Is it bad to apply self-tanner with hands?
The reality is many people use their hands to apply self-tanner and have great results. If you can apply evenly with just your hands and not have a big mess to clean up afterward, this strategy may work for you. Once you're finished putting the tanner on, thoroughly remove the tanner and clean your hands off.
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.
Sweating, jumping in a pool or even taking a shower too quickly after using a self-tanner can ruin the look. Avoid streaks and premature fading by not getting your new tan wet for about eight hours after applying. When the time's up, take a warm (read: not hot) shower and rinse with clean water before lathering up.
Apply a light layer of St. Tropez Tan Enhancing Body Moisturiser to your hands and feet prior to applying your tan to avoid too much product clinging to these extra dry areas. When applying your tanning product, only blend the excess product on to your hands and feet for a more natural finish.
Make sure to use an exfoliating mitt in the shower beforehand to buff away any dry skin. The next step is super important - apply moisturiser on your hands, wrists, feet and ankles, this will allow the tan to go on smoothly.
Apply Moisturizer Before Tanner
You shouldn't apply self-tanner without moisturizing first, because skipping out on this prep step could potentially leave you with patchy color — this goes for your face and the rest of your body.
"With gloves, it does not absorb any product, so you literally get the optimal colour," one of the twins says as she applies the mousse, before adding: "Using a mitt, you can see already that half of the colour is absorbed through that mitt. They're just completely different as you can see.
“You're more likely to use firmer pressure and over-apply self-tanner if you use a mitt, which can cause places like your hands and feet to turn out much darker,” she says. “Instead, I like to apply one pump of self-tanner onto a mitt, then use a powder makeup brush as my tool to pick up the product and apply.”
In the case of self tanning, less is not more. Too little product can cause streaks, so be sure to apply a generous amount to each section of your body. As a general rule of thumb, I usually apply 2 pumps per bottom leg, 3-4 pumps per thigh, and 2-3 pumps per arm.
- Exfoliate. Use a washcloth to exfoliate the skin prior to applying a self-tanner. ...
- Dry your skin. ...
- Apply in sections. ...
- Wash your hands after each section. ...
- Blend at your wrists and ankles. ...
- Dilute over your joints. ...
- Give your skin time to dry. ...
- Apply sunscreen every day.
Can you rub in fake tan too much?
Avoid rubbing, which will essentially exfoliate away your tan and lead to a patchy, uneven finish. Many fake tans can be drying, so be sure to lock in moisturise with a super-hydrating body lotion or cream (more on this later).
It's important to give the color about 6 to 8 hours to develop without taking a shower or sweating. Washing your skin too quickly after applying self-tanner can cause some of the product to wash off, creating streaks and uneven areas.
Once you've successfully self-tanned, wait until the products have dried completely before attempting to put on any clothes. We recommend at least 10 minutes, but keep checking any problem areas, such as under the arms or behind the knees, to see how they're drying. If you're still tacky, it's too early!
DON'T moisturise after the initial rinse off of fake tan residue. This is a biggie. The product is still developing. Adding moisturiser at this point will dilute the tan's development.
If you forget to wash your hands and your self tanner has dried on your palms, never fear! Exfoliation is one of the easiest ways to remove self tanner from your palms and hands. Exfoliants slough off dead skin cells, so they can gently take off the top layer of tanned skin cells, creating a lighter appearance.
- Exfoliate With A Body Scrub. This is probably the best method, and least harmful to your skin! ...
- Lemon Juice. This one works ok for small blemishes like those on your hands or feet. ...
- White Vinegar. ...
- Baking Soda. ...
- Baby Oil. ...
- Baby Wipes. ...
- Rubbing Alcohol or Acetone. ...
- Toothpaste.
AVOID MAKEUP
However, like any moisture, you want to try and avoid applying any makeup for at least 6 to 8 hours after a spray tan. Applying makeup or any other types of moisturizer can alter the color of a fresh spray tan or cause blotches.
"If you apply a layer of self-tanner all over, it will simply darken age spots as it darkens the rest of your skin," Evans explains.
Shaving exfoliates the skin, leaving it supple and ready for bronzing, so it should be done before self-tanner is applied, just not right before since shaving can open pores and create cuts. Prevent irritation and schedule shaving or waxing at least a few hours before you plan to apply tanner.
Applying a moisturiser may interfere with the flawless result you so perfectly applied. We want your tan to be 20/10 and unfortunately if moisturiser is applied it can leave blotches, marks and strip the tan in certain spots on the skin.
What happens if you use a dirty tanning mitt?
Forgetting to wash your applicator mitt after every use.
"They use dirty ones that are loaded with old tanner," which leads to a splotchy, uneven tan. After every use, hand-wash a mitt with soapy water, rinse it, and let it air-dry.
The Exfoliating Glove is a must-have for your self-tanning preparation, as it helps to remove fake tans and evens out your skin tone. It's also an effective way to boost blood circulation and blood flow, which will give your skin a healthy and glowing look.
In addition to effectively taking an old tan off, tanning mitts make application a breeze. Compared to your hand, a mitt has a much larger surface area, which speeds up the application process and makes reaching your back a lot easier.
