8 min read

How to Shave Your Legs (Men’s Edition)

When it comes to shaving, this ain’t your first rodeo – you’ve been shaving since you needed a microscope to see your peach fuzz.

But shaving your legs? …whoooa Nelly, this rodeo’s starting to look a little unfamiliar. With a larger surface area, loads of bumps and ridges, and long tumbleweeds of hair, it’s the wild, wild west out there.

Most of the shaving tips and tricks we see out there assume the person holding the razor is a lady – and sure, a lot of the core shaving advice is the same no matter your gender. But there are some men-specific nuances to be aware of, especially when you’re setting out to shave longer, coarser hair for the very first time.

We’ll go over what razor to use, best practices for shaving men’s legs, and hair removal alternatives to shaving – so you can get smooth legs and avoid razor burn, ingrown hairs, and patchy spots.

What All Men Should Know About Shaving Legs

First off, take heart: you might be more prepared than you realize. Shaving your legs isn’t THAT different from shaving your face – your experience with a razor will set you up for success. But here are a few key differences to keep in mind (that women’s shaving tutorials may not fully cover):

Trim first. Chances are, your razor won’t be able to handle your never-shaved legs as they are right now – get your trimmer out (a beard trimmer totally works) and trim your leg hairs to just a few millimeters.
Where are you shaving? Many women tend to have a natural stopping point when it comes to shaving leg hair – hair tends to be longer and coarser from kneecaps to ankles, tapering off to lighter, less-noticeable, softer hair at the feet and thighs. For many men, that’s not the case – consider where you’d like to shave and where you’d like to stop.
It’s not permanent. Shaving your legs for the first time might sound like a major move, but it’s not a long-term decision – shaving is a temporary hair removal method. Your hair will grow back!
Technique really matters. Using the right tools and techniques can mean the difference between smooth, healthy skin & nicks, cuts, ingrown hairs, razor burn, etc – the kind you’ve no doubt experienced on your face, only this time, all over your legs. Don’t wing it!

Should I, a Dude, Shave My Legs?

Short answer: Sure, if you want.

Plenty of men shave their legs for a variety of reasons:

Athletic performance (it’s minimal, but studies have shown that shaven legs may help reduce wind resistance and improve speed. Shaved legs are especially popular among bikers, swimmers, and soccer players.)
Personal preference (many dudes just like the look and feel of smooth legs.)
Experimentation (it’s 2025, we don’t need to police body hair as a representation of masculinity anymore.)
Medical reasons (pre-surgery, or to make physical therapy or massage therapy more comfortable.)
To show off muscle definition better (whether you’re an actual body builder or just a proud gym bro.)

Remember: shaving your legs is temporary. If you try it and you hate it, your leg hair will regrow in no time. It might appear a little coarser or more prickly at first, but soon enough it’ll get right back to how it was. You can always give it a try and see whether it’s for you!

But the fact that you’ve stumbled upon this page shows us that you’re at least a little curious, so we’d say: go for it. You may as well experience that freshly shaven, dolphin-smooth legs feeling at least once in your lifetime!

How to Shave Your Legs

Here's what you’ll need:

A trimmer (your usual clippers or beard trimmer should work here. Some electric shavers have a trimmer attachment.)
A razor (a waterproof electric shaver like 4D Shaver, or a fresh razor with sharp blades. Some say women’s razors tend to be easier to handle when shaving legs.)
Shave gel or cream
A gentle physical exfoliant or scrub
A gentle body lotion or moisturizer

And here's a men's step-by-step guide to shaving legs:

Trim longer hairs. If this is your first time shaving in a while or *ever*, those hairs might be a little long – use a trimmer first to avoid clogging your razor. You can do this right before you shave or a day or two before to spread the process out.

Exfoliate. Use a gentle body scrub or a physical exfoliant like The Glow Glove to remove dead skin cell buildup and prevent ingrown hairs from shaving. You can do this right before you shave or 24-48 hours in advance.

