legs not tanning

[BlueLeafTea]

Does anyone have the problem that their legs never tan. It's like I have a different type of skin on my legs that means they'll never tan.

When I say never tan I mean not in the sun nor with fake tanner. I've been using gradual tanner recently and my feet are now brown as berries and my legs are still milk bottles. I'm increasingly looking like coco pops and milk, which is not what I want...

Has anyone else had this problem and how do I get around it?

[perpetuallybewildered]

I've got the same problem and have no idea what to do about it.

[OnlyHereForTheCamping]

I started using cocoa brown 1 hour tan last year. It is good. Just takes the edge off without looking ridiculous. My feet are the only part of my body that really tan. It is odd

[MizK]

Same problem here, weirdly mainly my shins stay pale! I usually use a dry mist tanner just on my lower legs after the first coat of tan has completely dried and it works ok. Never achieved a uniform flawless colour though

[thenightsky]

I have the same issue.

I read somewhere recently that the lower legs (shins especially) do not have the melanin(?) in sufficient quantity to brown up like forearms, chest, thighs, etc.

I can be chestnut all over, but my knee to ankle region is white as milk.

[WellTidy]

Yes, I've had this for years. My solution has been to use wash off fake tan. It's just make up, so it doesn't react with your skin I like proper fake tan, and so you won't be different colours in different places. I also use st tropez in the shower fake tan and I find that this takes better on my shins than traditional fake tan.

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

I'm exactly the same. Wash on, wash off is the only stuff which works. The gradual tanner doesn't work on my legs.

[NapoleonsNose]

I'm exactly the same. I don't really tan anyway but do get a little bit of colour on my arms and face. My legs, however, refuse to do anything but stay milky white. The only time I've ever been truly brown was when I had a spray tan - I think they used Fake Bake.

[StrawberrytallCake]

Are you making sure you exfoliate there enough and that they are moisturised most of the time? Mine haven't tanned in the past because they were too dry and a bit scaly, yum.

[justaweeone]

I have noticed this over the years, they used to. Is it because of age ( 50 soon)?

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

I never exfoliate or moisturise my legs, maybe I should. Got my legs waxed once and the woman made snarky comments about how dry my legs were!

[ThisIsNotARealAvo]

Also if you put on fake tan and get dressed to soon it doesn't really work as it runs off on clothes eve loose ones.

[StrawberrytallCake]

That'll be your problem then WhoTheFuck! I didn't moisturise mine once this winter and just trying to catch up and get all the dead skin off before the sun comes out.

There are some melanin stimulating sun creams with SPF - I think L'oreal do one which are supposed to be good.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

It's probably because your legs are dry. Dry dead skin reflects sunlight and although it will absorb fake tan, the dry skin will rub off on clothes.
Since using body butter on my legs, they are a lot more tanned.

[StrawberrytallCake]

But don't use the moisturiser immediately before putting the fake tan on - it will just slide off!