So you’ve grabbed your at home tanning products from here (insert link) Now what?

Pre and post prep is so important! I can’t tell you how many bad at-home tans I’ve seen go sideways because of faulty prep work. I want to equip you with the best-case scenario for giving yourself a tan from a can at home.

First …. You want your skin clean, shaved, and exfoliated.

Best case scenario, use these products to wash and exfoliate (insert links).

These were specially formulated to play well with a self-tan. Can’t invest in these at this moment? No worries. Use something basic. The fewer ingredients the better. Avoid anything with acids, fragrance, or oils. And for the love of all mankind, do NOT use any Dove products. These have been notorious for destroying a self-tan.

The idea of exfoliating is to get all the dead skin off the surface. You want your tanning product to grab fresh skin cells. So use a loofah or cloth and scrub a dub dub!

Don’t put anything on your skin after your shower. No lotion and especially no oils. You don’t want anything to create a barrier for your tanning product.

Now it’s time to do the dang thing! Grab your tanning mousse or lotion. Always use a tanning mitt to apply (unless you want tan palms). I like to start at my feet and legs, work my way up through torso, and then do arms and face last. Small circular motions work great to apply. Go section by section so you don’t miss any body parts. The trickiest place is your back, so grab a buddy to help, or use this handy back applicator to apply to those hard-to-reach areas. (insert link)

I like to keep some tanning water on hand for face, hands and feet. These areas tend to fade fastest, so a little spritz of this (insert link) will bring your tan back to life.

Now you wait …. Most at home tanning products take at least 6-12 hours to fully develop. During this time you’ll want to just chill. Don’t sweat, swim, shower or engage in any activity that includes rubbing any part of your body. It’s a great excuse for not doing dishes, bathing the baby, or walking the dogs. Ha!

Now it’s time to rinse. The first shower I like to keep to a solid rinse with very little soap. Be gentle with your fresh tan. She’s still in her developing stage. When you get out of the shower, simply pat yourself dry and apply a great lotion. This one works great and is formulated for after tan care (insert link).

If you’re using a good product, your tan will generally last around 7-10 days. During this time continue to lotion up (twice a day is suggested). Enjoy the pep in your step, that extra boost of confidence, and your bronze goddess vibe! Once your tan begins to get a little splotchy, it’s time to exfoliate and start the process all over again.

Easy peasy!

And if you get in a pickle, I’m always here to make suggestions.