Use baking soda Baking soda is an excellent exfoliator that won't leave your skin sore (patch test first!), is cheap to buy and is non-abrasive. Run a warm bath and add half a cup full of baking soda to the water. Hop in and soak for 15-20 minutes before gently exfoliating the skin with a loofah or exfoliating sponge.
Add a small amount of baking soda to a moistened washcloth, and rub across self tanning splotches. Not only will the baking soda bring a bleaching effect, but it also exfoliates the skin.
``If you do get too dark, slather on coconut oil or baby oil and sit for 10 minutes then jump in the shower and exfoliate,'' Hilliard tells me. ``Oil lifts the top layer of color and makes skin easier to exfoliate so it will lighten your tan. You can also soak in a baking soda bath.
Baby Oil
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. Once you hop out of the shower, you'll likely notice that the colour of your self-tanner has gone down a shade or two (woohoo!).
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.
Even though hydrating your skin is the key to prolonging a fake tan, applying oil to the skin can also lift a tan— given it's done right. Cover your body in coconut oil or olive oil and let it soak in for around 15 minutes. Then take a hot shower. If you have a bath, even better!
If you're worried about self tanning your face, you could try mixing a little of your self tanner with your favourite moisturiser to dilute it slightly for a lighter application.
If a dark tan is what you're looking for, we do recommend waiting a few hours before rinsing it off so that the product has longer to develop with your skin. Note: after rinsing, your skin will continue to deepen over the next 24 hours, so if your skin does not seem that dark, give it time!
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.
- Lemon juice can help to dissolve uneven patches of self-tan on small areas, such as your ankles, wrists and palms. - Mixing lemon juice with a tablespoon of sugar or bicarbonate of soda will gently exfoliate the area which will further help to pull out any excess tan.
Shaving after a spray tan can remove some of the tan, leading to uneven or patchy results. Waiting 8-12 hours after the session and using gentle shaving techniques is important to maintain the tan.
To get rid of fake tan quickly, try soaking in a warm bath with baby oil, followed by exfoliating with an exfoliating mitt.
Exfoliate 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.
Use an exfoliator mixed with a touch of olive oil to gently remove the dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin and in turn lighten the fake tan. Avoid using a harsh exfoliator because it might take your tan off in patches.
Although manufacturers will condone the method, solution can be diluted using distilled* water. As the prominent ingredient in sunless tanning solution is water, there is no harm in adding more to lower the concentration of DHA to better suit a client.
Exfoliation is the best way to remove tan at home. It removes pigmented dead skin cells and promotes new ones, reducing the appearance of the tan.
Exfoliate darker areas
To lighten darker patches, exfoliate the affected areas regularly. You can also apply a tan remover or exfoliating product to speed up the fading process. Try the Clarins Tonic Sugar Polisher , which contains rosemary, making it gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skin.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera gel is well-known for its therapeutic qualities and ability to lighten tans. Before bed, apply the plant's fresh aloe vera gel to your skin. Apply it overnight, then remove it with a morning wash. Regular use can reduce tan significantly.
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.
A tan from being outside will last an average of 7–10 days. The sun's UV rays stimulate melanin production in the cells of the outer skin layer, so once these cells are shed, you are left with your original skin tone. More melanin is produced after UV exposure as the skin's natural defense.