Fake tan reccs from the TRULY blue of limb

[JessiCake]

I've trawled through S&B gathering intel on fake tan/gradual tanners/wash-off stains. But I remain to be convinced any of them will work on my legs.

I don't think it's possible to comprehend the whiteness of my legs unless you've been blinded by them in real life. Seriously. I wore a skirt the other day and even my most polite friends were struggling to come up with complimentary adjectives. DH said 'it just looks like you've not let your legs into the sun for 30 years'. Which he's right about. I burned badly once as a child so from the age of about 10 I just stopped exposing my legs to the sun.

I'm now 41 and regret QUITE such a hard-line view.

My legs, honestly, are ghostly beyond belief. Think white, then add pale, then go a few shades lighter than that, and you might just about be halfway to comprehending my skin tone.

Will ANY fake tan take the edge off, and NOT (as most do) just look like a layer of fake tan sitting on top of ghostly skin?

I've tried many gradual tanners over the years, admittedly none recently, but even they just look, again, like a layer of fake tan on top of ghostly skin.

I tried Sally Hansen airbrush last year. It was a tad orangey on me, but not awful. It still looked fake, though. I don't know if my transparent legs mean that EVERYTHING just looks a bit fake on me?

Can anyone similiarly afflicted help at all?

My legs aren't bad - in fact they're long and not too bad a shape, a bit Meghan Markle-skinny but really not bad legs at all. I'd love, now, to get them out a bit in the warmer months, but I'm really self-conscious about just HOW white they are.

Hello fellow ghost-legs!
I find fake-tan that develops over time look like I have coated my legs in a mixture of tea & Tango.
I found wash off ones have the translucency required to take the edge off.
My current favourite is: St.Tropez instant tan gloss. It's quite luminous & moisturising.
Not cheap, but much better than the day-glow nightmare of gradual tanners.
Good luck!

Hi OP!

My two cents: gradual tanners are a waste of time, on me anyway they make my feet and knees orangey and leave the shins pale.

Wash-off is the way to go, but I know what you mean about Sally Hansen. The thing about that product is it’s sort of opaque and chalky. There are others that are more of a sheer, transparent type. Like the St Tropez mentioned above. That’s a good place to start. This type of wash-off looks very dark in the tube (unlike Sally Hansen or This Works Perfect Legs, which I consider somewhat similar to the Sally H). Don’t be scared by the Marmite-like appearance: just keep smoothing it in and get out there! Enjoy the feeling of bare legs x

I am as white as you, I have just tried Clarins Golden drops which you mix with your normal body lotion. I have just used it once and although my legs would not look tanned to anyone else, its taken the lily whiteness away.

M&S Autograph Self Tan Luxe Oil in light to medium - I'm a total convert to this. One day I noticed at the gym that my legs were the same colour as my silvery-grey trainers and decided to take action. It's very subtle but you can build up with a few applications, goes on easily and doesn't have that fake tan smell. £12.50 - brilliant.

St Mauritz mousse applied with a mitt. It’s only about £4 and much better than far more expensive ones, and I am super white. Also better if you do a body scrub every other day and moisturise every day the week you want to do it, I also put a bit of body lotion on knees and elbows just before I apply it.
I find the gradual ones are more orange and patchy on me

The Palmers Cocoa butter one. Exfoliate first and moisturise knees and feet. It is very gentle and good at fading blue rather than leaving a tan.

I second the St Moriz mousse. I’ve tried more expensive products and this is just as good. It’s only £2.99 in Savers!
My legs were SO white, but a layer of this in the medium shade has made them look human.
Apply it with a mitt to make sure you don’t get streaks.

You are me!
After years of feeling I should just give up on fake tan, I have discovered Fake Bake Flawless Spray.
It. Is. Brilliant.
Can’t recommend it enough!

St Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted is really good. I use exfoliating gloves in the shower, dry and moisturise first before putting it on with a mitt- streak free and not orange at all.

Wow thank you so much! Come back to find another 9 fellow ghostly-limbed buddies!

I'm going to explore some of these options this very weekend. Where is the St Moriz available from? Actually don't worry I will just Google! I may start with that as it's cheapest so not a big outlay if it doesn't suit me. I have heard good things about the Clarins drops but i'm on a tight budget at the mo and so don't think I can stretch to those for now. The St Tropez shiny gloss stuff sounds worth a look too, if the St Moritz is a non-starter.

I'm so grateful, thanks everyone!

I also use the st tropez gradual tinted every few days but then on top of this before I go out I get a mitt and put on a blob of vita liberata body blur in latte - it gives a really nice sheen to your skin and you only need a little.

I agree about the StTropez gradual. It's great. No streaks and a nice natural colour.

Marking place to do some googling as I am a human mozzarella. The Sally Hansen looked absurd on me.