The cardinal rule of shaving is to only apply your razor to skin that is already soft and wet. Shaving dry legs will only lead to nicks and cuts, or even razor burn. Also, clean the razor between strokes. Exfoliating is a bonus that comes with shaving, but blades clogged with dead skin do not make for a smooth shave, and can also lend themselves to slips that result in nicking your skin. In fact, it’s a good idea to pre-exfoliate—while the razor will still remove dead skin, this will make your shave closer and more comfortable. Exfoliating regularly will also reduce the chance of ingrown hairs.

You don’t need to use a new blade for every shave unless your hair is particularly coarse, but don’t skimp on replacing blades when they begin to dull either.

And after shaving, always moisturize to attain perfect, glowing skin. Legs can become very dry, and shaving reduces the amounts of natural moisturizing oils the skin produces.