It's easy to miss areas like between the toes or around the sides of your feet, but even coverage is key! Use a small brush or even a makeup sponge to gently work the self-tanner into these areas without overdoing it. Just a light touch is all you need for a smooth, consistent tan across every inch of your feet.
If you're in a hurry, spray the tops of your feet with a tanning mist where the sun would hit - just make sure you're standing on a dark towel, unless you fancy bronzing your bathroom floor in the process. Don't forget to do a little clean up after your tanning session!
Tanning hands and feet without streaks or patches is achievable with the right techniques and a bit of patience. By exfoliating and moisturizing, using a tanning mitt, applying the product lightly, and blending correctly, you can achieve a natural-looking, even tan on these tricky areas.
Once you've finished applying fake tan to the rest of your body, use the left over product on your mitt to tan your feet – we promise, it's enough. Glide the tanning mitt over your feet, making sure you lightly sweep over your toes, the sides of your feet and the backs of your ankles.
At UV 7, tans develop quickly. Fair-skinned people start to tan in just 10 minutes but risk sunburn in under 15 minutes without proper sun protection. People with darker skin might tan in 15-25 minutes because of their natural melanin but still face risks from long exposure.
The top 10 fastest times around the track are displayed on the Tan Digital Clocks next to the official start of the course, with the current records of 10:08 set by Australian long distance and middle distance runner Craig Mottram in 2006, and 11:31 by Jessica Hull in 2023.
The reason the hands and feet can be harder to tan is because the skin texture is generally different than the rest of the body and oftentimes these are drier areas as well. During appoitment these areas will be covered with barrier cream that will protect and hydrate your skin.
Use a flat hand to smooth the mitt over your hand or foot and make sure to be diligent, going over every little crevice of skin. Evans suggests holding your hand in a claw-like shape so you can easily blend self-tanner in the small spaces between your fingers.
The typical lifespan of a tan
A natural tan typically lasts around 7 to 10 days, though this can vary depending on your skin type and colour.
Natural Oils: Apply natural oils like coconut oil or olive oil to your legs. These oils can intensify and accelerate the tanning process. Tan-Accelerating Lotions: Use tan-accelerating lotions that contain ingredients like tyrosine or melanin to boost your skin's ability to tan.
When it comes to enhancing a tan, warm-toned nail colors are the go-to choice. These shades, including coral, peach, golden yellow, and bronze, complement the warmth of your skin tone and accentuate your bronzed glow.
The reason is, in reality, more physical than anything else. The skin is three times thicker in these areas than parts of the body. Therefore, it is much more difficult for the desired chromatic alterations to occur.
Socks. If you don't have any rubber gloves handy, you can also use a sock for self-tanner application. Go with a thicker sock that doesn't have a match and use it to give your skin a healthy tan glow. Slipper socks may be a great option for a self-tanner applicator because of their thickness.
When tanning your feet, wear a tanning mitt or latex glove to achieve a streak-free result. Apply a small amount of self-tanner to the mitt or glove and blend it onto your feet using circular motions. Ensure that you cover all areas, including the tops, sides, and in-between the toes.
Areas of your body that don't normally tan (like the palms of your hands or soles of the feet) just look dirty if you leave tanner on them.
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.
The skin on most areas of your legs is thicker and harder than the rest of your body and ultraviolet (UV) rays can't easily penetrate it. The skin here is also dryer, resulting in quicker exfoliation of the outer layers. On top of that, dry skin deflects UV light, making the whole tanning process less effective.
Lotion is 🗝 KEY!
Without a lotion, this can take up to 3 minutes, meaning that both sunbathing and on a sunbed you are wasting tanning time. Lotion helps to moisturise skin, speed up the tanning process, protect tattoos, lengthen the life of your tan, deepen future results and work as an anti-ageing skincare hero.
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.