Your self tan will look so much better if you apply a light, oil-free moisturizer. The moisturizer helps to layer in a smooth surface so you don't get streaks. If you use a moisturizer it also absorbs excess self-tanner and prevents spots that darker in some areas.
You didn't apply it evenly
Using a velvety smooth tan application mitt is key to blending in tan for a streak-free finish! If you're using a spray tan gun and streaks are appearing, you can also use a mitt to smooth these streaks straight out.
Exfoliate regularly
For a tan that fades evenly, it's important to start gently exfoliating three days after you have applied your tan – and then every day until your tan has been buffed away completely. Our Exfoliating Body Scrub , is the perfect refreshing exfoliant.
Soak in oil and buff with an exfoliating mitt
Oils, on the other hand, break down DHA and can fade fake tan faster. It does, so lather up or soak yourself in oil. You can also use coconut or olive oil, which should be left on the skin for 10 minutes before washing off.
To keep the drier areas from going patchy, make sure you moisturise all over and pay extra special attention to these troublesome areas. Try to leave the moisturiser to sink in for at least half an hour before you start the application stage of your fake tan routine.
Use Circular Motions:
Apply the product using circular motions to avoid streaks and ensure an even distribution.
Go easy on dry skin.
Be mindful of other notoriously dry areas of the body as you tan. Lightly apply the tanner over drier areas of the skin like knees and elbows, which will absorb the product quicker and produce a darker color in those spots. Rub it in circular motions to prevent streaks, suggests Wnek.
When you apply self-tanner to unexfoliated skin, it can cling to patches of dead skin, resulting in a streaky and uneven tan. Exfoliating before tanning provides a smooth and clean canvas for the tanning product, ensuring that it goes on evenly and adheres to your skin properly.
Exfoliate. The best way to avoid a gradual tan going patchy is by exfoliating your body beforehand. This helps remove any dead skin where gradual tan tends to accumulate and appear darker. We recommend using our Tasmanian Sand Scrub one day before you apply your gradual tan.
Avoid OILS on the skin!
Oil can break down the colour of self-tanner by loosening the dead skin cells that have been dyed brown by fake tan. When these dead skin cells start to crack and flake off, it can result in a patchy or uneven tan, often referred to as a "tiger bread" tan.
To maintain your gradual tan, it's important to keep your skin hydrated and moisturised. This will help prevent the colour from fading too quickly and will keep your skin looking healthy and glowing. Avoid exfoliating too frequently or using harsh products that can strip the colour and cause it to fade unevenly.
Ardell Body Drench Quick Tan Instant Self-Tanner
Kim Kardashian flashed her own bottle of Body Drench when showing off her travel makeup bag — and she definitely knows a good sunless tan! If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member?
In an interview with Redbook, Jennifer Aniston revealed that her favourite self-tanning product is the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tanning Towelettes, she says: "I like the L'Oréal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes. They're great."
If your fake tan is fading unevenly
Before applying more fake tan, have a soak in a bath of warm water and use an exfoliating mitt to really smooth the skin and get rid of any remnants of a fading, streaky self-tan.
Squeeze the mousse onto a tanning mitt and apply it to the body in smooth, circular motions. Top tip: to avoid orange patches, go light on the ankles, elbows, knees, knuckles, and nose. These areas are the most absorbent and will darken quickly. The more mousse you apply, the deeper the tan will be.
To protect itself from the damaging effects of the sun, skin makes more brown pigment, called melanin. That extra melanin is what creates a suntan. But sometimes skin doesn't make melanin evenly. As a result, the skin's coloring, called pigmentation, looks patchy.
Exfoliate darker areas
Oops, you've done it again – and your tan is a patchy or streaky mess. 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.
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.