How To Apply Fake Tan

Yes, it’s summer but us Irish cailíní know the true struggle of trying to get a golden touch to our pasty skin. And if you’re in any way smart you know that plonking yourself out in the sun is only going to result premature ageing. No thank you! And for the love of God, please forget about sunbeds!

So, the obvious solution is to seek a tan from a bottle. The thing is, tanning can be a bit intimidating. The fear of it all going very wrong, especially before a big event, is very real.

But fear not, missy.ie is here to tell you how to apply fake tan the correct way to ensure a flawless result each and every time. The goal is to be a tanned goddess, not an orange umpa lumpa.

Here’s how to apply fake tan like a pro.

Prep Is Key

Tanning disasters can be in the making before you even open up the bottle of tan. It’s super important that you make sure that your skin is in tip-top shape before application.

Avoid shaving right before you apply tan. It’s best to shave the day before. When you shave your pores are left open and pores love nothing more than getting fake tan stuck in them. The result is not good.
The smoother your skin the better the application, so exfoliate and moisturise your skin daily in the lead up to your tan application. MISSY LOVES Vaseline Spray & Go Aloe Fresh and Soap & Glory Scrub ‘Em and Leave ‘Em Body Buff.
On the day of your tan application, don’t moisturise your body as it will act as a barrier and stop the tan absorbing. But you should apply a small amount of moisturiser to dry areas such as hands, elbows, knees and feet as well as any other dry patches, including anywhere you may have eczema or psoriasis, just before self-tan application. The moisturiser helps blends the tan, therefore reducing the chances of these areas going too dark.
Have a shower before you being applying the tan. You can use your normal shower get, but do not exfoliate right before applying tan.
Apply a coat of nail polish to your nails to stop the tan from staining them.
Apply some Vaseline to your brows and hairline line if you’re tanning your face.

A couple of our faves ✌️ : @ebbamatilda

A post shared by Cocoa Brown Tan (@cocoabrowntan) on Jun 24, 2018 at 3:10am PDT

Application

Use a tanning mitt to apply your tan.
If you’re a beginner, use a product with a guide colour (like Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Mousse) to help show you where you have and haven’t applied the tan.
Work in lengthways motions, apply the product in clean sweeps. Circular motions can unevenly distribute product around the skin and leave you at risk of streaks in your final colour.
Leave your hands and feet until last and use only what product is left on your tanning mitt. Do not apply more product directly, just brush over the excess tan left on your mitt.
Make a downward pointing ‘claw’ with your hand so that the tan gets in between creases on your fingers. This will ensure you there are no white patches left.
When it comes to applying tan on your back, the internal saviour Penneys now has an applicator that you “shimmy” down your back. But when in doubt ask a friend or your mam.
Once you’re finished avoid the temptation to wash your hands. Instead use a face wipe to remove the tan from your palms, in between your fingers and your nails.

Maintenance

When you shower for the first time after applying tan you can use shower gel, but don’t exfoliate your skin.
Wait until days 2 or 3 after your tan application before you begin applying a moisturiser. If you moisturise your skin too early, it can cause the tan to fade too quickly.
A product like Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Oil Free Body Moisturiser can help maintain and extend your tan.

“Best self tanner ever! The color is gorgeous with no orange undertones. It’s also so easy to apply and dries quickly. Love love love!” – Wulfy12 reviews our Green Self Tanning Mousse on @sephora| @olivedianaa

A post shared by The Isle Of Paradise (@theisleofparadise) on Jun 19, 2018 at 11:00pm PDT

How To Cover Up Bad Tan

We’ve all been there! There’s nothing worse than waking up the next morning and you’ve got horrible patches! The best thing to do is hop in the shower and try scrub off any patches the best you can with a good body scrub and exfoliating mitt. To cover up any mistakes use some Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs.