Exfoliate a day in advance, shave and then on the next morning when you wake up, hydrate your body with body creme. Then apply self tanner and don't dress until it has absorbed and fully dried. Wait one day and apply the self tanner again. Works best when you can incorporate natural sunlight.
The development time for self-tanner can vary based on the product. Generally, it's recommended to let it develop for at least 4 to 8 hours. Some formulas can be left on longer for a deeper color, while others are designed for shorter periods. Always check the instructions on your specific product for the best results!
AFTER THE TAN
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. Pat your skin dry. Do not rub or scrub your skin.
This seems easy enough, but a lot of people forget to shave before applying self tanner. However, you prefer to remove hair (waxing, shaving, laser, etc.) please do yourself a favor and do it before you apply product. Hair removal after-the-fact can remove your tan, leaving splotchy marks on your legs.
Apply Moisturizer Before Tanner
After exfoliating your body, continue the prepping process by applying a moisturizer. You shouldn't apply self-tanner without moisturizing first, because skipping out on this prep step could potentially leave you with patchy color — this goes for your face and the rest of your body.
Dhesthetics has 2 recommended body washes to use in the shower to help preserve your tan. Aveevo Daily Moisturizing body wash or Cetaphil Daily Nourishing body wash. All of these body washes have great ingredients in them that will help to preserve not only your tan, but keep your skin healthy.
Use a hairdryer. Once you have the perfect coverage, grab your hairdryer to help it set. Be sure it's blowing cool air and move it along your body. Not only will this help the solution dry faster, but it'll also help to kick the tanning development process into overdrive.
After applying your self-tanner, you'll need to give the product time to dry and settle on your skin. Do not get dressed right away, wrap yourself in a towel, or lie down. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes before putting clothes on—and even then, wear loose-fitting attire.
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.
Is 30 minutes a day enough to tan? It depends on your skin type. Those with fair skin likely need a bit longer, while people with darker skin may only require 15-20 minutes daily. Start slow and gently build UV skin tolerance over multiple sessions for the best color development.
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).
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.
Keeping the skin cool prior to tanning can help reduce strawberry legs as warmth can open the pores.
If you wax your legs or use a hair removal cream, you'll need to make sure you schedule around your self-tan carefully. According to Evans, both wax and hair removal cream can remove self-tanner, so plan any hair removal at least 24 hours in advance of your tanning session to ensure the legs tan properly.
what happens if i forget to shower off the tan? the longer you keep the tan on, the darker it will get. however, some skin types may experience discoloration (looking a bit orange or yellow) if left on too long past around 8 hours. you may also get a streaky tan as you're more likely to rub or wash off some sections.