Why don't my calves tan?

It’s just annoying isn’t it? When you’ve carefully buffed and blended in your fake tan only to be left with pale calves. What’s the deal? And why does it keep happening?

Believe it or not but this problem is more common than you might think. The skin on your legs has a different depth and texture than the rest of your body so it might not take as well to tanner.

Here¬†are a couple of questions to ask yourself that might explain why your calves won’t tan:

Is there any residue left on your calves from products like moisturiser, shaving foam or body oil? All these cosmetic products act as a barrier to fake tan and can prevent the skin from ‘grabbing’ colour. Always shave and moisturise a day before your tan to guarantee that there’s nothing left on the surface of your skin that’s preventing your self tan from working effectively.

• gradual tanner is fab for dry skin that needs lots of moisture. It’s also brilliant for layering up over the week and creating a customised glow. If your calves haven’t picked up enough colour after a single treatment simply apply again over the paler areas and blend, blend, blend!
• fast-acting tanner is ideal for when you’re in a rush but still want to nourish your skin
• mild tanner is great for lending the skin a subtle glow. This delicate fake tan lifts a sallow complexion and because it appears so natural it creates a gentle colour gradient that blends into your legs.
• super-rich tanner is perfect for creating a deep colour finish. Try this if your legs are much paler than the rest of your body anyway — the darker colour will even up even the most ghostly of pins.