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If you’ve been shaving or waxing your legs, then you probably have experienced getting ingrown hairs. They’re ugly, itchy, and sometimes painful. Therefore, finding the best exfoliator for ingrown hairs is important.
There are many products used for fighting ingrown hairs - e.g. serums, body scrubs, and brushes. To find the best product needs a great amount of research. For your convenience, we have reviewed the best exfoliators to treat or prevent ingrown hairs on legs.
Let’s begin!
An Overview At Our Top 5 Picks
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 | Best Of The Best
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 | Best For Manual Exfoliation
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 | Best For Travel
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 | Best For Budget
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TOP 12 Best Exfoliators For Ingrown Hair On Legs Review
Evagloss is our best choice for leg exfoliator because it contains three active ingredients to prevent and combat the root cause of the problem. Such active ingredients are 0.05% salicylic acid, 0.10% glycolic acid, and 0.10% lactic acid. This razor bumps solution cools down your skin to soothe irritation.
Not only does this razor bump stopper prevent ingrown hair but it also brightens your skin tone in 6-8 weeks. We love the roll-on bottle container because it allows you to evenly distribute the solution liquid over your legs without dripping. You can use this solution on your face and other parts of the body.
Surprisingly, this product doesn’t sting and it smells nice. However, it can dry out your skin because it contains alcohol.
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CONS
If you want something more moisturizing and chemical-free, the PureSCRUBS Dead Sea Salt Body Scrub might be a good choice. This product is made of 100% natural dead sea salt to exfoliate your legs from deep ingrown hair. The natural formula also contains other nourishing and moisturizing ingredients, like aloe vera, shea butter, and vitamin E.
We love this body scrub because it can help lighten your dark knees and make your legs feel soft. The formula is infused with mandarin, citrus, and grapefruit essentials oils to give aromatherapy benefits. Geranium and carrot seed oils help repair your skin to reveal smooth skin.
This product is packed in a 16-oz jar. It includes other accessories, like a wooden spoon, exfoliating bar soap, and loofah pad.
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Dylonic Exfoliating Brush is another alternative product to treat and prevent ingrown hairs. The bristles are firm and effective for dislodging ingrown hairs. You can use this product on dry or wet skin but we find It best to use in the shower and move in the direction of the hair growth.
To use, gently move the brush on problem areas to reveal smooth skin. We love the ergonomic handle of this product because it fits nicely in the palm of your hand to give a comfortable grip. For optimum results, use the brush before hair removal to remove any dead skin cells.
Cleaning the brush is quite easy. Simply insert a thin object between the bristles and the handle.
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GiGi No Bump Body Scrub is best for travel because of its small jar that fits just right inside your bag. The formula is made with the potent salicylic acid to remove dead skin cells and soothe inflammation. This vegan body scrub is also formulated with rice bran wax to hydrate the skin and fight free radicals.
We love the fine grains because they’re gentle, yet effective. It’s safe to use even for sensitive skin because this product is free of paraben, triclosan, sulfates, artificial color, and phthalates. To use, massage this product in a circular motion before hair removal.
This cruelty-free body scrub has a heavenly smell that’s not overpowering. The lid of the jar is easy to open so you need to keep it tight if you’ll bring it in your bag to prevent accidental leaks. We like that a little of this product goes a long way and it doesn’t dry out your skin.
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The WIZKER brush is another good exfoliating brush that you can try to prevent ingrown hair on your legs. The micro bristles are made of skin-friendly plastic to slough away dead skin cells and raise the trapped hair from the skin surface. We love the patented dome design because it allows the brush to bend and flex according to the curves of your body.
This affordable brush can be hanged in your shower because it comes with a lanyard. The tips are rounded to gently exfoliate your skin. To use, brush it in a circular motion or against the grain.
Compared to other exfoliating brushes in this list, WIZKER has softer bristles to prevent irritating your sensitive skin. However, it’s not the most durable because the bristles easily get broken.
