The spring-sun shines, the temperature is pleasant, and you are at work at (home) office. Staying inside doesn’t help your tanning, but there is a great alternative: applying self-tanner enables you to show off your legs once the summer comes along. Applying ‘tan-without-sun’ is an art on itself, and often the result is anything but a natural radiant glow. Blotchy skin is not something you aim for, so we collected 10x tips on how to apply your self-tanner with no streaks!
#1 Exfoliate for an even tanned skin
A job well begun is a job half done, and this is also the case with self-tanner. A tan-without-sun lotion sticks best to clean skin. Therefore, exfoliating your skin before you apply your self-tanner is a must. Exfoliants remove dead skin cells and cause the self-tanner to do its job.
#2 Hydrate your skin to get an even result
Applying your self-tanning lotion on well-hydrated skin gives the best natural tan results. Raw and dry skin, like on your elbows, soak up the tanning lotion a lot more, and you’ll end up with stripy skin. A smooth and oily skin prevents a blotchy, striped result. Don’t only regularly apply your self-tanning lotion, but use a nourishing body lotion as well.
#3 Never use oil and self-tanning lotion together
Even though we just stated that you have to keep your skin smooth and oily, it’s better not to use any oils or a body lotion that contains oil. If you love using skin oils in the shower, just keep them in your bathroom cabinet when you want to use a self-tanner. The ingredient that causes your skin to tan dissolves in oil. You can apply all the lotion you want, but your skin won’t get a tan.
#4 Choose the shade of tanning lotion that matches your skin tone
It sounds logical, but chances are you want a tan so badly, that you become a little too courageous and choose the wrong shade of self-tanner. If you have fair skin, always choose a light shade. If you have beautiful darker skin, then always go for a darker shade. If you don’t do this, fair skin will look too tanned (or orange) and on dark skin, you won’t see any results.
#5 Use a special self-tanner on your face
Your facial skin is very delicate and can not be compared to the skin of the rest of your body. You probably don’t rub body lotion on your face, but you use a special day or night cream instead. The same goes for self-tanners. If you want to tan your face to get that gorgeous radiant glow, it’s clever to buy a special self-tanner for the face. Never rub a self-tanner suitable for the body on your face! The tanning lotion will have a much stronger result and you may end up looking like a tangerine.
#6 Always wear a glove when you apply self-tanner
You can apply your tanning lotion using your hands only, but it is clever to use a special self-tan glove. The glove prevents your hand palms from turning orange, plus it’s easier to apply the self-tanner on the entire body without getting streaks, stripes and blotches. No matter how tightly you hold your fingers together, there are always tiny cracks for the tanning lotion to disappear in.
#7 Work from toe to head
When you apply your self-tanner, always start at your toes and slowly work upwards. That way, the self-tanner retracts well without touching other body parts.
#8 Don’t be stingy when you apply self-tanner
Are you afraid to end up with a ‘fake’ tan when you use too much self-tanner? Well, this is very unlikely. As a matter of fact, it’s the other way around! If you’re very economical with your self-tanner, the lotion won’t bond to some areas and you’ll get streaks. Always make sure you use enough self-tanner.
#9 Don’t get dressed shortly after application
A commonly made mistake when people use self-tanners is that they get dressed too quickly. If you long for a beautiful, even summer glow, it’s best to wait to get dressed until your skin has fully absorbed all the lotion. Getting dressed too quickly causes streaks and that’s not what we wish for!
#10 What if you have streaks…
Self-tanner that stains, it could happen to anyone. No need to be sad though; there are a few simple tricks to solve this problem. Do you see a brown line around your eyebrows and/or hairline? Drizzle some lemon juice on a cotton pad and gently rub your stained areas. Because lemon juice is sour, the brown (or orange) shade disappears like snow in summer.
Self-tanners are likely to stain your cuticles. A few drops of nail varnish remover work magic, and the stains will disappear quickly. Do you have blotches on your arms or legs? All you have to do is take a nice, warm shower and exfoliate.
