5 Tricks for Smooth (Not Stubbly) Skin

Whether you're looking to grow less hair or choose a great shaving cream, these expert tips will give you the smooth skin you crave.

A recent study by Gillette found that 60 percent of women complained of dryness and irritation immediately after shaving. While many of us hail the precision of today's five-blade razor, experts say that if you're among those who itch or burn post-shave, you may want to downsize to a relatively primitive three-blade model. "When a five-blade razor is brand-new, it can cut hair down to a subdermal layer — which, if you have sensitive skin, can lead to ingrowns or razor burn," says Bret Reichley, head barber at F.S.C. Barber Shop in New York City. We like the Venus ProSkin MoistureRich Razor, $9.79, which is designed for touchy skin and has a moisture strip of soothing body butters.

Ingrown hairs are the scourge of a bikini wax. "To prevent them, exfoliate your skin both the night before and the day after you get waxed," says Shays. She recommends using a dry skin brush made of jute or sisal fibers, which may sound intense, but she swears it's the best bump inhibitor. "Sweep it very lightly over dry skin, then wash the area with a 2 percent salicylic-acid shower gel, such as Phisoderm Anti-Blemish Body Wash ($7)." If you still get an ingrown, "Don't pick at it!" says New York City dermatologist Doris Day. Instead, dab it with an over-the-counter cortisone cream twice a day for a week. The good news is that most ingrowns go away on their own over several weeks, "but if a bump becomes inflamed or painful, your dermatologist can get rid of it with a cortisone injection," says Day.

Get this: Those shaving creams and deodorants that claim to reduce hair growth actually can work. "They contain plant-derived ingredients that can cause new hair to grow in finer and lighter in color," says cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. If you're really bugged by body hair, the most effective option is prescription Vaniqa, but it's about $100 per 1-ounce tube. While it's FDA-approved only for use on facial hair so far, Sadick says it's safe to use elsewhere (and that many of his clients do). But, he adds, since body hair is coarser than facial hair, it could take longer to see results than the typical four to eight weeks it takes on the face.

Before you buy a shaving cream, check the first three ingredients on the label. "If one of them is alcohol or fragrance and you have dry or irritable skin, forget it," says Jodi Shays, owner of Queen Bee Salon & Spa in Los Angeles. Instead, pick a sensitive-skin formula, such as Eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream Sensitive, $3.49, or — Shays's favorite — Kiehl's Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream Blue Eagle, $19 (above). Post-shower, rub on a lotion containing an anti-inflammatory ingredient such as menthol, urea, or lactic acid (found in Eucerin Everyday Protection Body Lotion SPF 15, $9.49). For hyperreactive skin, mix a dollop of Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, $10.33, with a drop of 1 percent hydrocortisone cream. "It smooths like a dream," says New York City dermatologist Neil Sadick.

DON'T… use shower gel as shaving cream. "Some contain a lot of perfume and, when used with a razor, can be drying," says Shays. (In a pinch, use hair conditioner.) And pretty please, never dry-shave. DON'T… get a wax right before or during your period, if you've had more than two caffeinated drinks, or if you're hung over — all of which make skin more pain-sensitive. The ideal time is the week after your period, says waxer Liana Mitrita of Kimara Ahnert Studio in New York City. A numbing, cooling spray such as Completely Bare Not Feeling It, $22, can also reduce the sting. DON'T… only shave up and down on your underarms. Going side to side and diagonally nabs those wayward hairs.