so despite exfoliation bla bla bla...my fake tan...

[Greengardenpixie]

has still stuck to those dry areas! What is the answer???? I do everything suggested and they still turn out with patches on elbows and knees and ankles. Its ridiculous.

Can anyone please tell me how i minimise the look of these dark patches. Going to go for a shower and will scrub them but is there anything else i can do?
Thanks!

Oh i go on holiday in a couple of days and would like to minimise the dark patches asap!!!

Bad luck! When you have scrubbed off the darker bits (try nail varnish remover in extremis) this is how I do fake tanning:

Put moisturiser on your knees, elbows, ankles and insteps. Then apply the fake tan with gloves. Afterward, get a lump of loo roll, dampen it and wipe over those areas. Do the backs of your hands and wrists last. Never fails.

You could always put Vaseline over the darker bits and re-tan the rest of you? Quite chancy though, because you might end up with a 'chromatography' effect!

Sometimes it's just sods law. You can exfoliate and moisturise and follow all the steps but it can still turn out patchy.

In my experience the wash off tans give a much more reliable finish and a more natural look. Obviously though they're no good if you need the colour to last more than one day.

Thank you. Did nail polish on my elbow [ its naturally dark] and other areas and it worked well. Got up this morning had a lovely shower to take off that horrible smell and it looks good!!!! Ive got dark patches on bits of my knees but this isnt fake tan is like that all the time. I have a nice even glow now, even on my face. Off on hols tomorrow!!! So much still left to do.....

Controversial, as it goes against usual advice, but I never exfoliate before fake tanning (unless I already have old fake tan on). I find it makes my skin too absorbent, iyswim. I also don't moisturise. I have a bath with oil in it so my skin isn't dry an hour or two beforehand.

Then, when I finish fake tanning, I get some body lotion (only need a tiny bit) and rub it over elbows, ankles, toes and knees (these are the bits that go patchy and dark on me).

Seems to work.