The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Best Self Tanner!

Are you tired of dull, winter skin and yearning for a sun-kissed glow that lasts all year? Look no further! In this ultimate guide to finding your best self tanner, I will share the secrets to achieving a natural and long-lasting tan that will leave you radiating with confidence.

From understanding the science behind self tanning to mastering flawless application techniques, I’ve got you covered. Prepare to discover the perfect product for your skin, essential pre-tanning steps, expert application tips, and how to maintain your beautiful tan long after application. So, get ready to embrace the glow and say hello to a year-round sun-kissed complexion that will have everyone asking for your secret.

How Do Self Tanners Work?

Self tanners contain an active ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that interacts with the amino acids in the outermost layer of your skin. This chemical reaction results in the production of melanoidins, which give your skin that beautiful bronze hue. It’s important to note that self tanners only affect the top layer of your skin, known as the stratum corneum, and do not penetrate deeper into the epidermis.

The DHA in self tanners typically takes around two to four hours to fully react with your skin, so it’s recommended to wait before showering or sweating excessively. Keep in mind that the resulting tan is temporary, as your skin cells naturally shed over time. Therefore, regular reapplication is necessary to maintain your sun-kissed look.

1. Exfoliate Your Skin

The first and most important step in getting the perfect self tan is to exfoliate your skin. My favorite product for this is the First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub. I keep this in my shower and use it before each self tanner application.

I have also recommended these body exfoliating gloves many times. They are from Amazon and come in a pack of 10 pair.

2. Shave Your Legs

In keeping your legs smooth and exfoliated, you will want to shave your legs prior to applying self tanner. My favorite razor is the Billie Razor. It comes with a magnetic holder that sticks to your shower. It will not damage your shower surface, but keeps your razor easily accessible and clean. Just change out the blade every week or so. It also comes in several fun colors.

3. Moisturize

The best way to avoid the dark orange splotches that commonly occur around the feet, ankles, and boney prominences like knees and elbows is to apply a moisturizer to these areas BEFORE your self tanner. Dryer skin absorbs the product more, so use sparingly in these areas.

My current favorite everyday moisturizer is the Cere Ve Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It has ceramides and hyaluronic acid all of which are good for your skin.

4. Choose Correct Shade Of Self Tanner

Unless you are in a bind and need a quick boost of color for an event, I recommend a slow gradual tan that matches your skin tone. If you are fair skinned and don’t naturally tan easily, then don’t go for the darkest self tanner thinking you will suddenly have the perfect tan. More than likely it will be too orange and will look fake.

Start with a light to medium shade and then gradually increase the frequency of application or move to the next darker shade if you need more color.

It’s hard to find a self tanner with instant color that is a cool tone and not warm or orange. I really like the Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse. It gives an instant color and also continues to develop over the next several hours. My husband even commented on how nice and natural it looked…no orange tones.

Here are some of my other favorite self tanners. I do generally prefer a tanning mousse as opposed to a lotion since they seem to apply better and are less likely to leave streaks of color.

5. Apply With A Tanning Mitt

Another step in how to get the perfect self tan is to use a tanning mitt. This will save your hands from getting stained with too much product and it also blends the product better than using your hands. This is especially important when using a self tanning mousse.

You can also purchase tanning mitts to help you reach your back. They are not as good as having someone else apply for you, but if your husband or a friend is not around to help you this can be useful.

6. Repeat Process Every 3 Days

You will want to repeat your self tanning process every three days or so. It really depends on your skin tone and how much color you want. You will definitely want to exfoliate your skin as the self tanner starts to fade, even if you don’t wish to reapply. This will keep the skin looking more uniform and smooth.

Also, to maintain your self tan, be sure to keep your skin moisturized daily. Dry skin will make you look older. One of my favorite products to instantly give my skin a boost is the Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion. This contains 12% Glycolic Acid and this stuff is like magic! It instantly improves the texture and appearance of your skin, making it look firmer and more moisturized. Try it once, and you will never want to be without it.

Self Tanning Drops

If you want ultimate control over the amount of color, then I would recommend the self tanning drops. These are concentrated drops that you add to your own lotion to achieve your desired shade.

There are many brands, but the only one I have tried are the Sol by Jergens Sunless Tanning Drops. I was pleased with the result and I like that I can customize the shade.

This is a good option for areas like the face and arms where you might want to go a little lighter than your legs. I also like that you can use these drops with your favorite body lotion! Just make sure you use the same concentration on whatever body area you are applying it to.

For example, if you are applying to your face and you place five drops of self tanner in one pump of lotion, make sure you use the same concentration for your neck so it looks the same.

For larger areas like the legs, I would recommend mixing your drops and lotion on a foundation mixing palette. This way you can get the product distributed evenly, and if you run out you can mix more with the same concentration.

Thanks for reading this post, if you would like to see more be sure to subscribe to my newsletter! I send out new content twice/week plus exclusive bonus content for email subscribers only.

For More On Self Tanning, check out these posts:

Get Your Glow On