The early 2000s may be coming back into style but we can all agree to leave the streaky spray tans and orange palms in the past! Pair these tips with your favorite Solrae products and save your worries for the return of low rise jeans!
1: The Most Common Mistake: You Are Not Properly Prepped!
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! We cannot emphasize this enough! Not only is it important that you take a good scrub to your whole body before you apply your tan but if you plan to shave, you need to do that beforehand as well! Aim to shave and exfoliate 24 hours before your Solrae sunless tanning application for best results!
Exfoliating removes the dead skin that you would shed naturally first giving you a tan that will not only last longer but that will be more even!
Need more tips on prep? Don’t worry, we’ve got a full article on sunless tanning prep for you here.
2: Missing Those Hard to Reach Spots
Now we said to exfoliate the whole body and the same sentiment is true for your tanner application! When it comes time to get that glow on it is all too easy to focus on the larger parts of your body and forget about your bendy bits! Take an extra minute in your routine and make sure you have covered the back of your knees, the tops of your feet, inside your arms, and your underarms. Use extra care to apply your spray tan in between your fingers and toes! These areas are often missed but are also notorious for absorbing excess color.
3: Not Using a Tanning Mitt
Getting that sunless tanner in between your fingers should be just about the last thing you do in your routine! Since we use our hands so relentlessly throughout the day, they are problem dry spots and are prone to holding more color than desired. To avoid being caught orange-handed, make sure to use a tanning mitt to apply your sunless tanner.
Worried about your tanning mitt soaking up all of the liquid gold bronze? Our unique mitt is made of soft velvet to ensure our tanning solution sticks to your skin and is not soaked up and away! Our best self tanning mitt also has a plastic liner inside for extra protection for sensitive hands! Find out more here!
4: Forgetting Your Face
We’ve all either seen or experienced the pain of buying the wrong color foundation, save yourself this pain with a four-hour, minimum, wait time and make sure you remember to apply your sunless tanner to your face as well!
Worried about breakout-prone, sensitive skin? All of Solrae’s sunless tanners are safe for both face and body but we do recommend the Tanning Water Face Mist, for those looking for a light application and a heavy glow! You can also use our Self Tanning Drops in your favorite day or night moisturizer for a seamless addition to your skincare routine!
5: Rushing Post-Tanner Application
Sunless tanning is the quickest and safest way to get a gorgeous, natural tan! That said, we do still recommend waiting about 15 minutes after application until you get dressed. This will ensure that your tanner has had enough time to soak in, avoiding stains on your clothing and streaks on your skin! When you do get dressed, it’s best to avoid tight clothing for 4-8 hours after application. You will also need to avoid water or getting wet, including rain and sweat!
6: You Don’t Maintain Your Tan!
Once you are sporting your healthiest glow yet make sure to maintain it with three easy steps! First, avoid harsh fabrics and exfoliants on your fresh tan! This includes loofahs, wash cloths and even simply drying off too roughly after showers. Remember, if it takes off a layer of skin, it takes off your tan! Second, moisturize often! Keeping your skin hydrated and healthy can almost double the life of your tan! Any oil-free lotion works but to keep your glow, our third tip is to use a Gradual Tanning Lotion. By using a gradual tanning lotion, you are building one tan even as the other fades!
Uh-Oh. Did You Come Here to Find Out Where You Already Went Wrong?
No worries, it’s happened to all of us! Check out Solrae’s tips for removing self tanner and then make sure to check out all of our products for a streak free, glowing tan next time!