How do you manage gradual tan and leg hair removal?

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Having never used fake tan before, this summer I discovered and am loving Gatineau gradual tan. At the beginning of the summer I wax my legs, so I've enjoyed nicely tanned hair free legs for a while. But by the end of the summer I switch to shaving - I don't want to grow the hair long enough to wax. The problem is, shaving removes the tan. So now I have a dilemma: hairy legs or pale legs?

Advice online seems to be to shave 24 hours before tanning - but, after 24 hours I'm stubbly. And it takes several days for the tan to build up.

How do you manage this? Am I missing something?

I find epilating really good. Only have to re do occasionally over summer, and only a few hairs at a time as they reappear. Epilator seems to pick up very short hairs and regrowth never seems to come back all at once.

Another vote for epilator here.

The pain though! Do you use any numbing creams?

An IPL?

Just get laser. Started mine this summer after nearly two decades of waxing and shaving. Feel so stupid for not doing it earlier!