How To: Apply Self Tanner

{Image from Allure}

What you’ll need:

• Non-oily body scrub
• Self tanner {a tinted formula with a color guide that shows where it goes is great for beginners} You can use a lotion, mousse, or gel, whatever your preference.
• A plain {somewhat thick if possible} body lotion
• *A plain lightweight face lotion {optional}
• A body oil, olive or vegetable oil {whatever you have handy}
• Latex gloves {find the smallest you can that fit}
• Latex makeup sponges
• Cotton balls or pads
• Nail brush {for you or your buddy if not wearing gloves}
• Rubbing alcohol
• Dark loose fitting men’s t-shirt or inexpensive black cotton dress
• Baby wipes
• Self tanning buddy
• Long handle lotion applicator/ Saran Wrap if no self tanning buddy

Prep:

–Exfoliate your face and body in the shower. Use lukewarm or warm water in your shower. Use a non-oily scrub {or you can make your own with your body wash and brown or white sugar} with your exfoliating cloth or gloves. Turn off the shower so you actually scrub and it doesn’t go down the drain. Take a pumice stone or foot file to your feet and scrub them as well. Exfoliate your face with a washcloth and some baking soda after cleansing.

–Shave, this will also help you exfoliate dead, dry skin cells.

–Make sure you’re completely dried off and use the exhaust fan in the bathroom. If the bathroom is still humid, self tan in another room, the humidity will make the self tanner streaky. Apply your self tanner in a room that won’t make you sweat. Do not put on deodorant. Moisturize only your feet, knees {front and back}, elbows, wrists and hands upon showering. Self tanner is absorbed best by unmoisturized skin.

–Use the body/vegetable/olive oil on your eyebrows, just a quick dip of the finger and swipe it over your brows. This will help prevent the hair from sucking up the self tanner and becoming discolored. You can also use it on your finger and toenails.

Self tanning:

–Pull your hair up into a ponytail if it’s not already up. Put on your gloves. If you opt not to wear gloves you will need to wash/scrub your hands in between applications-frequently {like every section} to avoid staining. I really vote that you use gloves {quicker and easier}.

–To prevent weird lines on your abdomen from bending down and twisting, start at your feet. If your feet have sucked up all your moisturizer you can put another layer on. Apply a small amount of self tanner into your gloved hands and rub them together to make the product creamy and easier to apply {always emulsify the tanner prior to application}. Using circular motions, carefully apply it to the tops of your feet and in between the toes.  Keep in mind where you tan in the sun naturally when applying your tanner. Use a light hand when applying self tanner to the feet-too much and they will look streaky or too dark. {NOTE: Feet and hands are the easiest places to jack your self tanner-apply it carefully} TAKE YOUR TIME. Being fast and sloppy is the quickest way to look streaky and end up with a tan you hate.

–Apply some more self tanner and work from joint to joint. Apply from your ankles to your knees. Make sure to bend and flex your knee slightly so the self tanner gets into the creases. Always add more body moisturizer to any of the drier, thicker skinned areas {elbows, knees etc.} if needed.

–Apply self tanner from your knees up your thighs and to your torso, working from section to section. Now is the time to enlist your self tanning buddies help. Your buddy can wear a pair of disposable gloves or they can just wash their hands thoroughly with warm water and soap, and a nail brush to scrub if necessary. *Note if you don’t have a tanning buddy to help, you can use Saran Wrap and a back and forth motion {think Zestfully clean commercials} or a long handle lotion applicator. It’s a challenge but doable.

–Apply self tanner to your butt, abdomen, chest, and back up to your neck. Make sure you flex your knees and bend slightly so you can get the crease right below your butt adequately covered in self tanner. Make sure your buddy looks you over to ensure you haven’t missed any areas. Thank your buddy before sending them on their way.

