Best tips to prolong the life of your faux tan

We can’t deny the fact that we would love to stay perfectly bronzed all year round. But, the reality is we know the sun’s UV rays are damaging on our skin, and much safer to fake that glow. But even the best fake tans fade. Luckily, we have a few handy tips that can help ensure that your fake tan lasts as long as possible.

Best pre-tanning prep To get the best out of your tan, we recommend these prep steps beforehand, as a fake tan is only as good as the canvas you begin with. Thoroughly exfoliate your skin the night before to remove dead skin cells, pay particular attention to hands, feet, elbows and knees. If these dead skin cells aren’t removed, the application of your tan can result in looking patchy and uneven. Once you have done this, make sure you moisturise your fresh skin from head to toe. If you’re aiming to do your hair removal before a tan, we always recommend minimum 24hrs beforehand. It will also increase the longevity of your tan as you won’t have to shave on top of a fresh tan – shaving or waxing will essentially exfoliate away some of your bronzed colour.

Do Not Do not wear deodorant, perfume or moisturiser on your body on the day of your tan, or if wearing pls have a shower before you come in or applying yourself. After your tan has been applied,  DO NOT TOUCH IT. Avoid putting your clothes straight away until you have dried your tan properly. After all that time it took to apply the fake tan, you don’t want to find out it’s been rubbed off on your clothes, ruining your tan!

Avoid Showers To preserve your fake tan it is best not to shower or bathe for at least 8 to 10 hours after it has been applied. When you do shower or bathe avoid using abrasive cleansers, peels or scrubs. It is best to avoid fabrics to scrub your skin (if you do have to use a wash cloth, use a soft one). Use a mild cleanser or an oil and gently pat your skin dry when finished, no rubbing as this will break down your tan!

Avoid Chlorine Avoid chlorine as much as you can. Feel free to relax by the side of the pool without actually going in the water, the chlorine can reduce the lifespan of your tan!

Moisturise The best fake tans are kept looking fresh when you moisturise frequently. Make sure you avoid lotions that contain petroleum, mineral oils, coconut oil or Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) – all of these can compromise your fake tan. Instead choose products made specifically to help nourish and maintain fake tans, such as tan extending lotions or nourishing body butter. The more you moisturise the less likely it is that your skin will peel, and the better your fake tan will look.

Drink Lots of Water Staying hydrated helps your tan last even longer, as well as preventing your skin from peeling. That is why you need to moisturise and keep up your daily intake of H2O!