6 top tips for a flawless fake tan at home

If you love a bronzed glow but don’t have time for regular spray tans, skilling up on how to do it yourself at home will not only save you money but have you covered for last-minute summer outings too. It’s a safe bet that almost every fan of a DIY has had some sort of disastrous tanning outcome along the way – hey, we’re only human! Keep these simple tips in mind next time you reach for the tan and a flawless glow should be just a matter of hours away. 

TAN TIP #1 Don’t Forget To Prep

Even if you’re embarking on an emergency tan top-up, you absolutely must prep your skin first. Taking those 10 extra minutes to exfoliate and apply moisturiser to any extra dry areas will help minimise the potential for a streaky situation in a few hours time. 

If you’re planning to apply your tan immediately after you’ve showered and exfoliated, avoid using an oil-based exfoliant as oil residue left on the skin can lead to an uneven tan. Your best bet is to use an exfoliating mitt with shower gel to really get those dead skin cells lifted off.

Oil-based exfoliants are fine to use the day before to slough off that dead skin as this will give ample time for the oily residue to disappear. If you are after an oil-based product, try our Lalicious Sugar Scrub.

Likewise, if you can shave 24 hours in advance, please do! This helps to avoid any irritation that may occur from your tanning solution being applied to freshly shaved and often sensitised skin. When in a hurry and doing a last-minute shave, finish off your shower by blasting your bod with cold water. This will help to close up pores (fake tan can settle in open pores!) and calm the skin, too. 

If you’re planning to apply your tan immediately after you’ve showered and exfoliated, avoid using an oil-based exfoliant as oil residue left on the skin can lead to an uneven tan.

TAN TIP #2 Always Use A Tanning Glove

You know the saying ‘no glove, no love’, well, it applies to fake tanning too. Using a tanning mitt with a velvety finish, such as the Coola Sunless Tan Mitt  will help you get an incredibly even tan and also save your palms from tell-tale tanning build-up. 

TAN TIP #3 Know Your Dry Zones

If you have particularly dry knees, elbows, heels and hands (all very common!) pay particular attention to these areas before and during tanning. Beforehand, make sure you exfoliate these parts as well as you can and avoid fake tan from building up by applying a very light layer of moisturiser to these spots first – waiting a few minutes to let it really sink in. With tanning products which have a tinted formula you can often see where the buildup has occurred immediately, so use your mitt to really distribute the tan here. 

TAN TIP #4 Choose A Formula That Best Suits Your Skin

For those with skin on the dryer side, a mousse may not be the best option for you as they do dry quickly, so you need to work fast. If you don’t work fast enough, that’s when the build-up can occur. Instead try a lotion or serum, which can leave skin feeling more hydrated. We love both the Coola Sunless Tan Luminizing Body Serum and the Coola Sunless Tan Firming Lotion. If you prefer an oil-based tan (extra luxurious, we think!) then the Coola Organic Sunless Tan Dry Oil Body Mist could be just the formula for you. 

When you’re in a hurry, however, nothing, we repeat, nothing, can beat an express mousse. The Coola Organic Sunless Tan Sculpting Mousse will have you glowing in a matter of hours and won’t transfer onto your clothes, either. 

TAN TIP #5 You Can Fix A Mishap

Have you woken up to find you really didn’t pay enough attention to those ankles? Or your wrists are just a dead giveaway? There is a way to fix it, so don’t reach for the socks and gloves just yet! If you have some lemons on hand, squeeze some of the juice into a bowl and using a warm, damp flannel, rub the lemon juice onto the buildup to gently slough it off. 

If it’s really not going anywhere, whitening toothpaste on a damp flannel can often do the trick, too. Your exfoliating mitt and oil-based exfoliant working in tandem can help as well – just work gently to avoid rubbing off more tan than you intended…

Lemon juice is a quick and easy way to get rid of any tan mishaps.

TAN TIP #6 Don’t Forget Your Face

Fake tanning your face can be a freaky thought but there is a way to do it subtly. Simply mix one small pump of your tanning product in with your regular facial moisturiser and apply, remembering to wash your hands thoroughly immediately afterwards. You can look for a special tan for your face, but this isn’t necessary if you mix it with your moisturiser. 

If you don’t quite get the desired bronzed result on your face, just use makeup to match it to your body. Bronzer applied to the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and around the hairline will help to create that sunkissed look and a little bit of highlighter applied to these same high points will give that lit-from-within glow.