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.

This is so interesting, I am so glad I'm not the only one! I have persevered with the tanning drops, which still arent working at all on my legs.

Zirh87 I shave my legs with lathered soap. No build up of conditioner or anything like that. I moisturise my legs with the same moisturiser as I do the rest of my body.

I am definitely buying the prep spray.

I should have said - I've tried fake tanning in the morning and in the evening. No difference in the result ie still reflective white lower legs.

I have this problem too. I have decided to embrace the pale.

A very worried man on a Caribbean beach told me he had never seen anyone as pale as me and that I should head indoors immediately. I was wearing fake tan!

Same issue - although a salon spray tan does take, but too pricey to do that often plus it looks patchy and
weird after a few days. I’m now using ‘this works perfect legs skin miracle’ when my legs are exposed. It’s amazing! It’s a tinted serum - it’s a wash off daily one (so back to the milky white when you wash it off!) but it stays on all day, doesn’t come off in clothes and honestly transforms legs. Worth a go! Loads on eBay at the moment because they were in the M&S summer beauty box so you can try a small tube fairly cheaply.

I somehow managed to reply in the complete wrong thread

Try using a kabuki/buffer brush instead of a mitt on these areas, it works wonders for this exact problem! Also use cold water to wash the excess tan off, not hot.

It’s because ““It’s really common to find that your legs below the knees are often left paler than the rest of your body after washing off your guide tan. The reason is that your skin is thinner in this area so fake tan doesn’t develop as well.”

I have virtually blue skin and highly recommend Bondi Sands Dark Foam self tan! It’s brilliant stuff and actually makes your lower legs brown too!

Yep, had this problem for years and I have literally only just discovered the solution last week. Bondi Sands liquid gold foam finally turned my lower legs brown!