All Your Faux Tan Questions Answered

I love to have glowing, tan skin throughout the summer and into the fall, however I’m not one to lay out in the sun. Whenever I travel anywhere tropical or simply go to the pool you can find me under an umbrella or cabana, keeping out of the actual sun. I also ALWAYS wear sunscreen and limit my time in the sun due to the harsh UVB and UVA rays. Every morning I use a moisturizer with SPF on my face (like these) before my makeup but a day in the sun will also have me covering my body with it as well.

Spray tans are my go-to throughout the summer and for events throughout the year. If you’re based in LA, I always turn to Crystal Fagley of Cheeky Tans, she’s seriously the best. She comes to my house and always makes sure my tan is natural looking and golden, never orange! I was always so scared to get a spray tan because I never wanted to look orange, so it’s important to find someone who understands you want something natural and that layers the product so it’s not streaky. She’s seriously the best!

When I don’t have a spray tan, I personally like to keep my skin tan by using a bronzing lotion. I know we have all heard of self tan horror stories whether it’s ending up with bright orange hands, looking incredibly streaky or even just the hassle of ruining white bed sheets. Below I have answered some of the most common questions for what, how and when to spray or self tan!

1. I’ve never self tanned before! What should I use first?

Self tanning can be intimidating but I promise it is a lot simpler than it seems. Do research and ask your friends as to which tanner they personally use and why they like it. Also, before you go ahead and cover your entire body do a test patch on the back of your arm to make sure you aren’t allergic to the product and to ensure that you know how exactly tanned you will end up. The market also has many gradual self tanner moisturizers that may be a safe way to introduce yourself into the world of tanning!

2. How should I prepare my skin for a spray tan?

The pre-tan ritual is just as important as the actual tanning process. To make a long story short, do everything before. A few hours before you plan on tanning make sure to shave your legs – it’s important that you do this a few hours before to ensure that the hair pores are completed closed before you apply the tan. Immediately before tanning cleanse and exfoliate your body (don’t moisturize)!

3. How do I care for my self-tanned skin?

Now that you have gone through the prep work of self tanning your body or getting a spray tan,  you want to make sure that it stays looking natural and healthy afterwards. After tanning avoid any harsh acne treatments or products with lots of chemicals that may strip the skin of the tanner. Opt for a gentle cleanser and make sure you continue moisturizing after warm, not hot, showers. Moisturizing is key!

4. How can I avoid a streaky tan?

Streaky tans, probably the scariest and most obvious sign of a bad fake tan. However, I have a few tips of how you can avoiding looking like a stripped tan mess. First apply the tan with a glove to get a more even tan and use a buffing mitt to pat down any area that may seem a little streaky. If you do end up with some noticeable blotchy patches use a mixture of baby oil and intense exfoliation to the problem area!

For spray tans, I get them right before bed and ensure I have at least 8 hours to sleep before rinsing it off. I wear a soft long sleeve shirt that I tuck into soft PJ pants and this helps prevent my tan from hitting other areas of my body while it’s developing for the 8 hours. I haven’t had a streaky spray tan yet because of this (and Crystal’s skill)!

5. How to remove my tan?

If you need to remove your tan before it naturally fades you are going to have to enlist the help of an intense exfoliating glove, brush and body wash. There are even self-tan eraser solutions that will strip your tan down, so you can start again! Also, the mixture of lemon juice and sugar is also incredibly effective in quickly removing faux tan. My spray tan’s from Crystal last longer than a week and so far I’ve never had to scrub off early.

What’s your go-to self tanner product? Comment below!