Current Self Tanning Routine + Tips

If you’re curious about self tanning, then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve used self tanners for years and after trying dozens of different types, I’ve found a few that work really well for me. It’s important to remember that everyone’s skin is different, so what works for me may not work for everyone – and that goes for any type of product. Keep on reading for all the details on my tanning routine including self tanners, spray tans, prep, maintenance, tips & answering your questions from Instagram!

Self Tanners

I have a few self tanners that I switch between depending on what type of color I want and how quickly I want the color to develop, but here are a few that are always in my rotation:

Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops: I use this product to tan my face and have never had any issues with irritation or break outs. I have very sensitive skin, so this is currently the only self tanner I will use on my face. It’s easy to use – you just mix a drop of the tanner with your normal face moisturizer and apply the moisturizer as normal. I use shade medium for a natural glow and reapply once a week.

Tan Luxe Tanning Butter: I’ve been grabbing this self tanner the most lately because it’s just so EASY! It’s literally a lotion that you apply, well… like any normal body lotion. Just wash your hands after 😉 This is a gradual tanning product, so it doesn’t come in shade options – you control the color by how often you use it. I typically apply it once per week in the Fall/Winter for a little color, and 2-3x per week in the Spring/Summer for a darker tan. I love that it hydrates your skin, unlike a lot of self tanners that dry you out. It does have a little bit of tanning smell, but it’s (in my opinion) the least smelly compared to others. The color takes a few hours to develop, so make sure to give it some time – I typically apply it in the afternoon and then sleep in it overnight before showering. It does not transfer to clothes or bedding.

Tan Luxe Tanning Drops: Another easy self tanner option – you simply mix a few drops in with your regular body lotion and apply the lotion like normal. I usually do 2-3 drops per body part but you can do more or less depending on the color you’re going for. Lately I have been mixing this in with the Tan Luxe butter (instead of regular lotion) for an even darker tan because I like to be pretty dark in the summer 🙂 Just like the butter, these tanning drops have a minimal smell, take a few hours to develop, and won’t transfer to your clothes. You don’t need a mitt for either of the Tan Luxe options which is nice, again just make sure to wash your hands after! They also make anti-aging self tanning drops for the face, but I haven’t tried them yet.

GlowPro Tanning Mousse: If you want to be ultra dark, GlowPro is a great option! This is a mousse that you apply with a mitt, so it does require a little more attention to detail than the others. The mousse has a green base so you’ll see a little color as you apply it – this helps you make sure you aren’t missing a spot. I recommend applying the mousse at night, sleep in it and then rinse it off in the morning. I find that with any self tanners the longer you let the color develop before showering, the better it looks. This one does have a self tanner smell at first, but it goes away when you shower. Overall it’s a great dark, natural looking tan.

Here’s a before and after combining the Tan Luxe butter with their tanning drops

Spray Tans

While self tanners are what I normally use, I will also get spray tans from time to time – usually before a trip or big event. There are all kinds of spray tans that you can get, whether it’s a person spraying you by hand or a booth where a machine sprays you. Both options have pros and cons that I will go over at the end, but I typically prefer to do the machine spray tan. The one I like is called a Versa Spa spray booth – you can google it to find a tanning salon near you that has one (if you are in the South East, select Ultra Tan locations have them.) The Versa offers light/medium/dark color options and I always do the darkest. You can include a bronzer in the spray for instant color, otherwise the spray goes on clear. I typically opt for the clear option and let the tan develop in a few hours – I honestly can’t remember why, but I’ve always done it that way. If it’s your first time doing a spray tan machine, watch a YouTube video to learn what positions to stand in for the specific machine you are doing. Some salons I’ve been to have picture instructions on the wall, but otherwise you’re on your own. Better to be prepared!

I snapped this pic the morning after my most recent spray tan:

Tanning Prep

Prepping your skin can make all the difference between a good tan and a streaky mess. Here’s what to do before any type of sunless tanning:

Shower, shave & exfoliate a few hours before you apply the self tanner (or spray tan.) You’ll need to remove any previous self tanner and dead skin to ensure your new tan goes on smoothly and without any color patches. And I say to do this a few hours before because when you shower, your hair follicles open up, and you need to give them time to close before applying the product. Otherwise you’ll have little brown spots on your legs which does not look good. My favorite exfoliating scrub, exfoliating mitt & razor
Do not apply lotion before self tanner – moisturizer acts as a barrier so it will prevent the self tanner from working. Same goes for oils and perfumes. You want your skin to be as clean as possible!
This is kind of random, but always something I think about – make sure that you don’t need to get wet for whatever reason for a few hours after your tan. Shower/swimming are the obvious ones, but I always make sure my sink is clear of dishes and any fruits/vegetables that need to be washed are washed before I tan. Otherwise I’ll end up with white hands and don’t want that haha.