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Bellesante is a good exfoliating brush with its ergonomic handle and durable bristles. It comes with a high-quality pair of tweezers and a microfiber pouch to complete your hair removal activity. The brush isn’t anything that you would use on your sensitive skin because the bristles are quite firm.
If the exfoliating brushes and salt scrubs hurt your skin, the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub might be a gentler alternative. The formula is made of great skin conditioners to moisturize your skin. It leaves your legs feeling smooth without any residue.
However, the bluish beads in this product appeared anything but natural. These plastic beads can cause great danger to marine life.
We love the FRD exfoliating brush because of its ergonomic design. The brush sits nicely in the palm of your hand. The soft silicone bristles feel good for stimulating your skin. This brush is developed to be removable for sanitary purposes.
This package also includes a hair scalp massager shampoo brush to work for women, children, and pets.
This exfoliating brush can also help stop the growth of little ingrown hairs on your legs. The bristles are similar to little silicon face scrubbers but firmer. They’re very short and they bend according to the curves of your legs.
Like all other exfoliating brushes in this list, AINAAN can be used dry or wet. It’s great that the handle is large enough to hold firmly while wet.
This serum gets to work annihilating harmful bacteria which irritate. It helps treat already grown ingrown hair, as well, prevent future breakouts. We like its elegant pump design because it allows us to apply the product exactly where you need it.
The roller is great but you need to push firmly to get the serum to come out. Surprisingly, this product doesn’t sting.
This razor bump stopper treats and prevents ingrown hair while brightening your skin. The roll-on bottle makes it easy to apply without any mess. We like this product because it offers a cooling effect and leaves your legs smooth.
This product contains alcohol so it might be slightly over-drying for some people. It works, though, when used consistently after hair removal.
Fur Oil is a blend of lightweight oils to gently clear your skin for fewer ingrown hairs. This skin-softening oil is available in a small bottle, but a little goes a long way. The smell is very relaxing and it vanishes within minutes. My only gripe is the price, which is a bit expensive for its size.
Buying Guide for Leg exfoliators
There are many types of exfoliators that you can use to reduce ingrown hairs on your legs. You can choose AHAs, BHAs, dry brushes, and body scrubs. If you want to make the right purchase decision, here are some things that you need to learn.
What Is Ingrown Hair?
An ingrown hair is a small red bump, almost similar to a pimple. Sometimes, you can see a hair embedded under the skin. There, it results in inflammation and bacterial infection.
Anyone can have ingrown hair but people with coarse or curly hair are more prone to this issue. In most cases, dead skin cells can block the pores and force the hair to grow laterally beneath your skin, rather than upwards. Genetics also play a role in why you get ingrown.
Understanding The Different Exfoliation Techniques
Exfoliation could be the best way to treat and prevent ingrown hair. The regular shedding of dead skin cells can help clear the pores and encourage the hair to grow upwards and out. Here are the two main types of exfoliant that you can use for your legs.
Mechanical Exfoliation
This technique uses an abrasive tool or an ingredient to physically remove the dead skin cells. Examples are body scrubs and brushes. Typically, this type of exfoliation can be harsh for sensitive skin but you can take precautions to achieve desirable results.
Body scrubs are usually made of sugar or salt. If your skin is super sensitive, choose sugar. If not, salt is a more rejuvenating option because it can remove the toxins trapped in your skin.
Brushes are very cost-effective because they can be used for many months with proper maintenance. They can help soften the skin when used regularly before taking a shower. The best brushes are made of non-synthetic bristles with ergonomic handles.
Chemical Exfoliation
This type of exfoliation is perhaps the easiest to use with its roll-on applicators. They use alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) to dissolve the dead skin cells, encouraging cell regeneration. AHAs are water-soluble while BHAs are oil soluble allowing them to penetrate deeper into the skin.
The various sources of AHAs are glycolic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid. Salicylic acid is the most popular BHAs to fight ingrown hair because it’s less irritating than AHAs.
