Tanning help please?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

We are off on holiday soon & will be doing lots of swimming etc, unfortunately although my arms are quite brown, my legs and other bits have not seen the sun all year and are milky white! So I would like to do something about that as they do look much better with some colour.

But... I am fairly crap at doing fake tan myself (and have hardly ever done it), and also I really really don't want to end up orangey (I have naturally quite pale skin, although I do eventually tan well on the bits that actually get sun, and have had problems with that before). So please can you advise a novice....

• Should I be getting it done professionally, and if so, how do I find the best place to get it done locally and what is the best type to be natural-looking?
  
• Or should I try myself and if so, how do I choose the best sort (I have seen some good reviews of St. Moriz on here?) and how do I not cock it up especially as I probably won't get much peaceful time to do a quality job?
  
• I have also considered a gradual tanner, but when I have used these before I have sometimes still ended up streaky/a bit orangey even though they are meant to be more foolproof! But could consider this if there is a better one available (and if I start it right now.......)
  

It will also have to be done a bit in advance of actually hitting the pool as it will take us the best part of 2 days to get there, plus lots of frantic packing etc before that... so something reasonably long-lasting would also be good.

Thank you!

[Kittykat7]

I would get a professional spray tan done. At Tropez gives a nice colour but it doesn't seem to last that long. I've heard good reviews on Fake bake. We have it in Australia not sure if anywhere in the UK does it.
Make sure you exfoliate well the day before. Concentrate on knees & ankles.

[Walnut8]

Just be careful of professional ones though as I've had a couple done pre-holiday and they were quite a bit darker than I would normally go if I did it myself - the result was that after a few days of swimming they went really patchy (even with exfoliation and moisturiser).

The best I've used colour-wise, fading-wise and everything is still st tropez mousse. Wax/shave and moisturise a few hours before and use a mitt or a latex glove. Get your partner to do your back, back of neck and backs of upper arms. And bring it with you (in a ziplock bag in case it leaks!) along with the mitt or a couple of spare pairs of gloves. Reapply after 4-5 days before bed.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Thanks both! I have just skim-read as I have small people hanging off me but will have a proper look and think after bedtime!

[notyummy]

Vita liberata 2 week tan is excellent. Apply with mitt though!! Not cheap, but available from
boots and lasts for ages.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I have been v pleased with the Dove Summer Glow one. Foolproof and not at all orangey.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Hmm lots of different suggestions but some good food for thought, thanks! For some reason I hadn't considered that I could reapply while we are actually away... so am wondering whether DIY is going to be the best option so that I can top up when/if it starts to fade. Also it will save me having to try and find a time when I can get an appointment (I am going to be either working or looking after DCs for most of the week, except late at night). Will definitely get a mitt if I decide to do that though. Thanks all!

[littleSpud]

Does the vita liberate REALLY last two weeks ?

[Walnut8]

I want to know this too littlespud - I'm guessing not if you swim every day ...?

[Catswiththumbs]

It didn't even last 3 days when I tried it. Not a fan at all.

St tropez is much better. Even st moritz is better!

[notyummy]

It doesn't last 2 weeks. About a week without swimming. Looks very natural IMO - maybe it depends on your skin type about whether it works for you as it was recommended to me by several friends who also rave about it but it evidently isn't for everyone.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Argh am still dithering. I was leaning towards doing it myself, then remembered the bit about getting DH to do my back etc. And I know what he's like at applying suncream remembers hurty red streaks on various occasions so not sure I trust him!

We are hoping to do lots of swimming (on-site pool and swimming lake) and also will be shaving my legs regularly while away, unless I decide to get the epilator out before going (but am a bit wary as got loads of ingrown hairs last time I used it). So that may make a difference. I'm hoping by week 2 though I may have got enough real sun (despite suncream of course) to not need to fake it any more!

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Right have bitten the bullet and bought some St. Tropez and a mitt, and given DH warning that he is going to help me with it and going to do it right Not sure yet when I will actually do it though, cos one or the other of us will be out most evenings this week, plus I need to do the exfoliating first I guess... still, wish me luck and no streaks!

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

A quick one - is the normal St Tropez meant to be used on your neck and face too? And if so any tips for doing those and still getting it looking natural? (Or if not - how do you stop at the neck without it looking odd?).
Can you tell I'm clueless?

[Jenda]

im no expert but I used to add a little moisturiser to the tan and work it very lightly up the neck and onto the face, made it blend but not look too dark. Im sure a proper tanner will have a better answer though

[Jenda]

im no expert but I used to add a little moisturiser to the tan and work it very lightly up the neck and onto the face, made it blend but not look too dark. Im sure a proper tanner will have a better answer though

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

OK I've done it... I didn't mix them directly (had a mousse so it would not have been easy... especially as the mousse was already dribbling down the can and onto my fingers at every opportunity!) but I put plenty of moisturiser on my face/neck first and then did the tan. I don't want to tan my face as much anyway as it's already got more colour, and am more worried about going orange there!

Now I am just waiting a bit nervously to see how it looks in the morning [insert scared face piccy] and whether it will freak the kids out!

Do I need to find a dark pillowcase so I don't turn it brown? Or will it be OK once it's had some time to dry?

[Kittykat7]

Hope it turned out ok. It does give a nice colour but unfortunately I find & have read other reviews that it fades really quickly. If is easy to apply & is ok on your face. It does come off on your sheets. Best to do the tan early then rinse off the guide colour later in the shower.

[Walnut8]

How did you go Myname? I definitely go up to my jawline but dont do my face. St tropez mousse has never come off on my sheets - it dries almost instantly. I find it lasts quite well - or at least as well as others.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Sorry guys - didn't reply as I ran out of time before going away what with all the packing and so on to do as well!

So - it looked pretty good, nice and natural on the face and neck and not too obviously "fake" tanned, and the kids didn't seem particularly surprised by the results! The only part I messed up a bit was I got some water splashed on one leg after doing it, I tried to sort of buff it away so it wouldn't mess up the tan but it still made a bit of a pale dribble mark where it ran down. Luckily it was just down the inside of my calf though so not TOO noticeable, but I'll know to be careful of that next time! I should have put a bit more on to cover the washed-off bits, with hindsight.

It didn't stain the sheets either, it was a while before I got to bed so it had all dried quite well.

Also it did start to fade after a few days, but I didn't care too much as by then I had got past that initial "argh, I look like a ghost" moment and into the "oh sod it I can't be bothered to care" stage (we were camping, so had to go fairly low-maintenance anyway once we were there, and after everyone had seen me stumbling to the showers in PJs and ridiculous bed-head a few times, didn't feel there was much point trying to be glam the rest of the time!).

So thanks for all the tips, I feel like I will be a lot more comfortable using it again in future!