Whether you've been doing your own tan for some time now, or you're a beginner, tanning hacks are always welcome and will improve your sunless glow. Artesian Tan has compiled a list of the most important hacks for the best tan. Some of them seem obvious, but we cannot emphasize enough how important they are. Others may come as a surprise.
So, here are our 10 useful self tanning hacks you need to know now:
1. Prioritize
Plan ahead and do the rest of your beauty routine before tanning. Do your mani-pedi, visit the hairdresser and remove hair before getting a tan. Soaking and scrubbing your feet after tanning will result in a fading and uneven color.
If you are planning on doing your hair, make sure to do it beforehand since the chemicals from the dyes may remove the color when getting in contact with your skin. To avoid skin irritation, wax or shave the day before, to provide sufficient time for your skin to calm down and the pores to close.
2. Exfoliate
Exfoliating is truly crucial for a good-looking tan. We know you've heard this one a million times before, but preparing your skin by removing the top layer leaves you with a smooth surface to which the tan will evenly distribute while avoiding darker patches.
Artesian Tan has a selection of lovely body scrubs and exfoliating gloves to choose from, but you can also use a home-made sugar or salt-based body scrubs. Do not use any products with oils before tanning, since the oils may affect the tan by creating a barrier and preventing the product from properly sticking to your skin.
3. Take care of your dry skin parts
Elbows, knees, and hands tend to have drier skin than the rest of the body and the faux tan may better stick to them, causing an uneven color with darker patches on these areas. To avoid this, you can use a moisturizer which is not oil-based and take care of the dry skin.
4. Take a cold shower beforehand
If you take a cold shower before applying the tan, you will close your pores and avoid clogging them. You can also apply ice to your face to achieve the same effect.
5. Do not apply the tan in the bathroom
The steam in the bathroom will prevent your skin from fully drying, which may cause uneven product application. It is, hence, advisable to get out of the bathroom before applying the tan. Preferably, you should put on the tan before going to bed, but let your tan completely dry before you go. And don’t forget to wear loose night clothes. The best part is that the tan will properly set overnight and you will not be tempted to do any of the activities that may cause parts of tan to fade away or strip.
6. Use vaseline
Vaseline is greasy and will protect the dryest part of your skin from soaking up too much color and getting stained while moisturizing your skin. Apply vaseline on your elbows, knees, feet, and hands.
7. Systematic application
Take your time and follow the steps: face, hairline, body. Carefully read the instructions and apply the fake tan on your face first; this includes the parts around the hairline and on your brows. Remove excess product from your eyebrows with a - and this is very important - DRY cotton pad. If you are not experienced, avoid using sprays, especially on your face. Even though it sounds easy, you will have much more control over the tan by using cream.
8. Take your time
You should apply the creme in gentle and long strokes. We point out again that you can take your time - be thorough and precise to get the perfect and uniform tan. Most importantly, make sure to go slow with darker tans. Going slowly and gradually tanning will help you achieve the perfect tan; otherwise, the color may look unnatural.
9. Cheat a little - contour
Fake tan can do wonders, but did you know it can also make you look thinner?
This may be, along with exfoliating, the best tanning hack anyone will ever tell you, the fact that you can "slim down" with just an extra layer of tan on target areas! "Shape" your legs and arms simply by applying an extra layer on the outside of your thighs and underneath the bicep indent to appear visually thinner. You can thank us later.
10. Maintain your tan
Moisturize! Take care of your skin and it will pay you back with a healthy shine and a longer-lasting tan. Use a cream and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in and out. Your skin will be smoother and more elastic.
With these hacks, you will be able to easily achieve the perfect sun-kissed glow and you'll be able to have a flawless tan all year round. For everything else, reach out to Artesian Tan today, and get that perfect tan by tomorrow!