Summer is often synonymous with shorter outfits — shorts, mini skirts and slit dresses that put your legs on display. But if you’re not entirely happy with yours — too heavy, puffy, not toned enough — rest assured there are plenty of ways to firm them up. Here are a few tips to firm up your legs and give them all the shape they deserve!
Sommaire
Tip no1: the cold water rinse
An age-old trick, yet one of the most effective for relieving feelings of heaviness and firming up the legs. If you’re prone to venous insufficiency and/or water retention, applying cold water from the ankles upward will gently stimulate veno-lymphatic circulation and help deflate your legs. The reason: the vasoconstriction triggered by cold. This tip is also ideal:
- During summer, since heat affects even those who don’t usually suffer from sluggish circulation.
- After a long day on your feet (shopping, standing at work, visiting an exhibition… you know the feeling!), since staying static or constantly on the move doesn’t exactly encourage venous return — quite the opposite.
- For smokers, since yes, cigarettes are harmful to vascular health.
- If your legs ache after wearing overly tight trousers or ill-fitting shoes.
Tip no2: walking in water
And since we’re on the subject of water, let’s stay there! Walking in water — up to your calves, thighs, or even waist (even better!) — is extremely effective for firming up the legs. Here’s why:
- Water creates a gentle resistance. Walking is already very beneficial for the legs — but when done in water, it’s doubly effective, as it demands extra muscular effort. Hello, sculpted calves!
- Moving through water provides a gentle massage of the venous pathways — a light lymphatic drainage of sorts! If you tend toward sluggish veno-lymphatic circulation, aquatic exercise is one of the best ways to get things moving again.
So if you live near the sea, a lake, or even a river, don’t hesitate to kick off your shoes and socks and take the plunge — or at least wade in!
Tip no3: roller skating
If you’re a fan of roller skates, you’ll be pleased to know this fun activity is very much a sport — it works the entire body:
- The shoulders, for the momentum and swinging motion that gliding requires
- The core and back, since maintaining balance demands constant engagement of these areas
- The glutes and leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings and calves), which roller skating works intensely
It’s hard to find a better activity for firming up your legs and sculpting your silhouette! Other sports with similar movement patterns — think ice skating and cross-country skiing — deliver the same results: toned legs, a firm figure, lost centimetres, and reduced cellulite. Ready, set, roll!
Tip no4: cutting back on salt
We say it often, but it bears repeating. Salt is essential to the body — but only in small amounts. Consuming too much (as most people do) is harmful to your health, contributing to high blood pressure and water retention. So if you want slimmer, firmer legs, go easy on the salt shaker — and on cured meats, cheese, ready meals, tinned foods and pre-made soups. Salt hides everywhere, so read labels and opt for home cooking. You can easily swap salt for spices and herbs, which are packed with antioxidants that support good health. Trust us, your legs will thank you!
Tip no5: trying leg-focused fitness
One of the great things about fitness is how versatile it is — it allows you to target specific muscle groups depending on the exercises you choose. And there’s no shortage of exercises, since fitness draws from stretching, aerobics, Pilates and yoga. Focus on routines that work the legs and thighs: leg raises, scissors, lunges and squats are all excellent options. To intensify your workout and firm up your legs faster, try adding a resistance band to your routine. Conveniently, the S.O.S. Bikini programme includes one — along with our Slender Legs in 21 Days guide, to make sure you get the best possible results and legs to be proud of!
Tip no6: massaging your legs with coffee grounds
A DIY tip that ticks all the boxes. Why coffee grounds? Simply because they’re an eco-friendly ingredient, rich in lipolytic caffeine, and their fine granules gently exfoliate the skin. If you want to firm and slim your legs at the same time, coffee grounds are your best friend! And if you’re not sure where to start, there are countless recipes for scrubs, lotions and body masks using coffee grounds. For example:
- Mix coffee grounds with a little natural vegetable oil and massage your legs from the ankles upward, then rinse with clean water.
- Combine coffee grounds with lemon juice and exfoliate your legs daily with this toning lotion!
- Apply a mixture of coffee grounds, oil and grapefruit essential oil to your legs and wrap with cling film (following the body wrap principle)
A 100% natural leg care routine — and a highly effective one for firming and draining!
Tip no7: watching what you eat
A somewhat obvious tip… but an essential one. If your diet is erratic — too fatty, too sugary and/or too salty — the effects on your figure will inevitably show. Including on your legs! To firm them up, it’s best to adopt a varied, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean proteins (to prevent muscle loss) and complex carbohydrates (for sustained energy). And don’t forget to stay well hydrated with water — dehydration actually worsens water retention and contributes to soft, puffy legs.
Tip no8: considering an intensive programme!
Last but certainly not least: to firm up your legs, it may be worth considering — alongside healthy lifestyle habits — an intensive routine. Our Intensive Slimming Legs Pack is quite possibly the best option. It includes:
- Our Cryo Slimming Gel, inspired by cryotherapy, which helps target localised fat on the legs while giving skin and microcirculation a real boost.
- Two Thigh Slimming Belts, which simply strap onto the thighs to deliver continuous cold slimming action. They come with 8 gel packs to be chilled in the fridge before use.
- A Slimming Shorty, whose intelligent micro-encapsulated fabric continuously releases slimming actives targeting the waist, buttocks and thighs.
- Our Night Slimming Treatment, which works on fatty tissue throughout the night while softening the skin on the legs and thighs.
After just 21 days of use, women notice a significant reduction in thigh circumference and a visible firming of the buttocks, thighs and legs.
