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"Summer means getting to wear dresses, skirts, and shorts (exciting!), but with your breezy new wardrobe comes the often-dreaded task of\u00A0a regular shaving routine. A quick flick of a razor in the shower wouldn&amp;#39;t be such a big deal if it weren&amp;#39;t for the hard-to-ignore side effects\u2014little cuts, rash-like irritation, and annoying red bumps can be a hazard of the job. To avoid these shaving faux pas, Venus&amp;#39;s go-to dermatologist Jody Levine, M.D., is revealing the five can&amp;#39;t-skip\u00A0expert tricks that make the difference between a bad shave and the silky smooth legs of your dreams.\u00A0They&amp;#39;ll thank you later!\n\nBanish the burn.\n\n &amp;quot;Razor burn is a temporary skin irritation caused by shaving,&amp;quot; explains Levine. &amp;quot;It first appears as a slight red rash, and it can also develop into itchy, inflamed bumps right around the hair follicle.&amp;quot; The main cause? &amp;quot;Shaving too forcefully or pushing down on the skin with a dull blade.&amp;quot; And the razor you&amp;#39;re using makes a difference\u2014Levine recommends something with five blades,\u00A0like the Venus Embrace. &amp;quot;Some people think that seems scary, but more blades actually means less likelihood of nicks and cuts because the blades are spaced more closely together.&amp;quot; Luckily if you already have razor burn, all is not lost. Levine advises to &amp;quot;rinse the area with cool water and stay away from any products that contain alcohol, which can further irritate the skin. If the rash is still very irritated, use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream for a few days to help calm the redness and itching.&amp;quot;\n\nPrevent ingrowns with a little prep.\n\n &amp;quot;An ingrown hair is one that doesn&amp;#39;t grow sufficiently out of its follicle opening and continues to grow underneath the surface of the skin. This can be caused by the angle of hair growth or by excess dead skin in the area,&amp;quot; Levine notes. They feel annoying and they definitely don&amp;#39;t look cute, so you&amp;#39;ve got to take action. &amp;quot;Regular, gentle eoliation will help to remove and reduce any flaky skin around the hair follicle opening and can begin to release any in-growing hairs. If the ingrown doesn&amp;#39;t go away, or it becomes painful, you&amp;#39;ll need to see your doctor to treat it. A benzoyl peroxide wash, an antibiotic lotion, and a mild hydrocortisone cream are all possible treatments that your doctor may recommend.&amp;quot;\n\nDon&amp;#39;t skip the shaving cream.\n\n &amp;quot;Unless you&amp;#39;re using a two-in-one razor with built-in gel, like the Venus &amp;amp; Olay razor, then you should use shaving cream. It helps the razor glide over your skin, softens hairs making them easier to shave, and it&amp;#39;s a good visual to see where you&amp;#39;ve already shaved and where you may have missed.&amp;quot; But we can all DIY it with whatever we have on hand, right? Not so fast.\u00A0&amp;quot;While body wash, shampoo, or conditioner may seem like a good substitute, especially if you&amp;#39;re in a pinch, I wouldn&amp;#39;t recommend using them. Even ordinary bar soap can clog the razor and cause dryness and flaking of the skin.&amp;quot;\n\nTiming is everything.\n\n &amp;quot;After you get in the shower, wait at least two to three minutes before shaving. This will ensure that the hair is hydrated, making it significantly softer and easier to remove. It also reduces the feeling of tugging and pulling\u00A0on the hair during shaving.&amp;quot; Our advice?\u00A0Spend those first few minutes washing your face, shampooing your hair, and putting in your conditioner\u2014then leave it in while you&amp;#39;re shaving for extra absorption time.\n\nKeep your movements short and sweet.\n\n &amp;quot;One mistake lots of people make is taking long strokes, going all the way from your ankle to your knee.&amp;quot; (Raise your hand if you thought this is what you&amp;#39;re supposed to do. Yeah, us too.)\u00A0&amp;quot;It actually works best to shave in smaller strokes without pushing too hard. If you feel the need to push hard to get a closer shave, then it&amp;#39;s probably time to switch your blade refill.&amp;quot;\n\nThere you have it. Smooth moves for a super gentle shave!"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.teenvogue.com/story/shaving-tips-for-smooth-skin>