Keeping your skin hydrated and healthy is what ensures longevity for self-tanners. The sun dries out your skin, causing damage that disrupts your tan. So, make sure you keep applying sunscreen to keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and your glow going strong. A lasting sunless tan starts with the best products.
Skin prep is key, ensure you have exfoliated your body to perfection that you have no unwanted hairs or no dead skin cells for your ultra dark fake tan to get stuck to! Dead skin cells are the devil to fake tan as they block the tan from getting to your new fresh healthy cells that will hold onto your tan for longer.
First off, your skin naturally sheds its top layer over time, which can cause your tan to fade. Additionally, regular activities like swimming, showering, or even just rubbing your skin with a towel can accelerate the exfoliation process and fade your tan faster.
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.
Your skin type: If your skin is more on the dry side or it's winter and you're a little more drier than normal your dead skin cells can shed faster which can result in your fake tan fader faster.
Eumelanin, on the other hand, is dark brown or black. The ratio between these two types of pigment is what makes the difference in each person's ability to tan. The skin of people with a higher amount of eumelanin will darken faster when exposed to the sun and so they will be more protected from burns.
Moisturize twice a day
Apply it religiously twice a day to prolong your tan and keep your skin feeling velvety soft and smooth. Top Tip: Make sure that you drink plenty of water as well. If your body is dehydrated, your skin will be too.
Why won't my tan go away? When the cells become damaged with pigment, discoloration that doesn't fade occurs, leading to a tan that doesn't fade. In fact, it tends to stay dark unless you choose to have this hyperpigmentation treated professionally.
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].
Maintaining Your Fake Tan
Moisturising well and using a bronzer is a good start: Moisturise using a non-oil-based moisturiser every day to keep your skin hydrated and therefore avoiding any cracking or flaking. Carefully pat your skin dry after baths/shower/swimming rather than rubbing.
Keratinocytes are fully recycled from the outer epidermis every 4–6 weeks, so a tan will be fully gone at that time. You'll have a gradual fade, from full tan to your natural skin color, so after a couple of weeks, your tan will be less strong.
**Risk of Over-Tanning**: Applying a second layer can lead to a much darker and potentially unnatural appearance. This may result in an uneven or patchy finish, especially in areas where the product tends to gather.
Shaving Before or After Spray Tan FAQ
Spray tan may fade slightly when shaving, especially if done immediately after the session. Waiting 8-12 hours before shaving and using gentle strokes can minimise the impact on the tan.
Although steaming your face and body is excellent for cleansing your skin, opening up your pores and removing blackheads, it can also make your tan fade a little quicker. This is because treating yourself to a steam actually encourages your older skin layers to flake away to reveal fresh, smooth skin.
Make Sure Skin Is Completely Dry
Most experts recommend showering before applying self-tanner as this is the best way to ensure skin is clean and free of any oils or products that could interfere. But it's important not to rush into tanning straight away.
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.
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.
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.
Exfoliation after tanning can strip away the outer layer of skin where the self-tanner has done its job, causing the tan to fade faster. Stick to gentle cleansing and avoid exfoliating scrubs, rubbing yourself dry, or loofahs post-tanning to keep your tan intact.
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.
If you are returning from a holiday in the sun to a colder environment with little sun, you may notice that your tan will fade even faster. This is because, as the tanned skin cells are shed, the production of melanin (which causes a tan) decreases due to the lack of UV radiation from the sun.
Keeping your skin hydrated is key to making your airbrush tan last longer. Moisturize your skin at least twice a day with a water-based lotion or oil-free moisturizer. Avoid using products that contain alcohol, fragrance, or essential oils as they can dry out your skin and cause your tan to fade faster.
The secret to a beautiful, realist looking self tan! The secret to a longer lasting self tan! Answer: EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE and EXFOLIATE before, during and after your tan.