St. Tropez's Jumbo Self Tan Express Mousse is one of Kim Kardashian's all-time favorite self-tanners, she previously revealed on her KKW blog. It's a lightweight, fast-absorbing tanning mousse that doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky after application.
Self Tanning and Skin / Face Exfoliation / Peeling explained
The secret to a longer lasting self tan! Answer: EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE and EXFOLIATE before, during and after your tan. glycolic works most efficiently, either in gel or lotion form.
It's really good for your skin to exfoliate, regardless if you use self tanner or not, and is recommended at least once every two weeks. So do you want your tan to look darker, stay longer, and appear smoother? Then don't wait… EXFOLIATE!
Your Armpits:
Don't avoid applying self tanner to your armpits, just wipe lightly with a damp washrag or baby wipe after application to give a lighter, more realistic look.
If your tan is the exact shade you love and you want to keep the gorgeous glow, you typically only have to apply self-tanner about once a week. This applies to tanning solution you put on your body, which tends to be exposed to fewer products and washing than your face.
Neck: If you want to tan your neck, but not your face, blend self-tanner up to—but not past—the jawline. "It's ok to have a slight border of tanner under the jawline, because it will look like a contoured jawbone, helping to minimize the appearance of double chins," says Quinn.
After you apply self-tanner, avoid moisture for at least a few hours. That includes bath, shower, swimming, sweating, or saunas. Additionally, don't apply moisturizer right after. Take a shower within the 24 hours following self-tanner application and gently pat dry to avoid streaks.
Do self tanners age your skin?
In other words, when you regularly use self-tanner, the oxidation happening on the surface of your skin increases by nearly double. That might mean more blackheads on acneic skin, and more oxidative stress to cause visible signs of aging.
There are different ways to go about layering, but no matter what, you want to make sure the previous tanner has dried before applying your next layer. You can put on multiple layers in one day or, my personal favorite, apply over 2 days. I like to apply, wait 8 hours, rinse (no soap), then apply another layer.
It's always nice to have a sun-kissed glow coming from every inch of your body. This means you that should be applying spray tanning solution on everything from your head to your feet – and that includes your bum!
The skin on your legs has a different depth and texture than the rest of your body so it might not take as well to tanner.
So again, you want dark, loose clothing. Even though the spray tan solution does usually come out of everything, you want dark, loose clothing just because you don't want to mess up any of your clothes or sheets. If you're doing an eight-hour solution, you want to put a towel underneath your body when you sleep.
Wash Off Your Tan In Cool Water
Then, wash it off with slightly cooler water than normal, and don't use scrubs or soaps as these can fade your tan. Simply rinse until the water runs clear.
A high-quality self-tanner can last anywhere from 3 days to a week. But with careful preparation and maintenance, you can get up to 10 days out of your faux glow. A high-quality self-tan can last anywhere from 3 days to a week.
It's not necessary to apply self tanner every single day. Your tan will stay perfectly in tact after two days, but applying every other day is perfect to keep it up!
If you sleep with your airbrush tan still developing: it is crucial to sleep in a long sleeve shirt and long pants that are loose fitting clothing after your tan. If you do not do this, you run the risk of too much smudging or having the tan absorb into your hands or other parts of your body incorrectly.
After your session, you'll want to wait a minimum of 8-10 hours before hopping in the shower. If you leave your tan on longer than that, even better! The maximum amount of time you want to leave the solution on your skin, however, is 24 hours.
Can you wash your face the morning after self tanning?
Putting makeup on after your spray tan is okay, however you CANNOT wash your face until your initial shower. There is a bronzer in the solution, which means that you will have some color immediately after you are sprayed. The color will continue to darken as the solution develops.
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.
Because the tanning solution takes a little while to develop, you shouldn't start moisturizing until after your first shower, which should be at least eight hours after your tan but no more than 24 hours later.
If you have chosen the Regular developing solution, it is recommended that you wait 12-24 hours to rinse off depending on desired result. This will allow your tan to fully develop. It is fine to leave the Airbrush Spray Tanning solution on overnight and rinse in the morning.
Moisturize your hands: Use an oil-free moisturizer for best results. Moisturizers without oil help keep your tan from fading too quickly. Moisturizing before applying tanner will help prevent dry areas from developing on your hands. Dry areas on the skin are more likely to look streaky and patchy with self-tanner.
Here's how to do it: Apply tanner to your hands and rub them together, then place your entire hand flat on the top of your foot and blend back and under the anklebone. Next, begin blending the sides, in between the toes, over the anklebones, and back toward each side of the heel.
For an even tan, you should keep your skin moisturised and nourished. However, it's very important to moisturise at least 24 hours before applying your chosen tanning lotion, as the moisturiser acts as a barrier, preventing the tanning formula from accessing the skin.
All self tanners will advise that you wash your hands with soap and warm water scrubbing thoroughly after you apply your self tanner. If done directly after application you can scrub off most if not all of the remaining color.
Apply talc or body powder to sweaty areas
Think of where your skin rubs together; the talc will create slip and prevent friction which breaks down your tan."
Once you've finished applying fake tan to the rest of your body, use the left over product on your mitt to tan your feet – we promise, it's enough. Glide the tanning mitt over your feet, making sure you lightly sweep over your toes, the sides of your feet and the backs of your ankles.