inclining surface - this will boost your metabolism, burn fat and tone your thighs.
Exfoliate and de-fuzz
Before you start your hair removal regime, remember to exfoliate first. While you take a bath or shower, apply an exfoliating leg scrub (or mix sugar and olive oil together for a natural, purse-friendly option) and scrub your skin in a circular motion. Do this in the bath or shower to open your pores and sloth off dead skin cells before carrying out your hair removal regime - this minimises the risk of in-growing hairs. Say hello to smooth, sexy legs!
Tackle cellulite
Cellulite manifests itself onto the pins of even the skinniest catwalk models and experts say that around 90% of us have it (lucky 10%!). The 'orange peel' effect is caused by fat deposits just below the surface of our skin, causing the skin's surface to appear dimply and uneven. The gold standard treatment for getting rid of cellulite? Dry body brushing. By sweeping over your skin up towards your heart with a firm body brush on a daily basis, you stimulate the lymphatic system to disperse the fatty pockets built up under the skin. This takes dedication as you will need to repeat your body brushing routine daily but the result is soft legs with less dimples. Resistance training and cardio workouts are great exercises to blast the cellulite if you decide to go down the training route or - if you're looking for a quick temporary fix - fake tan can dramatically reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Moisturise
After all of that exfoliating, hair-removing and dry body-brushing, the next step on our road to perfect pins is of course moisturisation. We don't just mean you should slap some moisturiser on and call it a day - invest in a good body oil to apply while you're showering or bathing as this will give your legs a much needed moisture-boost. Once you've finished showering, pat your legs dry and apply a moisturiser that's right for your skin type. By applying your moisturiser when your legs are still slightly damp, it's easier for the lotion to sink in.
Natural-looking tan
There's no doubting that a bronzed glow can make you feel healthier, sexier and thinner and what better way to achieve this look than with a fake tan? Not only are UV rays harmful to your skin, a natural tan from the sun can also be a time-consuming process. Instead, use a fake tan such as the Dove Summer Glow build-up moisturiser. This keeps your legs hydrated and smooth while covering minor imperfections and adding a sun-kissed glow to your pins. Beautiful!
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