If I learned one thing about beauty in the past year, it’s that self-tan is truly an art. And not like an effortless type of art. Just between different products and techniques alone, it’s so incredibly easy to get overwhelmed in the world of fake tan. Been there done that.
It’s hard to look like you just stepped off the beach in Florida, or appear to have sat in the California sun all afternoon with just a bottle of brown stuff.
But, lucky for you, I have a pretty good routine that I am willing to share on how I attempt, with emphasis on attempt, to make it look like I did just that. Because, you know, hot girls don’t gatekeep.
This may not work for everyone. Remember, there is such a beautiful variety of skin tones and textures that have the potential to make different products look unique on different people. This is just what works for me.
Now, I implement this process into my beauty routine about once a week. If I have an important event coming up during the weekday, I simply break this rule. It’s pretty fluid.
As with anything, a good tan requires good prep. Let’s start in the shower.
- Prep
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Put on a fire playlist and step into your shower. Of course, I go in with a washcloth to get the dirt and grime off the top layer of my skin. This will also gently exfoliate before we get into the heavy stuff.
I then go in with a Tree Hut scrub, this one’s my favorite of all time, to get rid of the heavier dead skin cells that can build up over time. The Vitamin C scrub hyperlinked above smells incredible and leaves me feeling so smooth and soft.
Sidenote: Scrubs have also helped me tremendously with strawberry legs, too. If you don’t know what that is, Google it. Even Beyonce gets it.
Then, I simply shave and moisturize.
- it’s Face time
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I do my normal nightly skincare and use the Ulta Beauty Gradual Tan Face Drops mixed with my Aveda Oil Control Lotion. I recently ran out of the Aveda lotion, so I have been using the Origins GinZing Ultra-Hydrating Energy-Boosting Cream. I like them both equally.
I use about six drops of the self-tan. Rub it in EVERYWHERE on your face and neck. If you miss a spot, believe me, you can tell the next day.
This is a great option for day-to-day and also touch-ups, but for the weekend, I want my self-tan to be a little more “in your face.” A little more obvious… and snatched.
So, this is when I go in with the St. Moriz Professional Fast Tanning Mousse on a flat face brush to contour my face. I use the word contour lightly.
I say this because I try to keep the contour looking pretty natural and blended, but definitely want to maintain that “darker” hue in the parts of my face I normally would contour with bronzer.
That’s heavy on the forehead, and light on the cheeks, jawline and down the nose. Sometimes, I will add some onto the outer corner of my eyelids for a lifted look.
- Body
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Moving onto my body, I have been obsessed with the b.tan Glow Your Own Way Tan Gel. This is by far the most natural-looking self-tan I have ever used, with great staying power AND no nasty, “self-tan” odor. I hate that.
I rub this into every crevice with just my hands, sticking to a sweeping/circular motion. The easiest way to apply this is by focusing on sections. So, look at your hand as a section, your forearm separately, etc. This really allows me to target each part and make sure I am doing my best work blending.
For more tricky areas, like my hands, feet, elbows and knees, I use that same brush I used on my face and blend blend blend. It also helps to apply a little extra lotion on these areas beforehand too.
Then, I lay in my bed and try my best to not touch my skin to itself. I mean like folding my arms or crossing my legs. This can result in a patchy tan, even if you have a good application.
You can put down a top sheet if you don’t want your sheets stained. However, I found that once I switched to the b.tan gel since it’s a clear formula, I had very minimal staining on my sheets. Score. Now catch those ZZZZ’s.
Once I wake up, I hop right into the shower. I try to keep my post-self-tan showers as minimal as I can, so quick and on a colder setting to avoid removing the tan we just put down.
I also avoid shaving during this time as well, which usually isn’t too much of a problem because we did it prior to applying the tan.
And that concludes what I do to attempt to look like a bronzed babe year-round. You’re welcome.
Happy tanning!