Achieving a flawless, natural-looking glow with no tell-tale signs isn’t as difficult as it looks. All you need is to follow our guide on how to apply fake tan and you’ll be flaunting a gorgeous bronze in no time! Keep reading to find out how to tan your body, back, hands, feet, and face.
- How to apply self tan
- How to tan your back
- How to tan your face
- How to tan feet
- How to self tan your hands
How to apply fake tan
Step 1: Exfoliate
Exfoliating and self tanning go hand in hand. Whether you’re using a mousse, gel or mist, you’ll need a fresh base to work with to create a smooth, patch-free glow.
Our advice? 24 hours prior to tanning, massage our Tan Enhancing Exfoliator into the skin, working from the legs upwards. Focus on particularly dry areas, like the elbows, knees and ankles to remove any dry patches of skin that tan might cling to.
Top Tip: If you need to remove an old layer of tan, use our Tan Remover Mousse to wash it away in just 5 minutes, with no need to scrub!
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Step 2: Moisturise
To prevent your fake tan from clinging to dry areas or looking patchy, apply a light layer of moisturiser onto dry areas of skin. Don’t forget to cover your elbows, knees, hands, and feet (particularly the ankles, knuckles and creases).
We recommend using an oil-free moisturiser, like our Tan Enhancing Body Moisturiser. Oil-based lotions can cause tan to break down and spoil your golden finish.
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Step 3: Apply with a mitt
To achieve an even-looking glow, self tanner should always be applied using a tanning mitt. You should also start with the legs and work your way upwards.
- Applying tanning mousses and gels: Pump your self tanner onto a tanning mitt, then sweep over the skin using circular motions to achieve an even-looking and streaky-free finish.
- Applying tanning mists: Spritz onto the body, then blend with a tanning mitt to achieve a natural-looking bronze.
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If you’re still nervous about tanning the trickier and harder-to-reach areas (like your back, hands, feet, and face), don’t panic! We break it down below.
How to fake tan your back
Forget trying to awkwardly sweep a tanning mitt over your back, the easiest and fastest way to self tan your back is with a tanning body mist, like our Purity Vitamins Body Mist.
- Bow your head slightly
- Reach over your shoulder and spritz the mist from side to side, holding the bottle at neck level
- Bring your arm down (level with your belly button) and spritz on either side to create a gorgeous, even-looking finish
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How to fake tan your face
The best time to fake tan your face is in the evening, as it allows the product to develop overnight.
- Make sure you have clean, makeup-free skin
- Lightly moisturise around the nostrils and other dry spots with an oil-free moisturiser
- Spritz the St.Tropez Purity Face Mist 3 to 5 times onto the skin, while moving the bottle clockwise around your face to ensure an even coverage. A healthy-looking glow will subtly develop over 4-8 hours, with no need to rinse.
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How to fake tan your feet
Tanning your feet isn’t as difficult as it looks, we promise! The trick is to remember that less is more. When you’ve finished applying self tan to your body, use the leftover product on the mitt to cover your feet.
- Make sure you’ve exfoliated and moisturised the back of the heels
- Rub a makeup brush along the mitt to gather the excess tan
- Sweep the brush over the top of the feet, along the toes, down the sides, and across the back of the ankles
- Blend into the creases and toes
- Wipe the toenails and the soles of the feet to remove any excess
How to fake tan your hands
It’s no secret that hands are one of the trickiest areas to get right – but don’t worry, our simple guide will help you to fake tan your hands like a pro. Just remember to always tan your hands last!
- Make sure you’re not wearing any jewellery
- Gently exfoliate and moisturise your hands
- Take a blending makeup brush and sweep it over the tanning mitt to collect any leftover product (it will be enough, trust us!)
- Pretend to hold a tennis ball and make a clay-like shape with your hands
- Sweep the brush over the hands and down each finger
- Straighten the fingers and repeat to reach all of the creases
- Gently wipe the nails and cuticles to remove any excess
Top Tip: You can also spritz our Purity Face Mist over your hands. It will create a beautiful, even-looking finish with no need to blend!
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– and that’s how to apply fake tan! Explore our full range of fake tans now.
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