How to Get Great Summer Legs

So I've been trying to shift the baby weight and one year on I've still at least 1 stone to go. I don't fit into many of my clothes which is upsetting but the first thing to trim down is always my calves and though we may not have much chance to get our legs out in the UK in the summertime when the sun does appear I for one don't want to be caught with legs that could blind people at 100 paces. But I don't have time for full leg waxes, spray tans and massages (sadly, I wish I did) but I do have a fail-safe routine for keeping my pins presentable. I do it on two consecutive nights but you can do it all on one if you have to.

I'm an unashamed leg shaver. I've tried everything and the only thing that works for me is shaving or waxing and as I've mentioned above, I don't have time for a full leg wax (there are other areas that take up my child-allotted wax time). So I shave and exfoliate my legs on the first night. Shaving is pretty self-explanatory, I use soap and a men's razor. Not my husbands. That doesn't go well for anyone. Then I exfoliate. Now, I'm not a huge exfoliator but I do do it every now and then and when I'm prepping my legs properly I do it as I find it does make a difference to fake tan application.

I really like the St Grape Aqua Bliss Face and Body scrub which I would never use on my face but love using on the tops of my arms and my legs pre-tan. It's incredibly moisturising and effective without being too abrasive. It uses mineral sea salt as the main exfoliator so it's pretty gentle. No silicone, parabans. I don't love the smell but it's not that strong and it's floral, not offensive. I then moisturise when I get out of the bath, as I do every time I get out of the bath. For my legs I like to use a reasonably priced quite thick moisturiser I really like the ones from Nutrogena and Dove. I keep the expensive Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum for my upper body but I will use it to get rid of the keratosis pilaris on the tops of my thighs when it's time to tan (see my original review here).

Night two is a bit more busy. Because I know that I don't get shave bumps or marks I may just have a panic shave but probably not. When I get out of the bath (or shower. But usually bath) I will pat my legs dry but not too dry at all, then moisturise making sure I really moisturise the bits that tend to go orange and awful - elbows, knees, heels, toes, in-between toes. Now I reach for the fake tan and the only one I like is St Tropez Instant Bronzing Mousse - you can recommend me others I will try them or I'll say I've tried it and why I don't like it but this it the one I go back to again and again. And I've taken to using a tanning mit - for some reason this makes me feel old, like I've succumbed to one of the inevitable ravages of age, but I just no longer have the desire to scrub my hand for 3 hours after tanning. Anyway, I digress.

I moisturise and then as quickly as I can I shake the tan and apply it big circular motions and paying particular attention to the aforementioned tricky bits. One of the reasons I love the St Tropez is that by the time you've washed your hands, put everything back where it belongs, cleaned your teeth it's dried and you are ready to get into your pj's and bed.

Now, this works for me every time. But, for some reason my heels just won't get the message and tend to be a bit orangey but that's where the Bronze Buffer Fake Tan Remover comes in. I can't tell you how much I hate sponge but this is a complete life saver - wet the sponge, gently rub the area that's looking terrible and it'll disappear without leaving a horrible streaky patch. It's genius (see my original review here).

That's it. Nothing new to some of you but I speak to so many people who are scared of the whole moisturiser-the-tan thing and that's what helps you get a really even finish. Any other tips I've got to try?

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