my self tanning routine

I love a good tan as much as the next girl, but I definitely don’t love the long-term side effects that come along with laying out under the sun. Sun damage is no joke, and over time it can negatively affect both your health and your appearance, which is why I do my best to avoid a lot of sun exposure. For the past few years, I’ve relied on self tanning products to give my skin a healthy glow any time of year. Not only is self tanner much safer than suntanning, it also provides you with the flexibility to control when you get a tan (since you’re not dependent on the weather) and what you want your tan to look like (most products offer buildable color that let you control how deep of a tan you’re applying).

Since it can be tricky figuring out which tanning products to use and what the best application method is, I thought I’d share my self tanning routine to show you my favorite tips and products that give me the best results!

1 // Shower + Exfoliate + Shave

It’s important to shower, exfoliate, and shave before applying self tanner to remove any dry skin and give the product a smooth, clean surface to stick to. I use this scrub in the shower and it makes my skin so soft. After you shower, don’t use any body lotions or oils before applying tanner; you want your skin to be completely bare so that the color sticks and doesn’t go on streaky.

2 // Apply Tanner

Product

There are tons of self tanning products you can choose from, but my favorite is the Josie Maran Argan Liquid Gold Self Tanning Oil. It gives me a medium-shade tan that isn’t orange or fake-looking, and I can easily apply a second layer if I want a deeper tan. Since it’s an oil, it applies easily, sinks in quickly, and leaves my skin feeling really soft and moisturized.

Application

• Before applying your tanner, apply lotion to darker areas that may hold onto too much color, like your knuckles, elbows, knees, ankles, and bottoms of your feet. The lotion acts as a barrier so that those particular areas don’t end up darker than the rest of your body.
• To avoid streaks, work in small sections so that you have time to completely blend in the tanner to each area of your body before it dries. I like to start with my feet and work my way up.
• Drop some tanner onto the application mitt and apply the color onto your skin in circular motions. Keep blending until the color looks even and you don’t see any streaks. Then move on to the next section and repeat the same technique until your body is covered in an even tan. Give the product a couple minutes to dry completely before getting dressed.
• Leave the tanner on for up to eight hours to give your tan time to develop. I like to apply it at night to let the color darken while I’m asleep, then shower in the morning to wash off the guide color.
• Wear loose clothing to bed to prevent the tanner from rubbing off during the night. Don’t worry if it transfers onto your clothes or sheets – it washes out easily on a regular wash cycle.

3 // Maintain Your Tan

Keeping your skin really well moisturized will help your tan last as long as possible and prevent your color from getting patchy. Apply a body lotion every time you get out of the shower to keep your skin healthy and help seal in your color. Any regular moisturizer will do the trick, but my go-to is this one that I’ve been using for years. You’ll also want to avoid super hot showers, since hot water can dry out your skin and fade your color.

4 // Remove Your Tan

A tan can last anywhere between 4-7 days depending on how well it’s maintained and how heavily it was initially applied. Once it starts to fade, you can help speed up the process by using scrubs or exfoliators. I use the same in-shower body scrub that I use to prep my skin prior to applying the tanner, and it works really well to help even out my skin tone fade the color quickly.