You know how extremely painful it is to stay under the sun to achieve that natural tan you wanted on your skin. Nowadays, there is an easier way to get a natural-looking tan. One way is by using self-tanners.
Self-tanners are tanners without the sun involved. These chemically made tanners are made with an active ingredient called DHA or dihydroxyacetone. The skin cells on the first layer of your skin absorb this compound, giving you a much darker complexion than your original color. This product saves you from staying under the sun for long, burning hours.
You might want to check out the easy self tanning range that Bondi Sands offers. This brand delivers premium products that are inspired by the Australian lifestyle. Their formulas are produced to give your skin an even and naturally-looking tan, providing hydration and nourishment for your skin for a longer period.
Although, as easy as applying the tanner, it is also easy to make mistakes when using the product. This article will help you identify what you should stop doing when using self-tanners.
1. Skipping a Patch Test
As much as topical tanning is safe, you can never be too sure if you will react to it. Having a patch test before applying it on your whole body would be very useful to know how your skin will react, especially if you have sensitive skin. Aside from that, patch testing also helps in seeing the color of your tanner against your skin.
2. No Skin Preparation
Skin preparation is a very crucial step for self-tanning. The DHA component in the tanner sticks to your dead skin cells very easily, making it much darker after the application. Prepping the skin with exfoliation is helpful as it helps remove layers that are almost about to come off. Scrubbing with a simple loofah could make it come off easily. You can also opt for a mild body scrub.
3. Applying After Exfoliating
This mistake might be confusing, and you’re thinking of the question: are you supposed to exfoliate or not? Exfoliating is important before applying the tanning product, but it is suggested a day before tanning your skin to prevent irritation of open pores. If you require immediate tanning, then exfoliate for 1 hour before applying. Make sure to let your skin breathe and rest.
Also, do not remove wax or laser hair with a self-tan on. A dermatologist would most likely recommend waiting until you regain the natural hair follicle color before proceeding.
4. Applying With Bare Hands
Experts say using your hands to apply the product is the worst mistake when self-tanning. The product’s color can stick on your bare hands and be difficult to remove. Also, applying the product with tanning mitts gives off much smoother, even results compared with using hands.
If using your hands cannot be avoided, apply circular motions to your skin. It helps spread out the color tone evenly on your skin. Try to wash out the color from your hands half an hour later so it will be subtle.
5. Rushing The Process
Self-tanners, like tanning under the sun, take time and patience. It would be best to remember that you must slowly even out the tone in all parts of your body. Avoid spreading aggressively and very fast. Allot ample time or free time for self-tanning, so you don’t need to rush yourself.
Additionally, let the product dry completely on your skin before putting on any clothes or having direct contact with anyone or your furniture to avoid transferring the tan color from someone else or anywhere else.
It is also crucial to not sweat or wet your skin within 24 hours of applying the self-tan before it fully develops on the skin. You can wash your hand with a pea size amount of hand sanitizer on the inside but avoid rubbing it out to the back of your hand. You might want to reschedule your workouts at the gym a few days after your tanning.
6. Keeping Your Skin Dry And Unprotected
By this time, you have loved your natural-looking tan skin, but now you’re wondering how to keep it longer. Moisturizing daily helps your tan last longer than it should. Applying lotions and sunblocks is a must when you have tanned skin. Since your skin is darker than it should be, it has less protection from sunlight than your original skin tone.
Aside from moisturizing and using sunblock daily, exfoliating very lightly at bath time would help slowly fade out the tan and smoothen your skin from dead cells. Use only unscented body wash and body lotion for the best tanning result to avoid any protective layer of oil forming on the skin.
7. Wearing Too-Tight Clothes
Do not wear tight garments after applying the tanner to avoid rubbing off the product before it sets. Best to do your tanning routine at night, wear baggy pajamas after, and wash off the product when you wake up in the morning.
8. Using One Product For Different Areas
Some tanning products only look good on certain parts of the body, so using different tanners for different areas is recommended. You may segregate the usage of one tan color to places with more sun and another to places that do not come in contact with the sun as often. Usually, the face, neck, and chest can utilize the same tan color for a softer glow.
9. Using Darker Tan Color
Do not use ultra-dark tan color mousse immediately; use natural light colors to get your correct tone. Dark tan mousse contains more than 10% DHA percentage and is unhealthier for your skin.
It is recommended to start with a medium color self-tan as the first application of ultra-dark tan will most likely cause your skin to turn orange. It will look streaky and patchy if you try to cover any missed spots with the mousse.
Conclusion
Self-tanning has made your life easier and healthier by sparing you from staying out under the sun for longer periods. Hopefully, this article will help you fully enjoy the tan glowing skin you plan on having.
References:
Guide To Self Tanning For Beginners | Bondi Sands UK
15 Expert Tips for Applying a Self-Tanner (webmd.com)
Is Self-Tanner Safe, and Should You Be Wearing It Overnight? – Consumer Reports
