The Right Way to Apply Self-Tanner, According to Experts

Shower & Exfoliate 24 Hours Before

The trick to getting an even, long-lasting fake tan starts with showering and exfoliating before you even apply an a self-tanning product. "For ultimate results, it is best to exfoliate the day before, not immediately before you tan," Evans says. "Self-tan loves skin when it is at its most neutral pH level. Your tan will develop deeper and last longer than if you were to exfoliate right before applying [self-tanner]."

Use a body scrub to polish the skin with physical exfoliating beads and a chemical exfoliant like glycolic acid.

"Self-tanners work much like a food coloring to stain the dead skin cells at the skin surface," Ciraldo adds. "Exfoliating before application of the self-tanner results in an even appearance to the tan."

If you wax your body hair, now's the time to take care of that, too. "Any waxing must be done 24 hours before application to allow hair pores to settle and prevent a spotty application," Evans explains. "Shaving isn’t as problematic but with waxing, wait 24 hours."

Protect Key Areas

"Self-tanners have DHA (dihydroxyacetone) which tends to dry your skin and can leave patchy areas if you tend to have drier skin already," Alysa says. "So to help prevent this, make sure your skin is well moisturized and hydrated (drink lots of water)."

Before tanning, "apply a non-oil-based body moisturizer to elbows, knees, hands, back of wrist, feet, back of heels and any severe dry areas," Evans says. "Never apply moisturizer to your whole body as moisturizer dilutes self-tan. The skin in these areas absorbs tan fast and will develop darker than the rest of the body if no moisturizer is applied."

Have light hair or eyebrows? Put moisturizer over your brows and around your hairline, too. The active ingredient in self-tanner, DHA, works by tinting the keratin in your skin, Ciraldo explains. Because keratin is also a component of hair, you can give yourself an unintended dye job if you're not careful. "Light-haired people should be meticulous at avoiding the product getting on scalp or brow hairs," she advises.

Cover Your Hands

Hands are especially prone to turning orange after self-tanning, so for best results, keep them covered. “Use a tanning mitt or latex gloves to apply the self-tanning product evenly and to avoid staining your fingers and palms,” Kittaneh suggests.

Start at the Bottom and Work Up

"Start tanning the lower legs first, ensuring you stop at the bottom of the ankle," Evans explains. "Use a two pump per limb rule and glide the tan over your limbs. Use enough product so that you can see the tan on your skin."

To avoid blotchy hands and feet, save those for the end. According to Evans, "the only areas we will tan differently are the hands and feet, so stopping at the ankle and wrist is highly important."

Pay Attention to the Hands and Feet

"When tanning the hands and feet, ensure you have the minimal amount of tan left on the mitt, glide down from where you stopped at the wrists and ankles and blend in-between the fingers and toes," Evans explains. "The hands and feet need to look super blended as the skin in these areas are very sensitive to self-tan development."

After tanning your feet, Evans says, "take a little moisturizer and blend up the back of the heel crease." This will help to ensure that self-tan doesn't stick to your heels. After tanning your hands, you can do the same. "Last final step to ensure perfection, take a little moisturizer and blend from the palm up and the crease in the wrist."

Cleanse the Excess

After tanning your hands and feet, Evans recommends using a cleansing wipe to clean off your nails and cuticles. If you're sporting a white manicure—this step is essential.

Proceed to the Face

If you want to self-tan your face to match your body, opt for a formula that's made specifically for the face. According to Evans, "facial self-tanners are formulated lighter, and are non-comedogenic so they will not block pores." If you don't want to self-tan your face, bronzing drops are going to be your best friend. They add color to the skin, and wash off with the rest of your makeup.

Let It Develop

Wait at least 20 minutes to get dressed and at least 12 hours to shower or get your tan remotely wet (like with skincare products or perfume).

When you do shower, avoid shaving for as long as you want to keep your tan. Shaving exfoliates dead skin, which means your tan will go down the drain along with your shaving cream. If you have to de-fuzz your legs or arms, "use a depilatory cream instead of shaving to prolong the life of your faux tan," Ciraldo suggests.

"If you are a person that gets sweaty at night or likes to exercise daily, an express development self-tan would be ideal," Evans explains. "St Tropez Express Bronzing Mousse is customizable and allows you to tan, shower, and go in as little as an hour. A traditional self-tan must be left to develop for 8 hours with no gym or swimming allowed for 12 hours." 

Moisturize & Wear Sunscreen

Kittaneh says: “To keep your tan fresh as long as possible, moisturize all over daily." That's important because dry skin is the enemy of a faux tan. Remember to use an oil-free formula so it won't break down your tan.

If you're heading out of the house, wear moisturizing sunscreen. "We do have to remember that self-tanner alone doesn't afford any sun protection," Ciraldo advises. A few days after initially applying self-tanner, replace your nightly moisturizer with a self-tanning lotion to keep your color bronzed and vibrant.