Steam. When you’re ready to shave, use warm water to soften the hair follicles. Five minutes or so of shower steam will do this naturally, or you can soak a towel in warm water and directly apply it to the skin you’ll be shaving.

Lather a small area with shave gel or cream. (You can lather up all of both of your legs at the very beginning, but chances are the shower stream will rinse some of it off before you have the chance to shave some of it off.) Hair conditioner or body wash can also work in a pinch, but shave gel or cream is often gentler and makes it easier to see where you just shaved.

SHAVE! Use 4D Shaver for an ultra-close shave, or use a clean razor that you’re already used to. (Shaving with a dull blade is what often leads to ingrown hairs.)

Start from the bottom of one leg and work your way up. If you’re a beginner, shaving against the grain will probably feel more natural and will provide a closer shave – but experts say shaving with the grain is better for preventing ingrown hairs. Either way works.

Use light pressure, and try to only go over each area once at first – you can always go back over spots you missed at the end. Rinse your razor after every swipe. Use shorter strokes at the bottom, then longer strokes on your calves and shins.

The knee area is the trickiest, so move slowly and get into a comfortable position. Use very short strokes and don’t be afraid to move around – you might have to bend/straighten your knee to make sure you get all of the hairs.

Women often stop around there, since their leg hair generally gets finer above the knee. That’s not always so for men, but if you’re mainly interested in shaving leg hair that will be exposed when wearing shorts, you could stop there. Otherwise, continue to shave around your thighs – note that the skin there tends to be more sensitive, so go slow.

Rinse. Rinse off any excess hair or shaving cream residue before you get out of the shower.

Moisturize. For ultra-smooth results, pat your legs dry & immediately apply a hydrating body lotion. Aloe Coco Body Lotion is great for locking in moisture and soothing freshly-shaved skin.

Shaving Tips from Real Men Who Shave Their Legs

Do the first trim outside – there’s gonna be a LOT of hair. Looking silly in your backyard is better than making your bathroom a mess, or clogging the shower drain.

- Brent Rose, Deadspin

“After you do it a few times it becomes easier and simpler and you know what you need and can do without – I use hair conditioner and a Gillette razor and I’m on my way in 10 minutes max.”

- Reddit user KrysG

“I highly recommend taking a bath when you shave instead. It makes your skin softer and the hair cuts better, plus you probably waste less water..”

- Reddit user frickfrack1

“One point to save time is to exfoliate on different shower days from the days you shave. I generally shave once a week and exfoliate the shower days before and after shaving day.”

- Reddit user CuriousTechieElf

“Always apply lotion afterward AND the night before you shave. Hell, if you shower in the morning like me, do it before you sleep that night too.”

- Reddit user Trotsky-is-Hotsky

“For shaving I use a Venus razor and skintimates or similar gel. They seem to have better lubricant qualities than men's shave gel. Trim everything with clippers first, then take it easy to start. I usually shave against the grain which means I shave parts of my legs twice to get it all. I finish up with a lotion like Vaseline Essential Healing or cocoa butter.”

- Reddit user ifureallyknewML

“The first time you shave, have clean sheets ready and hop in bed to enjoy the silky swishy feeling. it's the best. 👍”

- Reddit user afroginthedistance

“It's your body, and your hair, do with it what you want!”

- Reddit user Veronensis

Here are a few solid Reddit threads for more:

Get Rid of Unwanted Body & Leg Hair For Good

As long as you’re expanding your hair removal horizons, you should know: shaving is temporary, but you CAN get rid of unwanted body hair for good.

At-home IPL devices like Lumi offer safe, effective permanent hair removal for men and women, using light technology to target hair follicles and destroy them with light pulses. Lumi is FDA-cleared, pain-free, and easy to DIY.

Now, maybe you’re not ready to get rid of all of your leg hair for good – you’re new to this, after all! But those patchy chest hairs? Sure, those could go. Once or twice per week, use your newfound knowledge of how to shave unwanted body hair. Then, follow with Lumi treatment for 6-12 weeks to get rid of it for good!