Many people with sensitive skin find that shaving their legs and armpits can leave their skin feeling sore and itchy.
If this sounds like you, you've come to the right place. Read on and discover expert tips for shaving your legs and armpits without aggravating sensitive skin.
Why are my legs so sensitive to shaving?
Do your arms and legs sting after you shave them? You could be sensitive to one of these ingredients commonly used in shaving foams or your technique may need refining.
When you wax or shave your legs, you remove some of the surface cells and oils that make up your skin barrier. This is your skin’s first layer of defence against dehydration and external irritants.
And that’s not the only way that shaving stresses out your skin barrier. Shaving products can contain potential irritants, like synthetic fragrances, drying ethanol alcohol and harsh foaming agents like SLS.
If your skin is sensitive to one of these ingredients, this may explain why you have sensitive legs after shaving.
Shaving too often or with a blunt razor could be another reason your legs and armpits feel sensitive after shaving.
Which is the best shaving gel for sensitive skin?
Experts in sensitive skin since 1997, at Green People we believe that a gentle shaving gel is key to helping your arms and legs feel less sensitive when you shave.
Our best gel for shaving sensitive legs is our Scent Free Shower Gel, which is dermatologically tested and clinically proven to be kind to sensitive skin.
Your go-to natural shaving gel for gently shaving sensitive arms and legs, this skin-kind shaving gel is entirely free from artificial fragrances, essential oils, drying alcohol and SLS.
Scent Free Shower Gel 200ml
Your go-to shower gel for gently cleansing sensitive skin
£17.00
As well as creating the perfect bubbles for using as a shaving gel, you can also use it in the shower or bath as an ultra-gentle body wash!
Here’s four reasons why it’s a such a good natural shaving gel for sensitive skin:
- Marshmallow Root helps form a protective barrier on the skin’s surface
- Soothing Aloe Vera washes a wave of calm over your skin
- Balancing Prebiotics give a protective skin barrier boost
- Skin-kind bubbles allow the razor to glide over your skin smoothly
- No SLS, drying alcohol or fragrance
If you prefer a scented shaving gel and your skin can tolerate essential oils, try our unisex Soothing Shaving Gel.
Green People for Men - No. 2 Soothing Wash & Shave Gel 100ml
Enjoy a closer shave with our 2-in-1 face wash and natural shaving gel
£18.50
“Never mind men . Ladies this prevents any chaffing or redness or soreness after shaving sensitive parts of you body.” Gemma H.
Shaving foams vs shaving gels
Typically, shaving products are available in two formats: shaving foams and gels. Both are designed to help razors cut hair smoothly close to the skin, but their formulations can differ.
Some shaving products feature the foaming agent SLS and synthetic fragrance. Instead of SLS, we make our organic shower gels suitable for sensitive skin by using Sodium Coco-Sulfate, derived from Coconut. This makes it a gentler choice for those shaving sensitive legs and armpits.
Shaving foams
- Help razors smoothly cut hair close to the skin
- Have a fluffy, foam consistency
- Quickly foam
- Often contain SLS
- May contain ingredients not suitable for sensitive skin
Shaving gels
- Help razors smoothly cut hair close to the skin
- Foam less than shaving foams
- Are more lubricating than shaving foams
- Have a cooling gel consistency
- Tend to be a gentler choice for sensitive skin
How to shave your legs when you have sensitive skin
Don’t put up with itchy legs after every shave. Enjoy a smooth shave without the sting with our 5-step guide to preventing sensitive skin after shaving.
1. SHOWER
Shower or bathe first and leave shaving your legs or armpits until last. The combination of water and steam will soften coarse hairs and prepare them for shaving. But don’t have the water too hot!
2. SMOOTH
Exfoliate the area you intend to shave with a gentle exfoliating mitt. A skin-kind way to smooth sensitive skin, this releases dead cells that may blunt your razor and helps prevent ingrown hairs.
3. SLIP
Rinse off the scrub and gently massage Scent Free Shower Gel or Soothing Shaving Gel into the skin until it forms a bubbly lather. Applying this will help the razor to glide effortlessly over the skin’s surface and reduce your risk of experiencing a shaving nick or rash.
4. SHAVE
Using smooth strokes and a good quality razor that is not blunt, shave towards the direction the hair is growing. Do not shave against the direction of hair growth, as this can irritate the skin, leading to shaving rash.
Frequently shaving over the same area also heightens your risk of irritation, so only shave each area once.
5. SOOTHE
Pat your skin dry with a soft towel, then restore hydration by applying a soothing body lotion or oil.
The best body lotion for sensitive legs after shaving
Say goodbye to dry snakeskin legs! This is the moisturiser for sensitive legs that our experts swear by for silky skin softness.
Comfort dry, itchy legs after shaving with Green People’s Scent Free Body Lotion. Dermatologically tested and clinically proven to be kind to sensitive skin, this post-shave skin cream uses microbiome-friendly Prebiotics to repair, soothe and rebalance dry, itchy legs.
Scent Free Shower Gel 200ml
Your go-to shower gel for gently cleansing sensitive skin
£17.00
“This cream is great for all over the body, including hands and feet. I have lovely soft skin where before the surface of my arms and legs was dry and flaky—highly recommended.” Alison F.
The best body oil for legs that feel sensitive after shaving
If you have exceptionally dry legs or you want to add some post-shave shine, follow your post-shave body lotion with a soothing body oil.
Blissfully skin-calming, our Time to Soothe Scent Free Body Oil pairs skin rejuvenating plant oils with CB2-Skin™ Biofunctional, a plant-based active that reduces itchiness and irritation.
Alexandra Kay Time to Soothe Scent Free Body Oil 100ml
Soothe and nourish with this scent-free body and massage oil
£28.00
“The oil is beautifully smooth and seems to be absorbed comfortably. it has a very clean feeling to it. the dry itching was relieved ... thank you so much .” Cynthia R
We hope you found this guide to how to shave legs with sensitive skin helpful. For more help choosing the best body care for your sensitive skin, please contact our friendly UK customer care team on 01403 740350 or at @GreenPeopleUK.
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry. A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 and 2024 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty. A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
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