"Sweat can not only cause staining, but it can wreck your tan during the development stage. If you are scared of sweating, use baby powder to keep the skin dry and the tan in place. Once the tan has developed, and the first shower has happened, the self-tanner will not transfer at all."
Stop your skin from drying out
Moisturise regularly to prevent your tan from fading unevenly. Hydrated skin will hold onto the tan better and keep it looking flawless for longer.
To minimise the fade out, make sure you wait for at least 24 hours after self-tanning, use a sharp, fresh razor, apply a gentle moisturiser and apply only light pressure while defuzzing.
Your tan will continue to develop to up to till 8 hours, which you can then wash off with water only (no soaps or sponges etc.) 24 hours after your appointment, you can start using body products, but you need to make sure that you are selecting the correct products for your skin.
Moisturise & Maintain!
Moisturising is an essential step in achieving a long-lasting tan. Prior to tanning, we'd recommend applying moisturiser to typically dry areas like your hands, feet, elbows and knees to prevent tan from clinging to any dry patches, resulting in a flawless result.
For a natural look, you need to lightly extend the tanner from your wrists to your hands and from your ankles to your feet. Dilute over your joints. Dilute the self-tanner on the knees, ankles and elbows, because these areas tend to absorb more self-tanner than the rest of the skin.
Once you have washed off your fake tan moisturise your skin daily to increase the longevity of your tan. Dry, dehydrated skin will cause your dead skin cells to shed quicker, taking the fake tan you worked so hard for with it. Use an oil-free moisturiser as oil can break down the product [2].
Wear dark loose clothing; tight clothing or underwear may cause marks. Wear loose fitting shoes. Shower lightly in cold – lukewarm water for 45 seconds ONLY after your desired development time. Use plain water, don't use shower gels, scrubs, shampoos or loofah during the first 24 hours after your treatment.
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.
After extensive testing, we determined the highest rated self-tanner to be the St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse. It's an airy mousse that's easy to apply and blend and leaves you with a natural-looking glow. You can also customize the depth of color based on how long you leave it on your skin.
Applying at night gives your self-tanner time to develop a natural tan look. Things like showering, rain, or tight clothes can mess up your tan when it's trying to settle. And some tanning products will also stain! As the self-tanner process can take up to eight hours, applying right before bed is super convenient.
You must avoid the following ingredients when using a moisturizer: Mineral Oil, Petroleum, Paraffins, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ceresine. Curel lotions will fade a tan faster, on some people. Avoid lotions with a high alcohol content such as CeraVe.
Apply with a mitt
There are a few different ways to apply your fake tan, we would recommend using a mitt for a flawless application. Our Tanning Mitt has a lotion proof barrier to protect your hands from staining while also achieving streak free coverage with flexibility to reach all areas.
We would recommend if sleeping in fake tan that you invest in tanning sheets (be it a fancy 'fake tan' specific sheets, old sheets you're not fussed about or a darker shade that doesn't show the tell-tale fake tan remnants so easily) and make sure you wear loose, comfy and fake tan friendly sleepwear to bed.
By shaving a day before applying self-tanner, you ensure that your skin is smooth and free of any dead cells. This smooth surface allows the self-tanner to go on evenly and helps it adhere better to your skin. Avoid Irritation: Shaving can sometimes cause minor irritation, particularly if you have sensitive skin.
The best moisturiser to prolong fake tan is an oil-free moisturiser like Purity Repair Skin Conditioning Treatment will help keep lock in moisture, and help to keep the skin nourished and hydrated. While also extending the life of your self-tan by up to 48 hours.
For the actives in your self-tanner to do their job properly, they need to be applied to clean skin. This means skin free from deodorants, fragrances, and body lotion – unless you're actually a fan of a patchy tan… So make sure you shower first to remove any lingering prods that can interfere with your tanner's DHA.
Before we dive into tips on how to extend your sunless tan, you're probably wondering, “Just how long does a fake tan last?” On average, your skin retains self tanner for 5-7 days, but this period of longevity can vary based on many factors. Expired self tanning products, sensitive skin, and skin types are a few.