Another way to fix patchy fake tan is with an exfoliator, as gently scrubbing the skin will tone down the colour. Massage our Tan Enhancing Body Polish and Exfoliator onto the streaky areas until the pigment has faded. Top Tip: The key to an even-looking tan is smooth skin.
Your first course of action to even things out is to exfoliate any darker areas. Exfoliating with a mitt and gentle body scrub will help lift away those dead skin cells that have absorbed a touch too much colour. Additionally, ingredients like glycolic acid are fab at naturally fading your colour.
It may be difficult to instantly remove all of your fake tan, especially if you have applied it recently. However, you can try applying a hydrating body oil or baby oil onto the tanned areas. Let it sit for a few minutes, then use a damp cloth or exfoliating mitt to gently wipe away the tan.
Baby Oil
Raw oils like coconut, olive, or sunflower will work in a pinch, but be sure to pick up baby oil if you want the best results. When it's time to remove your self-tanner, simply slather your skin with the baby oil and leave it on for a few minutes. Then rinse it off in the shower using a loofah or washcloth.
The quickest steps are the basic (olive, coconut or baby) oil, soak in the tub, then use an exfoliating body mitt and body scrub or the specialist products designed to remove fake tan efficiently.
To get rid of fake tan quickly, try soaking in a warm bath with baby oil, followed by exfoliating with an exfoliating mitt.
Dry patches are a magnet to fake tan which can leave muddy streaks instead of a smooth skin kissed glow. When your fake tan goes wrong in this way, an easy fix is to soak in a bath with a generous glug of bath oil for at least 15 minutes. The warm water and oil will help to soften and loosen the dry patches.
Use Dish Soap
Dish soap can not only cut through grime and grease but can also get rid of your spray tan.
Just steam for ten to fifteen minutes, or longer, if you need some decompression. Then exfoliate all over with a mitt, dry off, and moisturize,” says Vogue.com Fashion News Editor Alessandra Codinha. “You'll be streak-free, soft all over, and ready to try again.”
If your tan feels too dark the following day, try having three hot showers to help bring it down to a more natural colour.”
For quick sun tan removal, exfoliate with a scrub or alpha hydroxy acid to shed pigmented surface cells and apply natural lightening agents. For more immediate results, consider professional treatments that can remove the top layers of tanned skin.
You can use a chemical exfoliate or even an at-home ingredient. Some mitts act as skin exfoliators that can help scrub away the unwanted tan. If you're using a scrub, exfoliate the area for up to five minutes, getting between the fingers and into the creases of the palms. This should help fade your tan significantly.
We generally recommend sticking to one self tanning product per application. If you do not find the color to be as deep as you would like, you can always apply a second coat 30-60 minutes after initial application, or the following day.
Apply the product evenly and thoroughly using circular motions. Your elbows, knees and ankles have thicker skin, so these areas will absorb more self-tanner. Consider diluting these areas after application by using a damp cloth and blotting it on these spots.
Baby oil is the most effective option for removing a fake tan from large areas of the skin. Olive oil or coconut oil will also work. Rub the oil into your skin, and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a loofah or washcloth to scrape away the color gently.
Yep! Oil in all its forms — think baby oil, coconut oil and olive oil — loosens dead skin cells, which can help break down tan build-up. Grab the oil and apply a generous amount to your palms before massaging it into the skin. Let it soak for at least half an hour (the longer you keep it on, the better).
If you showered after just a few hours, you might notice your skin is not as tanned as you'd expected. Don't fret! Your colour will continue to develop and darken for a few hours (and a spray tan takes up to 24 hours to develop fully).
Yes, baking soda is highly effective when it comes to toning down your tan. Put some baking soda in a glass of water and stir until you make a paste-like mixture. Apply the paste on tanned areas of your skin and remove after 15 minutes. After just a couple of days, your tan lines should be barely visible.
We want your tan to be 20/10 and unfortunately if moisturiser is applied it can leave blotches, marks and strip the tan in certain spots on the skin. Once you've washed off the colour guide and waited at least 8 hours, you can apply your favourite moisturiser to your entire body.
If you notice you've gone overboard in some areas you can lift some of the color with Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Cleanser & Makeup Remover. Just pour micellar water to a cotton pad and rub it on the affected area. It should help remove some of the color.
If you have specific tan lines or if you are looking for how to fix a patchy tan of uneven color, make sure you exfoliate those areas but refrain from the rest of your tan. This will help even everything out and make it look natural. Be sure to use a gentle exfoliant or exfoliating mitt for optimal results.
The Solution: For dark or orangey spray tans, put baby oil on the skin, let it set and then soak in a hot bath for a while. The oil and hot water will help to break down the tan. Once out of the bath, taking a shower and rubbing skin lightly with a loofah or exfoliating mitt is a good idea.
Is it possible to get rid of a tan? Sorry, but no. The tan is due to an increase in melanin, which is basically a defensive reaction from your skin being damaged by the sun. It will slowly fade if your skin is exposed to low enough levels of UV rays (e.g., in winter), but there is no way to speed this.