Enzymes are another form of chemical exfoliation that remove dead skin cells and speed up the natural exfoliation of the skin. These are often derived from various plants and fruits, like papaya and pineapple.
What To Look For On A Good Exfoliator
Ingredients
You want the exfoliator to be safe and effective. Look for natural ingredients derived from plants and fruits to gently exfoliate the skin from dead skin buildup. Active ingredients, like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid, are also great in treating and preventing ingrown hairs.
Avoid harmful ingredients, such as phthalates, parabens, sulfates, and the like. They may cause certain reactions and aggravate your ingrown problem.
As for brushes, you want them to be made of a skin-friendly material that’s free of PVC and latex.
Scent
The choice of scent is pretty subjective because it depends on your preferences. If you like to have a relaxing scent, look for lavender and citrus scents. You want the scent to light as possible so it won’t overpower with your cologne or perfume.
To be safe, look for products that use essential oil as a fragrance. Avoid artificial fragrances because they often irritate your sensitive skin.
Ease Of Application
This depends on the container of the product. For body scrubs packed in jars, it’s quite easy to scoop a little amount to massage on your legs. However, it can be a little unhygienic because you might leave some bacteria on the contents as you touch the whole thing.
Chemical exfoliators for ingrown hair serums are often sold in roll-on applicators. They’re the easiest to apply because you only roll the product on your legs without any mess. However, you might need to push the roller hard to get the serum to flow.
For brushes, you want the handle to be ergonomic so it can fit securely in your hand. The bristles should be flexible so it will follow the contours of your legs.
Price And Value
The price should be reasonable for the quality of the product. If the product is proven to be very effective, then it’s not a problem to spend extra money. If you’re short with money, you can use those exfoliating brushes because they tend to be affordable and durable.
FAQs
1. How often should I exfoliate to prevent ingrown hairs?
Try exfoliating once or twice per week to slough away dead skin cells and clear the pores so the hair can grow upwards and not be trapped under the skin surface. Ideally, exfoliate about two days before hair removal.
2. How to exfoliate your legs?
First, wet your skin with warm water then apply the exfoliator taking special attention on calves and shins where ingrown hairs are usually found. Except for chemical exfoliators, massage your skin in circular motions. Never scrub too hard because your skin might get irritated even more.
3. How long does it take for an ingrown hair to go away?
Ingrown hairs can go away with time, usually around a month. For hairs that are really trapped under the skin, it takes up to six months to vanish by themselves. To let the ingrown hair come out faster, apply a warm compress and gently exfoliate the skin.
4. Should I shave even if I have ingrown hairs?
You can still shave your legs even if you have ingrown hairs. Just avoid the area with ingrown hairs until they have healed. To speed up the healing process of the ingrown hair, soak the affected area with warm water and exfoliate regularly.
5. Do you exfoliate before or after shaving?
The best method is to exfoliate before hair removal, rather than after. This is to make sure that the pores are clear from dead skin cells. As you already know, clogged pores are the main cause of ingrown hair. Not only does it help prevent ingrown hair but it also helps you get a closer shave.
6. How long after shaving can you exfoliate?
Wait at least 24 hours after shaving to make it easier for the hair to grow as it’s supposed to be. Use a light exfoliator to prevent further irritation.
Final verdict
The best leg exfoliator for ingrown hairs is the Evagloss Razor Bump Stopper & Dark Spot Corrector because it smells good, easy to apply, and can significantly reduce your ingrown hair with consistent use. It’s one of the few products that contains the three best fighters for ingrown hair- salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid. The Evagloss formula doesn’t only treat ingrown hair but it also prevents future irritations and lightens your skin tone.
Now, you don’t have to suffer from ugly legs with raised, red bumps everywhere. You can use any of the products that we recommend above or shop around for other brands. Take heed of our buyer’s guide so you can make a smart choice.