–Apply self tanner to your arms; do the tops of your arms first and whatever is left on your gloved hands blend into the bottom of your arm. Remember for a natural looking tan, the tops of your arms will be darker than the underside of your arms. Make sure you self tan under your arms, and flex your arms away from your body to prevent any creases. Massage the self tanner thoroughly over your elbows, and bend them as well to get in the creases.

–If you are self tanning your face, you can use a separate tanner specifically made for the face at this point in time. *If you are using one self tanner for your face and body, if you’d like, you can dilute a small amount of self tanner with a dollop of plain, non-oily face lotion. Rub your hands together to emulsify and apply it all over your face, over your eyes carefully {use common sense} blending up over your forehead stopping at the hair line, and out to your ears, making sure to blend down your neck and behind your ears. Sometimes it’s helpful to open your mouth when applying self tanner to your face, it helps you blend the tanner under your chin and down your neck. Make sure you applied self tanner to the back of your neck as well.

–Now your body is completely covered and is starting to dry in some spots. Take off your gloves {carefully} and set them aside. Take your body lotion and apply a small amount to the back of your hands. You can take your body oil/vegetable oil/olive oil and lightly apply it to your fingernails and knuckles. Now take a small amount of self tanner and put a dollop on the backs of your one hand. Rub the back of your hands together, making sure to spread your fingers and get the lotion in between the fingers, working out to the side of your hands, and rub your wrists together. Take your time! Hands are so tricky and prone to mistakes, make sure you’ve covered them completely-especially in between the fingers, the web between the thumb and index finger is a notoriously tricky spot.

Post Tanning Wrap Up:

–Take inventory in a full length mirror. If you see any streaky spots, you can take a latex makeup sponge and buff and smooth the streaky areas until they’re even in appearance. The sponges are great for detail work like the hands and feet. Take a cotton pad or ball, dip it into some rubbing alcohol, squeeze out the excess, and LIGHTLY blot it over your heels, knees, elbows, and knuckles. Anywhere the skin is thicker or prone to creasing; this will help your skin from absorbing too much self tanner.

–After at least 15 minutes, carefully put on a dark colored loose men’s t-shirt {if you’re going to bed} or a cheap cotton black dress {if it’s during the day}-no bra or socks, nothing tight fitting or constrictive that could leave lines. If you feel tacky you can stand in front of a box fan for a bit, or turn on a ceiling fan. If you are feeling dry enough you can go to bed {if doing it at night} or go relax and go about your day. Just no sweating, going out in the rain, or doing dishes {duh}. Your self tanner may stain your sheets {they usually wash right out in the laundry no problems but please err on the side of caution} so you can lay down a dark beach towel before hitting the sheets for the night. Depending on your self tanner you need to wait at least 3 to 6 hours before bathing for the color to fully develop, read the instructions on your self tanner as they all vary in development times. If you have to use the restroom at all DO NOT wash your hands. Instead, carefully use a baby wipe on the palms of your hands.

–I prefer to self tan at night and just go to bed when I’m dry enough. If I’m tanning during the day, the black cotton dress allows me to function and go about my day in the comfort of my home, and still look somewhat normal {albeit extremely tan if it’s a tinted formula} should anyway pop by and say hello.

After Care:

–Moisturize to preserve the life of your tan, everyday immediately upon bathing to trap in moisture and hydration. Use common sense. Avoid: grainy scrubs, AHA and other chemical exfoliant products, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acids, shower poufs or loofahs as these will all fade or remove your tan completely. Instead, use a soft washcloth and creamy body wash in the bath or shower. You can shave. Chlorinated and salt water will fade your tan, so keep that in mind. You can use touch of sun self tanning lotions appropriate for your face and body to extend the life of your tan and give you a few more days. Self tanners typically last 5 to 7 days, but all formulas are different.

There you have it!  My comprehensive {read:long}  self tanning guide, it sounds like a lot, but it becomes old habit the more you do it.

What are your self tanning tips? Have a great weekend!

Related posts: