How to hide the 'corned beef' look on legs in summer?!

[Snugglepalace]

My legs are my best feature but I never get them out in the summer because I hate the pasty/corned beef look of my skin!
I've tried so many different fake tans but no matter how much prep I do (exfoliation, moisturiser etc) I always end up with streaks or darker patches.
So I'm thinking of alternatives - wash off fake tan?
Or very low denier, tan coloured tights (is this a real no no?)
Any advice?

After trying every tan on the bloody market I was recommended this. It doesn't smell like biscuits (as per normal fake tan), doesn't streak and is easy to apply. It doesn't look orange either but needs a couple of applications if you want a darker colour.

I really like the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. It washes off and I find it easy to get a natural looking glow without the streaks. I have really white legs and would never get them out without applying this first!

Oh the years I agonised over this. Fake tan too much of faff for all the reasons you mention and who wants to wear tights if it's actually warm. So mainly I a)wear longer skirts or light trousers and/or b)stop giving a shit what they look like. b is still a work in progress but very liberating

I just wear tights. I live in the north and need to cover those legs up or I'll be cold as well as corn beefed.

I either wear natural tan tights or Rimmel wash off tan.

Sally Hansen is the best. I use it every summer.

I'll look into the suggestions, thanks. It doesn't help that my friend, who I often go dog walking with has lovely olive skin, one lick of sunshine and she is a gorgeous tan all summer long

As the saying goes 'comparison is the thief of joy'. Use some nice body moisturiser, wear something you like and enjoy your walks with your friend.

I wear leggings or trousers

Mine were terrible and I was told that it would disappear once I had been pregnant.... it did!!!

this works perfect legs skin miracle is very good.
And following a recommendation on here, I plan to try the Clarins self-tanner drops which you add to your usual moisturiser for a healthy glow.

I have just bought palmers anti-aging smoothing lotion. Only got it yesterday but am hoping it makes a difference to my bumpy looking legs although I will still need fake tan on top. I like the gradual ones but haven't got a favourite, just whatever is on offer.

I use body lotion with the fake tan added - Nivea, Johnson's and Garnier all do them. I find this avoids the streaky look, and it's easy to reapply each day.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs is great for a quick blast of brown, but it comes off on towels.

At work I definitely lean towards trousers at this time of year, when it's not quite warm enough for legs out, but black opaques look too wintery.

I quite like M and S fake tan. Safer than a sun tan too!

(I also wear thin tights through spring and autumn, e.g. Plimsolls, socks, tights underneath... with a skirt or dress. I am also sometimes a bit odd though...)

euphemia I buy the lotion version.

Cetaphil moisturising cream is brilliant for getting rid of the bumps. I used to use Sally Hansen and that is good too for evening out skin tone and adding a bit of colour

I might try a gradual tan see if I get more luck with those. I shave my legs and find all fake tan seems to collect in the holes where the hairs grow from so I have little brown dots over my legs. Am I the only one who gets this?

Try waxing and regularly exfoliating instead of shaving. It sounds like you've got lots of ingrown hairs and layers of dead skin causing the little bumps over the follicles. I have similar and have been to the salon to get a proper wax. I can't get to the back properly when I home wax & remember to use loofah mitts and a body scrub. Keep sloughing away at the dead skin each time you shower.

I'm like you OP, dotty legs and fake tan just makes it worse.
I read on here someone who said they get their legs out from Easter, by summer they are tanned.
I always get a tan line from bottom of leggings to top of shoes so, I'm following suit this year. My pasty legs are out, i live in hope they will be things of beauty by August.
Although it seems to be only my knees and ankles tan, so i might still end up looking like i have dodgy tan on. No streaks though!

Another vote for Sally Hansen here! Pale legs so I go for the light version, it's brilliant stuff.

My legs aren't blotchy and do tan, but I am super hairy and can be stubbly by teatime (waxing lasts about four days, so not worth the hairy run-up) so I can feel self-conscious. My solution is nude fishnets if I am doing a whole day "bare-legged". I generally wear midi-length dresses.

I use the Sally Hansen - just spray onto a fake tan mitt and apply. Fake tan is always streaky for me and I don't tan very much at all - unlike dh and ds who both become bronzed looking at the sun

I also get the dots smuggle even if I wait 24h to fake tan! I just use wash if tan now as it didn't go dotty and I can control what I'm doing. Rimmel is my fav but I've not tried Sally Hanson.

Sorry about the typos!