Welcome to the fold and congrats on discovering your femself.
Shaving legs: Shaving your legs differs in various ways. What I mean is, different people have different lengths and thicknesses of hair; this is obvious, but is important in understanding why it is important to test and try different shaving implements until you find what works best for you. It's important to test shaving creams, if you're up to it, to discover which creams work best for your skin.
Same goes for razors. Myself, I use various razors for my legs and pubic areas, depending on the frequency of which I feel like shaving. (I'm still holding out for a Norelco BodyGroom though.) A lot of people use certain razors because they're comfortable with them, disposable or otherwise.
I don't use hair removal creams because they usually smell terrible and are a deal more frustrating than regular shaving. But that's just me...
Soft skin: Lotion. Again, it depends on your skin. I've found one or two types of lotion that work wonders on my skin, regardless of where its applied (yay, Jergens)... but there's no garauntee that this would work the same for someone else.
Also, eating healthy foods helps a good deal. I'm not a food buff, but I keep my diet aligned well enough to keep my skin from reacting adversely.
Hiding: I hid various clothing from my early youth through college... it's never easy, and no location is ever fool proof... but if you begin with unisex clothing--like a pair of jeans--then your anxiety will surely lessen.
