Why don’t my legs tan or absorb fake tan?

[WellTidy]

I am pretty pale all over, but my legs are milky white. They never tan in the sun, though I don’t sunbathe. So I wouldn’t expect them to tan that much. The rest of my body does tan a little though.

I’ve tried fake tanning, and am having good results with Isle of Paradise drops at the moment. But it doesn’t take at all on my legs. My feet are nice and fake tanned, as is from my tummy upwards, but still milky white legs. It is the same with all fake tans and gradual tans.

Why is this? I am well exfoliated and well moisturised. The fake tan works everywhere else. It is just my legs that are bright white.

I have exactly the same problem and it's hugely annoying. I found an article on line which suggested rubbing half a lemon on your legs before tanning to change the PH balance of your skin, never got round to trying that! However, I have invested in some of the Isle Of Paradise Prep Spray this week, have only used it once so far but it seems to have helped. It was on offer in Boots so cost just less than £10.

Wow. You and I are the only ones! Please let me know how you get on with the prep spray. I’ve redone my whole body in isle of paradise drops so I have very brown feet and the same white legs. It’s more from the knee down that doesn’t take, although it’s not great from the knee to thigh tbh. I will be buying the prep spray if it is the answer to everything. Failing that, I have a lemon in the fridge 😀

I always have this problem.. no idea why!

I have the same issue. My thighs will take fake tan but my calves stay white. So annoying!

Similar issue in that ny legs only take a much feinter colour than the rest of me. No idea why!
I'm fake tanning tonight. I've been using st tropez medium in shower gradual tan all week but not the colour I'd like to be yet.
Will see if that helps at all!

I have this exact problem too! My legs just seem to repel tan, natural or otherwise, its so annoying!

The front of my legs will tan, but the back - nope! 🙄

I go very brown as soon as the sun comes out. Legs will never, ever turn the same colour! I went on a 2 week holiday when I was 14/15 and spent the whole time pretty much cooking myself to get my legs to catch up... They did go browner than they ever had but nowhere near the same shade as the rest of me.

I'm very responsible with sun exposure now though before I get piled on for bad sun practices!

I was just going to post exactly this! I have been using IoP drops with the same result. I have never, ever got my legs to even turn mildly pink in the sun. I swear I could lather on baby oil and it wouldn't matter. What is going on?!

I figured natural tan would be totally different to fake tan but it seems my body repels both. I don't understand it!

This is so funny as I also have same problem! Always my shins..grr. I just re apply the day after and its usually fine.

You have different skin on different parts of your body.

I am extremely pale and wear a few different types of tan, nobody would even know I have tan on, it's very light.

My friend uses 3 different types also.

You wouldn't use the same cream on your face as you would on your legs, or use shampoo on your face. It's different skin and soaks it up differently.

You could use gradual tan on your body, legs and arms, and flash bronzer on your face and neck.

I used to have this! And I figured out it happened if I applied fake tan after coming out of the shower/ bath (even if I waited an hour).
I've got no idea why, but as soon as I stopped doing this is worked absolutely fine!

Pennygold I usually do this. Not today though. I showered at 8am, going to fake tan at 8pm. Will see if it gives better result!

I'm the same OP,on fact I was considered writing this same post, out of curiosity if anyone else had the same issue if nothing else.

It's only from my knees to my ankles though. My thighs tan and take fake tan like the rest of my body. I've noticed the skin on my lower legs is shinier, smoother and whiter than the rest of my body. I can only think that it's because of constant shaving as not sure what else it can be? 🤔 The only thing that works is I start tan or Sally Hansen legs that just washes off.

@ThisMustBeMyDream Let me know how it goes! It used to drive me insane and took me months to realise! It worked for my friend too, so fingers crossed!

I always presumed that it was because I shave my legs, regularly, from knee to ankle and this part of my leg was exfoliated more becasue of this and hence removing the fake tan that had built up.

I also presumed that our shoulders and arms would naturally tan a lot more than our legs because our body shades our legs from the sun - but of course not our feet - or is that just stupid?

I understand this is due to reduced melatonin on the lower legs, this would explain why both fake and real tan develops in this area.

Apparently, if legs have been regularly shaved for years, they don't tan easily.

So, update on the prep spray - it definitely seems to have made a difference! My lower legs and arms are the same colour which doesn't usually happen.
I exfoliated and shaved my legs in the shower, then used my Lumea, followed by the prep spray and then when that had dried I used St Tropez gradual tan tinted body lotion.
Will be interested to see how long it lasts!

I tan really well everywhere except the bottom half of my legs! My feet and thighs (and the full rest of my body) is really really dark but the bottom half of my legs never match up it’s very weird, I have tried lower suntan lotion, oil but it never gets to the same colour as the rest of me!

I am also very pale. Tried loads of different fake tans over the years. The only one that tans me all over Is Skinny Tan. Sadly it doesn't make me skinny though

Bondi Sands ultra dark on the legs. Should do the trick ;)

Could have written this, interesting (but annoying) phenomenon. My legs are almost reflective. They will take some fake tan, but as a pp said the Sally Hansen stuff that washes off. I once sat on a Greek beach with my top half in the shade of an umbrella (top half was burned) and my legs out for 6/7 hours with no cream/protection/shade and they didn’t even burn. My thighs will, but below the knee no chance!

I'm curious what products your using to shave your legs or moisturisers? I know everyone has different skin but I'm wondering if there is something in common. I'm curious if maybe you use conditioner or something else very heavy and just have buildup.

I use a Lumea and therefore don't shave at all and I also have the lower legs not absorbing fake tan problem. So it is nothing to do with shaving or shaving products and I don't moisturise before tanning.

Personally I think it is because my lower legs have far thinner skin than the rest of me. It is the outer, dead layer of skin that holds tanning products best (hence it working best on elbows and knees etc), and my lower legs have hardly any!

What is this prep spray then??