Your Ultimate Fake Tanning Handbook: Products and Prep Essentials

in Beauty & Fitness Jul 18 • 16 min read

When it comes to achieving a flawless tan, preparation is key. Ensuring your skin is properly prepped will help you avoid streaks and patches, giving you a smooth and even application every time. In this guide, we’ll explore essential preparation steps and review 11 top fake tanning products including mousses, lotions, drops, and waters. Each product review includes details on its origin, materials, benefits, and price range.

Skin Preparation: The Foundation of a Perfect Tan

Exfoliation is one of the most important steps when getting ready for a fake tan. Shedding dead skin cells and smoothing rough patches allows for an even, streak-free development of color on the skin.

Areas like elbows, knees, and heels are prone to build up of dry, flaky skin that could lead to an uneven tan finish if not properly exfoliated before application. When choosing an exfoliator, it's crucial to avoid products containing heavy oils.

While oils are nourishing for the skin, they can form a barrier that stops the active tanning ingredients in fake tanner from absorbing into the skin efficiently.

Heavy oil residues will cause the tan to develop unevenly, leaving behind uncolored patches. Opting for oil-free body scrubs is key to ensure the skin's surface is smooth and clear for the fake tan to fully develop into skin.

Thoroughly exfoliating the entire body, with a focus on commonly drier areas, just a day before tanning allows the skin to turn over freshly.

This step is vital in achieving a natural, seamless glow from head to toe without any remnants of dead skin cells mucking up the color's development. With exfoliation, you can wave goodbye to those pesky streaks and say hello to perfectly bronzed skin.

Recommended Exfoliator: Bondi Sands Coconut & Salt Scrub

Origin: Australia
Materials: Coconut, sea salt
Benefits: Softens rough patches, oil-free, leaves skin smooth
Price Range: £12-£15

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Removing Old Tan

For those who need to remove an old tan before applying a new one, an exfoliator with glycolic acid is highly effective.

Recommended Exfoliator: Nip + Fab Glycolic Scrub

Origin: UK
Materials: Glycolic acid, salicylic acid
Benefits: Resurfaces skin quickly, removes old tan efficiently
Price Range: £10-£15

Check out other available hot promo coupons at Nip + Fab >>>> HERE <<<<

Application Tools: Mitts and Brushes

When applying your fake tan, the right application tools make all the difference in achieving an even, natural-looking results. Investing in a quality mitt is essential to avoid uneven hands and orange palms.

Made of soft, textured material, an application mitt allows you to smoothly buff the tanning solution over your body without absorbing any of the color itself.

By wearing the mitt, your hands are protected from the dye while you blend the product seamlessly into skin. This even coverage from head to toe is not possible without using a mitt.

While a mitt handles broad stretches of skin nicely, some areas require more dexterity. For intricate sections like elbows and knees, a tan-specific brush is invaluable.

Small enough to fluidly maneuver around joints, a brush lovingly coats every contour without missing spots. Its soft bristles expertly hug curves for a seamless bake.

Having both a mitt and brush in your tanning tool kit means achieving pro-level polish. There will be no unfinished areas or dyed palms to give away your tan as fake.

With the right application aids, say goodbye to streaks and unevenness - instead, your skin will glow with natural perfection from your investment.

Applying the Tan: Tips for a Flawless Finish

Two crucial steps to ensure flawless development of your fake tan are exfoliating and moisturizing your skin before application. Taking the time to properly prep the "canvas" of your body will pay dividends in achieving an even, long-lasting color.

Begin by exfoliating your entire body to slough off dead skin cells that could cause uneven patches. Then, nourish your skin with a hydrating body lotion or cream.

This moist environment allows the active tanning ingredients to penetrate deeply and bond evenly with your skin for a vibrant color that will last longer.

When applying the tanning product, use smooth, sweeping motions to coat your skin without over-rubbing in any one area.

Start with your lower body, working from toes to knees, then finish with your arms from fingers to shoulders. Blending well as you go prevents harsh lines and streaks.

After application, patience is key. Heeding the recommended development time on the bottle before getting dressed enables your skin to fully absorb the tanning agents into a rich, natural-looking glow.

Avoid rubbing by waiting to redress - this prevents uneven removal of tan from delicate areas.

With thorough exfoliation, hydration, and careful application, your fake tan is set up for beautiful, streak-free development from head to toe.

Top 11 Fake Tanning Products

1. ICONIC London Instant Sunshine Bronzing Drops

Origin: UK
Materials: Liquid serum
Benefits: Can be mixed with foundation or worn alone, provides a warm undertone, perfect for "no-makeup makeup" days
Price Range: £22

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2. Garnier Natural Bronzer Self-Tan Face Drops

Origin: France
Materials: Lightweight facial tanning drops
Benefits: Radiant complexion, natural-looking tan, sinks into skin easily
Price Range: £11

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3. Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Water

Origin: UK
Materials: Organic actives, oils
Benefits: Hydrated skin, softly bronzed glow, peach-tinted
Price Range: £15

4. Vita Liberata Clear Tanning Mist

Origin: Ireland
Materials: Clear mist
Benefits: Beachy bronze tan, rich hydration, leaves no areas untouched
Price Range: £34

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5. ICONIC London Prep Set Tan Mousse

Origin: UK
Materials: Richly pigmented mousse
Benefits: Deep tan with subtle shimmer, flattering bronze color
Price Range: £24

6. Loving Tan 2 HR Express Tanning Mousse

Origin: Australia
Materials: Express mousse
Benefits: Rich golden hue, natural Mediterranean tan
Price Range: £37

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7. Tan-Luxe The Future Airbrush 360 Self-Tan Mist

Origin: UK
Materials: Spray tan formula
Benefits: Even tan without orange, applied with a mitt
Price Range: £39

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8. Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived

Origin: USA
Materials: Gradual lotion
Benefits: Hydrating, natural-looking tan, soft skin
Price Range: £4

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9. St. Moriz Illuminating Gradual Tanning Lotion

Origin: UK
Materials: Lightweight lotion
Benefits: Even tan, sun-kissed bronze, keeps tan topped up
Price Range: £10

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10. Vita Liberata Body Blur

Origin: Ireland
Materials: Hybrid moisturizer and bronzer
Benefits: Blurs imperfections, instant tan, lasts all day
Price Range: £22

11. Tan-Luxe Express Mousse

Origin: UK
Materials: Express mousse
Benefits: Quick tan, glow within minutes, hydrating, customizable depth
Price Range: £37

Conclusion

Achieving a perfect tan involves proper skin preparation and choosing the right product for your needs. Exfoliation, moisturizing, and using the right application tools are essential steps.

With a variety of products available, from mousses and lotions to drops and waters, you can find the perfect tanning solution to achieve a natural and even tan.

By following these guidelines and recommendations, you'll be well on your way to a flawless, sun-kissed glow.