After Tanning

What you do after your tan is just as important (if not more) than your prep! Here are some tips for both immediate after tanning and to help maintain the color:

Wear dark, loose fitting clothes for as long as you can after tanning. Ditch your bra and underwear for a few hours (if possible,) especially after a spray tan. You really don’t want anything tight on your body while the tan is developing.
Don’t get wet for at least 6 hours – but go longer if you can! Showering any sooner can decrease the intensity of your tan, and this also goes for swimming, sweating, etc. My husband gets to do the dishes while my self tanner is soaking in 😉
Avoid lotion, deodorants, perfumes, or any kind of oils immediately after tanning. The alcohol/aluminum in products can react with the tanning formula and cause splotchy patches.
After you shower, pat your skin dry with towels instead of rubbing it to help maintain the tan. This goes for all showers post-tan.
Stay moisturized after your first shower – use an oil free lotion daily to keep your skin hydrated.
Don’t exfoliate until you’re ready for the tan to come off. I will use a gentle body wash but no loofah or anything otherwise you can scrape the tan off.

Questions

Now for some of the questions you submitted on Instagram!

Question: How long does the spray tan last until you have to reapply? Answer: Most sunless tans will last about a week, depending on how you maintain it. My most recent spray tan lasted about 10 days before starting to come off, but I wasn’t in the pool or anything during that time. Also if your skin is dry the tan will come off quicker, so make sure to put lotion on every day!
Question: Best beginner self tanners you recommend? Answer: Either of the Tan Luxe options are great for beginners because it’s as easy as putting on lotion. Isle of Paradise tanning water is also a good option!
Question: How do you make your hands and feet look good with self tanner? Answer: After I finish applying everywhere and wash my hands well, I go back and add a little product to just the tops of my hands and rub it in using the tops of my hands instead of my fingers (I hope that makes sense haha) but basically I want to get the product on the top of my hands only so they match the rest of my body. For my feet, I just apply it like normal to the tops and sides of my feet.
Question: Favorite go to brand? Answer: Currently loving the Tan Luxe butter & drops combo!
Question: Have you used self tanner before a beach vacation? How does it hold up being in the water? Answer: Yes! I always joke that I’m probably the only person leaving vacation paler than when I got there haha. The tan definitely fades faster if you’re in the water a lot (which I always am on vacations) but I usually bring a bottle of the tanning drops to mix in with my lotion a couple times to keep some color on me. It’s a small bottle, so easy to travel with.
Question: How do you remove your spray tan? Answer: I scrub it off with exfoliating scrub and a mitt! Sometimes it takes a while to get it all off, but this mitt from Amazon makes it a lot easier. If you have time to soak in the bath before scrubbing, that helps it to come off too.
Question: When do you use self tanner vs. spray tan? Answer: I use self tanner unless I am traveling somewhere or have an event that I want to make sure I have a perfect tan for. There’s just less room for error with a spray tan.
Question: Do you have to get naked for a spray tan? Answer: You don’t have to, no! But I think most people do. When I do an in-person spray tan I keep underwear on but I get naked for the tanning booth. I prefer not to have tan lines, but do whatever you feel comfortable doing!
Question: How to you tan your back? Answer: If my husband isn’t busy, I get him to help with that! Otherwise I try my best to reach around and do it myself. Luckily I have pretty long arms. In the fall/winter though, I don’t tan my back at all because no one is going to see it haha. It saves product that way too! I know a lot of people use this back strap, but I personally haven’t tried it.
Question: Why fake tan instead of a real tan? Answer: I like having a tan – I prefer how I look and I’m a lot more confident in front of a camera (which is kind of important for my job!) I’m also at a point in my life where I care about protect my skin from sun damage as much as possible, which is why I choose to do sunless tanners instead of getting a real tan.