My legs. :(

[darlingdaffodils]

Are fat for starters but even worse they are pale, with stretch marks and little vein things.

Plus because I am so pale and my hair is dark even when I have just shaved my legs I can still see little dark bits of hair under the skin. :( And I get red bumps when I shave and a lot of hairs end up ingrown. I use a new razor and exfoliate but still have this problem.

Even when it was boiling hot I was in trousers as I am too embarrassed to show my legs. :(

I have just discovered proper ladies shave gel, its next to the razors in boots-it's AMAZING! ultra smooth legs and no itchy red bumps any more.

Mine are like that too ... I find a home wax and spray tan works miracles!

I use Veet strips for sensitive skin (then shave off any 'bits' I've missed afterwards).

I then exfoliate and use a very light spray tan like St Tropez Everyday Gradual light/medium

It makes a big difference!

I'm not sure I could wax myself!

Are epilators any good? I guess there wouldn't be the cut off hair showing under the skin but do they make hairs go ingrown?

I've never tried an epilator myself but I've sometimes thought about investing in laser hair removal - one of these for example:

www.boots.com/en/Philips-Lumea-SC2003-Precision-Plus-IPL-Hair-Reduction-System_1274664/

With the waxing and shaving that I do know I get the occassional ingrown hair but can usually scratch of the skin and pluck it out with a tweezer.

It's worth persevering with the spray tans though. The first few times I did it it looked a bit of a mess with streaks and what not, but you do get better at it. Nows the time to start practicing and experimenting. Then by next summer you should be an expert with the amount and type of product that suits you best!

I use a lumea (pale skin, dark hair) and it is WONDERFUL. Bit time consuming but it really does work. That will fix the hair issue. Spray tan will help the colour, and get on the C25K for the shape, sorted by summer 2014 :) You can do it!

@talulahbelle

Good to hear another positive review of lumea! Am really very tempted by it :-)

I've started on the C25K - now 4 weeks in - quite enjoying it.

So OP (darlingdaffodils) there's always hope that we can improve!

Yes, I have the same problem as you and found that epilators do lead to fewer black dots, which is the root of the hair, but you do get more ingrown hair.

I should have persisted but epilation is bloody painful and I could never find an exfoliator that worked for me.

So black dots of cut off hair or ingrown hair! :( I get red bumps especially around my knees when I shave - lasts a couple of days.

Lumea .... I have PCOS so am not sure if it would work. Plus pricy!!

Vaseline spray and go, once in the morning, once at night.

A gradual tan is great for covering any blemishes, veins, stretch marks should you have them and looks natural rather than a complete fake tan.

During the summer I used it every day but now I use this every other day and its great

www.amazon.co.uk/Hints-Lotion-Salon-Quality-200ml/dp/B00CWYKVYM/ref=sr_1_7?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1378574671&sr=1-7&keywords=Exposé+tan

I buy mine in Poundland for a quid! It is far superior to ones costing thirty times more.

It is far superior