STRAWBERRY legs are summer’s worst nightmare, with many beauty fans feeling trumped by the dermatological issue.
Small red dots on the skin can cramp anyone’s style, but my tips help.
I’ve dealt with strawberry skin, but thankfully have found my way out so I can enjoy wearing clothes that expose my arms or legs.
The actual name of the condition is keratosis pilaris.
It occurs when pore on the skin can get clogged or hairs can get trapped under the skin, causing inflammation.
The redness caused by the irritants is what causes the dreaded strawberry skin.
Having struggled with the skin issue myself, I found that a few tips will get a close — and smooth — shave.
First, I use an ingredient that many people keep in their kitchen — coconut oil.
After getting my legs damp with hot water and exfoliating thoroughly with unscented castile soap and a sea sponge, I shave them using the oil.
However, it is important not to let the oil run down the drain, but rather to wipe it off with a paper towel or other clean material that isn’t going down the pipes.
Coconut oil hardens if it’s not heated to a certain temperature, which can cause plumbing issues.
The result is super smooth legs that feel hydrated and silky soft.
If I am in a time crunch and don’t have time for the paper towel process, I prefer to splurge on a nourishing shaving product.
Brazilian Bare Original Vanilla Shave Syrup is available from Target for $12.99.
Strawberry skin is a dermatological condition called keratosis pilaris.
The condition causes small bumps filled with debris such as trapped hairs or sebum on the body.
The clogged pores occur on hair follicles and can give the skin an unsightly appearance resembling strawberry seeds.
Next, do avoid missed spots, I make sure to get my legs into natural light and spray any stragglers with food grade orange blossom water and shave the missed hairs.
Rose water also does the trick if there’s no orange blossom water on hand.
As a hydrosol, either waters will have less potential of being irritating on the skin.
It’s essential to avoid irritants that can cause strawberry skin in the first place.
For example, I realized I had more issues with strawberry skin on my arms and legs if I spent a little too much time in my tight gym clothes after a workout.
The friction from the fabric on the skin, combined with sweat, is a recipe for disaster.
Second, I swear by a Sephora purchase for situations requiring the big guns.
I use First Aid Beauty’s KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA, $30.
I typically get the product for free by using Sephora points or promotions.
The alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) in the body scrub is a powerful way to exfoliate the little bumps.
Since I tackled the core issue of keratosis pilaris, I find that a little of the product goes a long way.
Keeping myself away from strawberry skin triggers, such as immediately going home after a workout to shower and change, has transformed my arms and legs.
