As temperatures rise, it’s time to focus on your two glorious summer attributes… your legs.
As spring finally gives way to summer this month, it’s officially time to reveal to the world that set of stems you’ve been wrapping in denim or lycra for most of the year. Swapping ankle-grazing hemlines for leg-baring looks is all about preparation, which is why we’ve put together your DIY guide to polish, hydrating, conditioning and protecting your beautiful legs for a season in the sun.
Here are our fave remedies for helping your legs live their best life this summer:
Polish to Perfection
Dryer times leave your legs dull and ravaged of moisture, making circulation-boosting exfoliation the key to bringing life back to your lower half. Scrub away dead skin cells with a nourishing salt scrub, or pair your favourite body wash with a sisal bath brush to slough off dull spots while encouraging blood flow—a must for maintaining youthful skin long-term.
We love this simple DIY Mint Scrub
1/2 cup ocean salt
1 tbsp lemon juice.
2-4 tbsp coconut, macadamia or peanut oil.
2 tsp chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
10-15 drops lemon+mint essential oil
Elevate Your Routine
Toss your razor and use an electric epilator for effortless hair removal—designed specifically to minimize irritation and ingrown hairs. If the razor is your go-to, use nourishing neroli oil that acts as an equally modern alternative to notoriously drying shave foam, replenishing skin with vitamins and fatty acids as it allows the blades to safely glide across the surface. Alternatively, you can give a go to our DIY natural sugar-based wax:
Natural Sugar Wax
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (recipe will work without but better for skin to include)
⅓ cup water
2 cups organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons honey (it adds flexibility to the wax)
How to make it:
Put the lemon juice and water in a medium-sized pan on the stove at medium heat for a few minutes.
Add the sugar and honey and stir with a wooden spoon. Turn up the heat to high.
When the mixture gets bubbly, reduce the heat back to medium and continue to stir. IMPORTANT: You must continue to stir, otherwise the mixture will harden and become useless.
For another 5 minutes or so, cook at medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes smooth and golden in colour, remove from the heat.
Test a spoonful of the mixture by placing it in the fridge. Let it cool and then check its consistency. If thick and tacky, job well done! If not, put the pot back on the stove for a few more minutes at medium heat, again stirring the whole time. If the mixture is deemed ready, let the pot cool for 30 minutes and transfer to a stainless-steel bowl.
Sun-kissed & Protected
There’s a reason chic French visionaries like Coco Chanel and Josephine Baker popularised the suntan—a bronze glow has the ability to hide imperfections and sculpt limbs, especially when it doesn’t come at the cost of aging UV rays. With an organic gradual tanning product, you can build that flattering shade of colour at a believable rate. We liked Sonia Eco Tan Cacao Tanning Mousse formula—natural and very promising.
However, if you’re like me and love walking to the beach to enjoy that natural golden tan DO NOT forget to protect your legs. They may seem to burn at a slower rate than your face and neck but get serious — the most common place for melanoma on women is their legs. And if that doesn’t scare you straight, the photodamage from extended sessions of unprotected sun should—cos no one’s trying to rush into crepe-y knees and sunspots faster than they’re fated.
Create Comfort
Do you know that feeling of tired and swollen legs on a hot day or after being walking on your thongs for a long time under the sun? Well, we’ve got a marvelous remedy that helps relieving the sensation of heavy and tired legs, providing an intense feeling of well-being and lightness.
Essential oils of rosemary, cypress and juniper are powerful energy boosters and blood flow reactivators, and mint adds that refreshing and toning feeling for a comprehensive wellness spa-like treatment for your tired legs. The formula is based in vegetable oils that also provide moisturisation, nourishment and extra regeneration for complete skin care.
Apply with upward movements from your feet to your hips, massaging it on your ankles, calves and thighs. In a bottle of 100 ml add the following ingredients and shaken thoroughly until it’s all well blended.
Comfort legs blend
95 ml Apricot kernel, Hazelnut or Jojoba oil
1 ml Rosemary (21 drops aprox)
1 ml Cypress
0.5 ml Juniper
0.5 ml Mint
1 ml Lemon
1 ml Grapefruit
Bonus: you can go further in your spa-like journey and add up any of our delightful remedies from our previous blog post Off On The Right Foot.
Now go and give your fabulous legs the best summer life!
Nourish your body with natural potions,
Sonia x