Spray tans - yay or nay?

[TheCunnyFunt]

It's my sisters wedding at the end of the month and I'm a bridesmaid, we have lovely sage green dresses that are kneelength. I have horrible legs, whiter than milk and with weird pimply things all over them. My arms however, are nicely tanned. I really don't want to walk down the aisle with hideous legs (I know people won't be looking at me, but just incase the odd person actually does! And I'll feel self concious all day about them) we have open toed sandals too so tights are a no-go. I hate getting my legs out, this is why I have an extensive collection of maxi dresses.

Is a spray tan a good idea or will I end up looking like an original Oompa Loompa? Do different places have different quality sprays? I.e, if I go to a cheapie place will it be a bit crap?

These are the shoes

Ah no, you couldn't do the footless tights with them. Lovely shoes tho.

Ok, best thing to exfoliate with? Going to book it today for some time next week.

You need quite an abrasive body exfoliator - I use the one that is in the same range as the tan - I think you can buy them in Debenhams and they probably have St Tropez as well.

Otherwise, how about the Body Shop? They may have a good scrub in there.

Ooh good idea, we don't have a debenhams so I'll go to the bodyshop tomorrow. I'm booked in for next thursday, I'll report back when it's done.

The Body Shop's Olive scrub is brilliant. It's quite a grainy one so it feels as though it's actually doing some good unlike some which have really fine grains and don't seem to make any difference.
And don't moisturise on the day of your tan!

get it done in St Tropez Naturals (or do it yourself). best tanner evah, and no stinky stench.

I'm rubbish at doing stuff like this myself, hence why I'm getting someone else to do it :o

seriously, me too... that's why this range has been such a find for me. it's very forgiving...

The best exfoliator are those exfoliating gloves you can buy in any chemist. Very cheap and remove all dead skin! I wouldn't use them on the face though, too rough.

I have had a few fake and spray tans some good and some not so good.

Fake bake seems good on me but with ALL fake tans that turn out well - the colour they come out in real life is different to what comes out on pictures. Fake tans do become more orange in photos - not just mine but other peoples.

The best fake tans are prefessional cream tans above spray tans. They take longer to apply. The therapist will start with a full bosy scrub exfoliation then massage the cream into the skin using a mitt. You then go home looking like a chimney sweep or some patchy mucky weirdo - and shower off 8 to 12 hours later. The result is longer, last patchy and more subtle.

Whatever you decide I would suggest you do a practice run first and check the result in both natural and electric light and photos.

Ok, legs and pits, shave before or after?

I have just booked first ever spray tan too. I am nervous.

I have done research however and this exfoliator came highly recommended and I can confirm it is indeed bleedin' marvelous. It is transforming my skin so much I am becoming quite blasé about the nudity and paper knickers. Pride before a fall an' all that

Apparently best not to use the night before though as will leave a residue. Use in the days leading up and just buff well with one of those scrubby puffs and your usual body wash just prior to the appointment.

Get thee to Boots!

And shaving the evening before, I believe.

Wax, if you can - it leaves a cleaner finish and avoids little peppery looking dots on the skin which can happen if you shave before a treatment.

Oooh no I can't wax. Tried it before and I was crap :( my legs have peppery dots on anyway thanks to the Keratosis Pilaris I apparently have.

Ok, well if you don't get on with waxing it'll be ok to shave - just make sure you do it the night before the treatment.

I hope you find something you like :)

Big thank you to Wine! I got that boots Flake away yesterday and used it once today, my legs have never been this soft and smooth!!!

I think I love you.

Appointment is in 1 hr and 15 mins. Crapping myself :o

Gah, arrived at the party too late... but am going to add my 2p anyway. I have dark hair and eyes and the skin of a redhead (but more cream tinted than blueish).

Fake Bake - good, lasted well, faded evenly over 5-6 days

St Trop - good colour but goes patchy within 3 days

Suntanna (name=argh!) - brilliant colour, faded very evenly over 10 days

Sienna X - good colour, faded evenly over a week BUT was hideously allergic, and have seen other online reports of this being a problem with this tan. Was on antihistamines for all the time it took to fade. Never again.

I hope it went well!

Well I'm very dark now, and quite orange :( but we'll see how it is tomorrow when I've showered a layer off! Kept my bra on so have some spectacular tan lines now :o

Which one did you have CF?

Tomorrow when you wash off the guide colour it won't look so dramatic.

It was Sienna X, I hope it looks better tomorrow! It's still getting darker though, the woman said it takes about 8 hours for it to stop getting darker, so around 10pm ish it'll be at it's darkest.

Well it may be that you need to try a few different ones before you find one that looks right on your skin tone.

I found that a spray tan was much darker on me than a lotion tan. But it came off much more quickly.