Beauty Call: Put an end to dandruff legs

Don’t be flaky: the good news, after a winter spent stuffing legs into skinny jeans and fleece-lined stockings, is that dandruff legs are easily fixed

A good scrub in the bath to exfoliate those dead skin flakes is your first step
A good scrub in the bath to exfoliate those dead skin flakes is your first step

I’ve spent years talking to other women about the importance of beauty products in our lives. I know women who would run back into a burning building to save their touché éclat and other women who consider a slick of Vaseline on their lips a more than adequate beauty regime.

It’s different for everyone, but research has shown that the anticipation of putting on make-up triggers a release of feel-good endorphins. Women’s shelters are always in need of donations of everything from moisturisers to eyeshadows, because they engender feelings of self-worth and confidence.

This weather, my confidence is being boosted by going to war with the annoying dry, flaky skin emanating from my legs when I remove my opaque tights. I call the phenomenon Dandruff Legs. Flaky skin on the lower limbs is something that happens to plenty of people after a winter spent stuffing legs into skinny jeans and fleece-lined stockings, but the good news is that Dandruff Legs are easily fixed.

A good scrub in the bath to exfoliate those dead skin flakes is your first step: make your own with sugar and olive oil in a true Lenten spirit of “using up what’s in the press” – it works just as well as anything you’ll buy in the chemist.

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The next step is a nice, rich body cream. I like body butters (try the Body Shop and Soap and Glory) to really banish the dandruff. Plaster it on, put on a pair of old pyjamas and let the cream sink in overnight.

Over the years I’ve heard plenty of people dismiss a love of lipstick or a fetish for foundation as superficial. Yes, dealing with Dandruff Legs isn’t rocket science, but it would be a mistake to underestimate a woman because she likes to slather on cream and practise her smoky eye on a Saturday night. My guru in the smoky eye department is a friend who, when she’s not perfecting her eyeliner catflicks, is beavering away on a PhD. What do women want? As with all humans, it’s complicated.

For now though, I’d settle for smooth, flake-free legs.

THE PRODUCTS

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Cream

(€42.50, 200ml)

Rich and thick, this is a classic to smooth even the worst dandruff legs. Best applied before bed to give it a chance to sink in.

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Grapefruit Whipped Body Butter

(€42.50, 226ml)

I gave a yip of excitement when I smelled this limited edition of the Kiehl’s classic. Thick like a mousse and oh so fruity.

Vaseline Spray

& Go

(€6.15, 190ml)

This “tights straight on after use” formula, new from Vaseline, sinks in quickly, and is a great dry-skin soother.

Av

ène Cold Cream Body Lotion

(€19.99, 400ml)

A classic rich formula that will leave even sensitive, tight skin feeling supple.

AISLING LOVES . . . This Works No Wrinkles Wonder Essence

(€30, 60ml)

A water-based treatment that whisks away dead skin cells with magic enzymes and hydrates to prep skin for moisturiser or serum. Or both. Skin-care junkies will adore.