Treatments and products to prepare your legs for warmer weather

Young woman relaxing on hammock on tropical island — Getty

As the weather warms up and we begin gallivanting around from festival to garden party, we will be left with little choice but to give our legs a moment to breathe. Once the thermostat slinks past 80, showing off your gams is no longer a choice but an imperative. Sometimes, after watching the “Gilded Age” on HBO, I fantasize about a time when a long silk day dress was de riguer and showing your legs wasn’t even an option. Then I remember the corset and bustle required with said dresses and am thankful for the freedom of today’s fashion!

Now back to the legs! It feels exciting to break free from the confines of restrictive blue jeans while at the same time full of anxiety provoking questions. Will my legs be pale? Undoubtedly, yes. Are my legs toned? Arguably, no. Do I have visible cellulite? Yes. Do I care? No. Should I care? Argh! Let’s not aim for perfection here, because it doesn’t exist, and frankly, it’s boring. Let’s just pick one or maybe even two things to get our legs “show ready.” To hell with any other internal criticisms or societal pressures. Below I visit the most common concerns:

COLOR:

Spray Tan:

My legs have always been pale. In middle school a “friend” (you know who you are, Joe) even gave them a nickname (I won’t dare mention) for how pale they were. So, addressing the hue of my legs is of decent priority to me come spring/summer. Spray tans are a great short-term solution. Kristi Walker of Tanistry Spray Tans will come to you for a full body spray down or you can get the glow at her in-store Metairie location. She consults clients on their expectations in advance, keeping in mind their ideal color, but also accounting for their natural skin tone. Next, she creates a customized shade (paraben & sulfate free) just for you that lasts up to 10 days (if you don’t get wet).

Le Visage Day Spa also offers a custom spray tan at their uptown salon. Marlen Almendares, their in-house skin and beauty guru (it took me 3 months to get a facial with her) recommends booking the full body exfoliation treatment followed by a hand applied organic tanning lotion. It takes a little longer for the lotion application versus the spray, but results are worth it!

Store Bought:

If you want to go the DIY route, Tan-Luxe is a great option. This brand offers a water spritz, oil or lotion to get the sun-kissed glow. The oil-based formulas are packed with moisturizing and toning ingredients like Raspberry Seed Oil, Vitamin E, and Aloe Vera, plus Caffeine-rich Cellutone Complex. The water infused option boasts vitamins B, C, and E, plus raspberry oil and aloe vera. And, it is clear and odorless to boot!

CELLULITE:

Almost everyone has cellulite. I have made peace with mine but then again Joe never made up a nickname about it. If you are one of the many women who find it bothersome, things are looking up for you! Top dermatologists around town have several ways to help. For example, Pure Dermatology suggests a customized plan to suit your specific problem areas and concerns. You can opt for one or a combination of therapies that include Profound RF, Sculptra Aesthetic injection and Qwo. The newly FDA approved Qwo is an injectable treatment (recommended for the buttock and posterior thighs) spread across 3 appointments, 21 days apart. The Sculptra Aesthetic is another injectable option that works on cellulite in 3 ways by: releasing fibrous bands, redistributing fat cells and stimulating the growth of new collagen. Lastly, the Profound RF uses radiofrequency with a micro needling delivery system to address sagging skin and cellulite.

DRY SKIN:

What’s the point of a good tan if you are flaky and dry? Britney Lee, an aesthetician at H20 Salon and Spa recommends using the Spa Ritual exfoliator followed by PCA moisturizing for several weeks in advance of baring your legs or getting a spray tan. There are also peels. Gena Taranto, RN at New Orleans Center for Aesthetics Plastic Surgery recommends doing the VI Peel for glowing gams. She says, “The peel will help scarring, sun damage, hyper pigmentation and even stretch marks!”

If you are a die-hard clean beauty consumer, the Malaya Body Polish and Ageless Body Serum by Holi Nateur are both great options and available at Vibrant Market. The Full Moon Rose Body Oil at the Good Shop is a great hydrator as well.

SHAPE:

It’s not too late. You have time to tone your legs in 10 minutes a day! According to a Healthline article, simple things like walking and taking the stairs more often can help in a relatively short time. Adding indoor cycling and/or jump rope 5-10 minutes a day will also give your regular work out a quick boost in results.

Melissa Fuselier an Hour Blast instructor and group fitness trainer recommends reverse squats and curtsy lunge variations using a Vergali Resistance band. The non-slip, fabric bands are great for use at home or the gym. If you have access to a Pilates reformer, Melissa also recommends leg circles to really tone up the legs.