You have a big date coming up. You already have your outfits planned out. You picked out the perfect fresh makeup and hairstyle to go with it. There’s only one thing left to do: you need to book your roomie to help you get the perfect tan for your big day. You stumble over to her room only hear the four words you don’t want to hear: “I won’t be available.” Your plan quickly crumbles and you fall to the floor in a pasty mess.
Putting aside our flair for drama, I’m sure you’ve experienced spraining a muscle or two from trying to achieve the perfect back tan on your own. We’re here to let you know that you can be the strong, independent self-tanner if you just follow our simple tips to getting the perfect back tan without anyone else’s help.
Start with a good exfoliation
One of the not-so-well-kept secret of a great self-tan is a thorough exfoliation. Just like the rest of your body, the skin on your back needs to be the perfect canvas to create the most flawless, even, and splotch-free tan. Grab your exfoliating scrub, mitt, loofah, and body brushes and slough away at the layer of dead and dry cells. Nothing loves absorbing a self-tanning product more than a dry patch of skin.
Do a body scrub 24 hours before your tanning session, and go for a quick shower to wash away dead skin. Make sure to wash away all residue of the scrubs as they can interfere with the self-tanner. For loofah, brush, or mitt, exfoliating a few hours before tanning should do the trick.
Not all self-tanners are made equal
The type of self-tanner you pick out should be highly dependent on where you will be applying it. For the back, we like to opt for a quick absorbing formula that spreads easily and evenly such as tanning mousses. This should make application easier and the color development more even.
A plus for us: the fact that these tanning mousses are made out of quality natural ingredients. Your skin will thank you for it.
No roommate, no problem
If your tan has always been dependent on how present your roommate is in your life, we’ve got hacks for perfecting your back tan on your own. Grab your tanning mitt (note: this is not the same as an exfoliating mitt) and a wooden spoon. Wrap the mitt around the head, secure with a rubber band, and voila! Your tanning days will never be dependent on your roommate’s availability ever again.
Get moisturising
To get the most out of your tan, the key is to moisturise – and to moisturise well. This is most important in the days leading up to your tanning session because DHA (the tanning agent) loves to cling to any dry surface it can find. This means more uneven patches and splotches. Make sure your skin is supple on tanning day for even tanner absorption. The week’s worth of extra self-care will be worth it.
Post-tanning moisturising is just as important as the pre. Always moisturise after each shower to get that even fade out.
Clean and repeat
Want to sustain your tan? Then you have more exfoliating to do. Make sure you lightly exfoliate every three days so your tan fades out evenly. You’ll want to get rid of all traces of your tan so that your next session will be just as flawless. A fresh tan on top of an existing one is just not pretty.
Happy solo tanning!