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Legs
Secrets of Beautiful Legs
Legs
Every woman wishes for legs which are long, lean and shapely ,
true beauty- especially as fashion now allows more and more leg
to be exposed. Not so very long ago even a glimpse of ankle
was considered shocking! Today's emphasis on revealing
rather than concealing the body shape means that a good pair of
legs are high on the list of desirable beauty assets!
There's not much you can do about the length or basic shape of
your legs. These are largely dictated by the muscles of your
thighs and calves. Bone structure, too, plays a part; and it is
this which is responsible for any tendency towards knock knees
or bow-legs -neither of which can be remedied after
adolescence. Furthermore, women's legs are more rounded than
men's due to the natural accumulation of underlying fat,
especially on the upper thighs.
To some degree, exercise can improve the shape of thighs and
calves, by firming and toning the muscles. If results from
regular exercise are slow to show on thighs, passive exercise
machines can often be effective; and a combination of both is
even more effective. Exercise with weights can also be helpful,
especially in achieving better muscular definition. However,
because there is a technique in this type of exercise, it's
best to learn it from an expert, so enquire at a local gym or
health club for details if you are interested.
When leg shape is marred by overweight, a combination of
regular exercise and a slimming diet will soon show results;
although it is a fact that the thighs in particular are very
resistant to both weight and inch loss. However, persistence
will pay offintheend!
Some sports are especially good for improving leg shape and
muscle tone: swimming is one; and cycling - whether on the
road, on a static 'exercise' bike or flat on your back with
your legs in the air - is another. Jumping, running, jogging
and even walking will also help shape up your legs, especially
if practised regularly and often.
What you can't improve - disguise! Choose your tights to
camouflage legs which aren't all you'd like them to be. Darker
shades slim successfully - wear them if your legs are thick or
heavy. Lighter shades and heavy-textured tights enlarge - use
them to make legs look plumper.
Whatever their shape, legs look better if skin is sleek and
glossy. When you don't wear tights, do smooth on body oil or
lotion to give a sheen. For evenings, try a shimmering body
cream, very flattering with split skirts or strappy sandals. If
you're lucky enough to have slender ankles, add a fine gold or
silver chain to flaunt your good fortune! For a touch of
colour, try a fake tan, but do take time toapply it carefully
and evenly or you'll get a very patchy and unnatural-looking
finish. Tanned legs always look slimmer and skin that's got a
shine on looks sleeker and smoother, too, so make the most of
the summer sunshine to achieve a natural suntan as well.
Keeping legs looking silky is easy: start at bath-time, by
keeping rough, hard skin at bay with a loofah, massage glove or
epidermabrasive sponge. Pay special attention to knees and
backs of heels, where a thicker layer of dead skin accumulates.
Here and elsewhere it's worth using a face mask (yes really!)
once in a while to slough off dull, dead surface skin. You
could also use an exfoliative body cleanser once or twice a
week to speed up the skin's natural shedding cycle and leave
legs soft and silky. (Save this treatment for winter, however -
if your legs are tanned you'll be shedding your sun-tan
too!)
After your bath, always apply hand or body lotion to legs
whilst your skin is still warm. Use firm upward strokes to
improve circulation and smooth skin contours.
If you want your legs to look really good, keep them free of
hair. Waxing or cream depilation will give longer-lasting and
smoother results than shaving - although shaving is quicker and
cheaper. If you don't want to start on the self-perpetuating
process of removing unwanted leg hair, or if your hairs are
fine and light already, you could consider bleaching. This will
make the hairs less noticeable, although your legs won't be
quite so smooth to the touch.
by -
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