Tips and Steps for the Perfect Self-Tan

Hey ladies… and Gentlemen!

I had to add gentleman in there, as Craig uses self-tanner, but of course he doesn’t follow the instructions as I would love him to!  lol!  And I have a few men on board since running the Green Fitness Week!

So I have been using self-tanner for years!  I was using it when you really had to test them out, and make sure you weren’t orange.  I have always been pretty fortunate, my skin seems to take to sunless tanning like a fish to water.  I have never had a major trauma, of turning out orange, or streaking really bad.  Even the cheapest drugstore brands seem to work good on the first application.  The true trick for me, has always been, How does it look after 3-4 days of application?

The cheapies, have always been ok thoughout the first and second application, but sometimes when I applied more then layers, is when the color started to orange out on me.  I have found a few that I love, and I will share those with you at the end of this post.

But first, how do you get the Self-Tan to last and how to ensure premium evenness, tone and no streaks?  Don’t let this long post scare you into thinking it is too much trouble.  I promise that once you have done it a couple times, it will take you NO TIME!

Step 1. Use a mit to apply an OIL FREE, SHEA butter FREE body scrub.  I simply love Pevonia’s De-Aging Salt mousse.  It has a small amount of moisture, but not a lot, but holds a great ability to loosen and scrub away dead skin, and smooth you all over.  Make sure you get your knees and elbows well, and make sure you do each and every part of our body.  Except for your privvy places of course!  I would not suggest this for your face, use your own face scrub, or even use baking soda.  See my steps for At Home Micro-Dermabrasion with Baking Soda.  If you don’t want to buy a separate scrub for your body, you can use this on the rest of you too, just be aware you will use a lot!

2. Dry off really well.  Make sure your bathroom is dry, you don’t want to put your tanner on while it is humid in there!  So either shower with the fan on and the door open, or apply tanner in another room.  DO NOT apply any type of moisturizer!

3. Apply a very small amount of a light moisturizer to elbows and knees.  Rub some oil/moisturizer  into your cuticles and under nails and to palms.  This will prevent staining of the nails, and darkening of knees and elbows!

4. Start with your face!  Start with a small amount, dime sized, and dot over skin, then smooth in.  You want it to penetrate your skin, but you don’t want to massage it in.  Be careful to get all the way to the hair line, and also don’t forget your ears, and temples, as well as your neck, and the back of your neck.

5. Start applying a liberal amount to each leg, start with the lower portion of the leg, and be careful to get your feet and ankles but to not apply to much.  Make sure it is even, and completely rubbed in.  You don’t want to leave excess product.  Move up to Upper leg and thigh, be careful again with the knees.  Feel free to do your booty next!  Again, this is a spot that always seems to need a little more “massaging” to get the product to sink in.  You don’t want a streaky butt do you? Take your towel that you used to dry off to gently dab at knees, this keeps excess from sitting in the folds.

6. Now do your abdomen.  Make sure your get your sides too!  Now do the small of your back, as far up your back as you can go, with out raising your arms over your head.  If you do need help, ask someone.  (you can wait until you have dressed, and do this step last if you like!)

7. Move up to chest, and make sure it is smoothed in, and be careful about “underneath your breasts”, it collects sweat, and if your boobs sit on your abdomen, you can get some nasty little streaks there.  This is part of the reason you want to be completely dry, and cool while applying. Also apply a small amount to the underarms if you want.  This ensures no tell tale lines.

8. Arms.  You can do the whole arm at once.  Watch the elbows!  Move up and do the shoulders, and start reaching back and doing your upper back.  This part is tricky, but I am able to get my entire back if I work hard enough!  I use my damp towel again to wipe elbows.

9. I do a second layer on my face and neck at this time.  My face and neck are always paler then the rest of my body from using exfoliants.

10. Wash and use a good scrub on your hands, and wrists.  You can apply color to your hands by using a cotton ball. just make sure you start with a small amount and smooth in well.

You are all done!  It only takes me about 10-15 minutes, tops to do all of these steps, well, minus the shower!  Once you get the hang of it, you will be tan in no time flat!

Some of my extra tips. Start with a very thin layer.  This is why you do small parts, you want to ensure full coverage, but also avoid excess product.  If you are familiar with the color, and have used it before, you can do a second layer.  Some formulas, don’t allow for a second application, as they start to “ball” up, and slip off, so test this a little.  Make sure you are completely dry before doing second layer.

The night before, or morning of, before your shower and exfoliation that you have moisturized really well.  Most Sunless tanners are drying to the skin, and since you won’t be applying a moisturizer for at least 5-6 hours you want to have hydrated skin to start with!

You can wash your hands in the middle of the steps to keep from having orange palms.  This is also why I suggest using a mit to apply scrub in the shower.  If your hands are really smooth and exfoliated, they will no doubt absorb some color.  Also why I suggest a little bit of oil, or moisturizer before starting!

Now after you have your color, it gets easier!  You can do layers each day, or until you acheive the color you want.  Some I usually only do 3-4 layers, and I almost always take a day or two off in between.  Don’t exfoliate in between.  Cut that to only once a week or even every 10 days.

All Natural Sunless Tanner Suggestions.

I really like Pevonia’s Self Tanning Emulsion.  Hydrating and silky smooth.  A very natural color as well.  They also have a Fitness Glow Hydrating SelfTan, but I haven’t tried it.

Lavera also carries a great self tanner.  If you do shop there, use the code TRENDKIT and save 10% and get free shipping on any order over $75! Lavera also has a separate self tanner for your Face!  It appears most of their sunless tanning is on sale too!  What I am seeing is 30% off.  Love Lavera! vegan and certified natural!

I love tartes Tarte CelluFIGHT™ Anti-Cellulite Self-Tanner 5 oz.  Perfect for abdomen and of course, legs!  Helps to fight cellulite while also giving a great tan!  See my review here.

See what I have been using to get a flawless tan this summer shortly, Luminess Tan!

Karissa Gindling™ for Prissy Green™ ©

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