As I look like someone who has never seen the sun I thought as we are going on holiday this year I might try a fake tan.

Can anyone recomend a good one or has anyone had any bad experiences with them.  I dont want to end up looking like I've been tango'd :)

Thanks

Think the current one I have on the go is the Dove Summer Glow, which is very nice. Make sure you've exfoliated well before applying it, particularly around your feet, elbows, knees, etc., and wipe your palms afterwards. I imagine it needs to soak in well too, or may stain clothing? I tend to leave it a while certainly.

As you sound pale, make sure you go for the light shade, rather than the darker one and remember that it won't show the colour immediately, it develops. I tend to mix a bit of plain moisturiser in too, as it is very effective.

M.

PS - all of that sounds far more of a faff than it actually is! They're very easy, and I think they give a really nice colour now.

M.

St Tropez all the way!!!

Yup, agree.  St. Tropez spray on (with tint) is the best one I've used on my legs so far.
Also a cheaper alternative I use on occasion is Soltan Tinted shimmer..
Both great because you can see where you've put it before it develops
Oh and edited to say, I now use a mitt, no stained hands, and it does seem to make the effect more even too!

Ambre Solaire spray tan, I did my son initially when he was going in for a body building competition and then my daughter did her sister and now I do daughter and I've converted two of my friends.  Works everytime and is not messy, lovely colour and from Savers £3.00 cheaper than Boots.  I'm even going to have one Saturday night as I'm off out on Sunday.

I seem to be allergic to them all. The only one I can use with any success is Rimmel Sun Shimmer. It washes off which is great if you make a mistake, but it means you can't swim/go near water unless you want the washed out streaky look.
My daughter swears by Johnsons Holiday which is available in three shades and is quite cheap compared to some.
Good luck finding something that suits you :-)

Johnsons Holiday Skin for body & face - you can't beat it!

> dont want to end up looking like I've been tango'd

:-D

If your a novice to tanning I would say your best bet is to get a spray tan first (NOT the automatic booths!! they are hell on earth!! you have to adopt a series of ballet poses which you forget just as the jets start spraying and you cant stop it I had one brown arm one white one!!)
   But get it done professionally first and then you have a good base to work on. I have mine done by a therapist who uses 4 different shades on me (she can even shade your legs tum etc to look slimmer..'contouring')
     Then I top it up myself by using the moisturisers with a hint of self tan in...MUCCCCCCCCH more natural looking :-) (and I just use the real cheapy ones from Dove! its fab and smells ok)
I can spot a David Dickinson St Tropez a mile off (actually you can smell 'em before you see em!!!! uuuurgh)
  If you did want to go whole hog and use a fake tan THE best one with out a doubt are the 'California Tan' Brand and also Lancaster as they are well known not to turn Orange ..more expensive but worth it.

Sorry huskygal but i disagree about the David Dickinson St Tropez. It has never given me an orange look. Just looks like you've come back off holiday & is the ONLY fake tan i know that covers the skin so well and doesnt leave streaks. I've always exfoliated/moisturised etc etc but no tan has ever had such good effects as S.T. Many people compliment me on my tan and are amazed when i tell them its a fake one from a bottle - not a holiday tan or sunbed one

Oh hey!! no appology needed to me!!
I base my comments mainly on the ingredients, and it is widely acknowledged that certain brands have it and certain dont... your obviously lucky with your skin ph..not everyone is...so if *your* spending that amount of money as a novice first timer its better to buy a brand with the yellow pigment and be able to garuantee *you* wont go Orange :oD (was more my point!)

Ditto gembo I use it all over and then in the garden and it does not come off on your sheets or streak, BUT wash your hand after applying or they go darker than the rest of you. They are graded to your skin tone as well.

See i find with st tropez that it only takes as much as your skin allows &  looks normal. For example im blond haired & fair skinned, my friend is olive skinned and brunette. If we sit in the sun she goes darker than me and if we both use st tropez she goes darker than me. Almost like the fake tan only goes a colour your skin would naturally allow. St Tropez was the first fake tan i ever used and even as an amateur it looked good. think my skin PA is quite bad actually :-) I have very dry areas, eczema and greasy spots.

Im reading this thread with great interest......coming out of the shadows of being a Goth i was never into sun tanning so I have always had really pale ,almost ultra violet pale skin.
I never ever ever get my legs out in public either as they look like plucked chicken skin....lol
This summer ive been getting so hot i would like to try one so I can wear vest topes, cropped trousers etc without looking ridiculously white.

My friend uses St Tropez and get ace results with it..she uses Sudocrem on her knuckles knees etc to stop the colour gathering in the creases and she look great. All the ones ive tried i look orange,streaky or both :(

any tips would be appreciated as to what would suit my really really lily white skin
Thanks
Philly xx

If you're very fair, I'd use the gradual tanner (johnsons holiday, dove etc) and mix it again with some regular moisturiser so you can build it up slowly.

I go for several different types, The Body Shop one is my favourite, which I use if I'm going out. For everyday I use L'oreal Nutrisummer and Sally Hansen Airbrush sun (new one) which smells gorgeous and is very natural (and dries quick too)

I've been using fake tan for about 15 years (back when it really did turn you orange and streaky!) thankfully they've improved so much! If I stop using it for a couple of days, people always comment on how tired I look, or "are you ill? you look dreadful!" Charming! :-D