fake tan - how difficult is it to do yourself?

[SmileAndNod]

I don't want to be bright orange, but I do need some colour on my arms and legs for the wedding I have coming up. I want to look reasonable (see my other threads) so i booked a spray tan (with a trial run). Today I've just cancelled as you have to be naked, or at least topless . I can't do that.

So is there a failsafe method / brand to use so I'm not patchy or streaky? I'm not holding out a lot of hope for good weather before July!

It's easy enough to do yourself - if you just want a light colour in arms/legs you could use a gradual tan moisturiser that you apply like a moisturiser every day and the colour gradually deepens. You can't go too wrong with it and any mistakes can either be evened out or won't be too noticeable.
If you want an all over/ deeper tan using fake tan, I find I can reach most bits myself (and I'm not the most flexible) with only a small bit on my back that requires assistance. Could you get someone to give you a hand?
I've been using cocoa brown town recently, it's pretty cheap about £5and you can buy it in primark (don't let that put you off!) and superdrug. You only have to leave it on one hour and wash off, so no need to go to bed slathered in it.

The main thing is to moisturise and exfoliate plenty in the days running up to your application and get tanning mitt (the pound shop ones are fine) to apply it.

Honestly st moritz is fab, I don't fake tan all the time but I did it last Thursday and I'll be doing all the time now was a lovely shade no streaks or looking like a Oompa Loompa
My friend was using a moisturiser that you build up and it was streaky and orange

I've fake tanned and had spray tans for years, I like clairins for a light natural look use gloves and a mitt and you can't go wrong. St tropez
is great too it's brown so you can see where your going again use gloves and a mitt. You can always have a bit of a practice say on your tummy to see what the colour is like.

By the way you do not have to go topless for a spray tan I know loads of people who wear a strapless bikini when the go obviously you won't get an all over tan but it's up to you what you wear. If a bikini doesn't appeal a strapless swimsuit? The only thing is it will get tan on I've never had a problem washing it off before, the salon may say something along those lines but if they say you have to be topless find somewhere else because it's just not true. You may just have to acknowledge that your bikini or whatever may get ruined.

IME experience a spray tan gets much better results but it's still possible to get good results doing it yourself :)

Thank you. I've used the daily moisturizers before without much success - Johnson's, dove and garnier I think. They all went streaky but that maybe because of the way I applied it?

Will have a look out for those brands and have a practice. Really I just want my legs, arms and shoulders / top of back done. I wanted a spray tan but I can't show my body to anyone (not even DH) and not being able to breastfeed overnight or wash hands at all would be a problem so I need an alternative. Do places still do old fashioned st Tropez type tan?

I agree with the poster that suggested St Morizz (or however it's spelt).

I tried this for the 1st time and it came out lovely, I was abit scared as it went on slightly darker than I thought it would but next day it looked good. I bought mine from Amazon with the glove to get rid of flaky skin etc and watched u-tube videos on how to apply as I had never faked tan before.

My sister has a spray tan but she goes in a booth and it's automatic, it tells you where to put your hands and feet in there.

Anything like that near you?

Are you on FB, or have friends that might know of a mobile tanner?

They will generally do a more tailored service.

I do my own, but have found that you do need a longer drying time for the back of knees/elbows etc, which might not be practical if you are BFing.