Arms done, face done, shoulders done. Legs still look like it is February. It is the most common complaint at the salon desk, and it has four very ordinary causes.
4everyday reasons legs lag behind
Day beforeis when to shave or exfoliate, not the morning of
10psized amount per area, knees and ankles included
Legs are drier. Less oil, more flaking, so colour sheds unevenly.
Legs get shaved. Every shave takes the top layer, and some colour, with it.
Legs are covered. Most of the year they get almost no incidental light.
Legs get pressed. On a lie-down bed, skin touching the acrylic tans less.
Part one
Why legs lag behind
There is nothing wrong with your legs. They are just working against four things the rest of you is not.
Drier skin. The skin on your lower legs runs drier than most of your body, so it flakes more and holds colour less evenly.
Shaving and waxing. Each pass removes the very top layer of skin. Shave every day and you are exfoliating every day.
Clothes. Jeans and tights mean legs start every season further behind.
Pressure points. On a lie-down bed, the backs of your calves and thighs press against the acrylic. Pressed skin gets less blood flow and tans less, which is where pale patches come from.
Your legs are not refusing to tan. They are starting from further back and losing colour faster.
Part two
The prep that makes the difference
Shave or wax the day before. Not the morning of. Fresh shaving leaves skin irritated and strips colour.
Exfoliate gently, the day before. Clears dry skin so colour lands evenly, without scrubbing off what you have built.
Moisturise every day. Especially shins and knees. Hydrated skin holds colour more evenly.
Nothing greasy before the bed. Oils and heavy body butters on the day can leave patches and are not what salons want on their acrylics.
Part three
What to do in the bed
Apply properly. A 10p sized amount per area, including knees, ankles and the backs of your legs. Legs are where people rush it.
Move. On a lie-down bed, shift your position and bend your knees now and then so the same spots are not pressed the whole time.
Try a stand-up. Plenty of people find a standing booth gets their legs more even, because nothing is pressed against a surface.
Keep sessions regular. Two or three a week while building beats one long one.
Rushed legs
Patchy
Shaved that morningCream on the arms onlySame position
Pale backs of calves, darker knees.
VS
Prepped legs
Even
Shaved the day before10p per areaShift position
Legs that keep pace with the rest of you.
A rich cream suits legs because they are the driest area you tan. Island Coconut is our best seller for exactly that job.
Part four
Give them a few more sessions
Even with all of the above, legs usually take a session or two longer than your arms to catch up. That is normal. Judge them over two or three weeks, not one visit, and never push session times to force it. How many sessions it takes has the realistic timeline.
To be clear about what we are not saying: no cream fixes pressure points or undoes a fresh shave. The accelerator makes each session count for more. The prep is what makes the colour even.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
Why do my legs not tan on the sunbed?
Legs usually have drier skin, get shaved or waxed often, spend most of the year covered, and on lie-down beds the backs of them press against the acrylic. Each one slows colour down. Together they explain why legs lag.
Is a standing or lie-down sunbed better for legs?
Many people find standing booths tan legs more evenly, because nothing is pressed against a surface. On a lie-down bed, shift position and bend your knees now and then.
Should I shave before a sunbed session?
Shave the day before rather than just before. Fresh shaving can leave skin irritated, and it takes off the very top layer of skin, and some colour with it.
Does tan accelerator help legs?
It helps every session count for more, which matters most on the areas that are slowest. Apply it to legs properly, including knees and ankles, with the same 10p sized amount per area.
