Self-tanner is the ultimate way to cheat a beautiful, summer glow all-year-round without any damage or risks. Special events and parties are a great place to show of your new tan and it can be a struggle to balance out your time to do this. Here’s what you need to know about self-tanning before an event.
When should you self-tan before an event?
Self-tanning can be a lengthy process, but it is much quicker (and safer!) than normal sunbathing at the beach. If you are choosing to use a normal self-tanner, you’ll want to make sure that you have left yourself enough time – a few days to prepare and apply it properly for the best results.
Of course, you won’t be fussing over your tan for the entirety of these days, but you’ll be allowing the tan to develop to its maximum, ready for the event.
Below is a guide, which you can tailor to suit yourself, and it works on the basis that the event is on Thursday:
Monday:
On Monday, you want to make sure that you have properly prepared your skin for the self-tanner. This ensures that the tan will be even and natural-looking.
To prepare your skin, start by exfoliating it with either a scrub or exfoliation mitt to remove any dead skin cells and the remains of any old self-tanner. If you haven’t self-tanned in a while, this step will probably be faster for you, as you won’t have to remove any remaining tan. If you have leftover tan, however, it’s important to remove it so that it doesn’t interfere with your new tan.
- Scrub away dry skin cells or self-tan with the Bondi Sands Exfoliation Mitt. This double sided mitt works to exfoliate your skin pre-tan for best tanning results, as well as erasing any unwanted tanning errors if necessary.
- This mitt prepares the skin for self-tan, removes dry skin cells, & corrects tanning errors for the perfect canvas.
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Follow the exfoliation with shaving if you’d like, but make sure to do this here, and not directly before you apply self-tanner, as this can cause the tanner to settle into pores and micro-cuts you didn’t even realise were there.
Tuesday:
On Tuesday evening, apply the self-tanner to your body using a mitt for smooth application. If you want to apply the self-tanner on the same day as you prepared your skin to save time, I recommend taking a quick, cold shower before applying the fake tan to close your pores.
Wear the self-tanner to bed and sleep while it develops to save yourself time. Make sure to lay a towel down on your bed to prevent staining the sheets.
Wednesday:
The morning after, you want to rinse off the tanner when you take a shower. You’ll notice that some of the self-tanner rinses off, which is normal, and keep rinsing your body until the water runs clear.
Make sure to apply moisturiser afterward and in the evening. Today, your tan will develop further into a deeper colour.
Thursday:
On Thursday, your tan will have had plenty of time to develop, and you’ll be ready for your event!
- Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam is a lightweight, tanner that’s simple to apply and gives a flawless finish, every time; Simply smooth on the weightless self tanning foam for an even, streak-free, bronzed tan
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Also read:
What Self-Tanner Do Celebrities Use? (Kardashians, J.Lo, …)
I’m in a hurry! What do you suggest?
If you are in a hurry, your best option is to use an express self-tanner. Usually, you can control how deep of a colour you go with an express self-tanner, depending on how long you leave it on, but be sure to check your specific product for this.
If you are looking to use express self-tanner the day before, or morning of, your event here is a step-by-step guide:
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- If you have enough time, prepare your skin before applying the self-tanner. This will help it to apply more smoothly and evenly and is especially important if you have already got some leftover tan on from before. To do this, use an exfoliating scrub or mitt and exfoliate away!
- It’s best to shave in advance, but that’s not always possible. If you want to shave your legs, do it here, after exfoliating and before application.
- Take a quick shower. This isn’t completely necessary if you haven’t prepared your skin. Make sure to finish your shower with a cold rinse all over, to make sure that your pores are closed.
- Apply the express self-tanner with a mitt and make sure to blend into the skin well.
- Wait 2-3 hours for the tan to develop, depending on how dark you want to go. The developing time varies slightly between different self-tanners, so check to see what it says on your product.
- Take another quick shower to rinse off any excess tan after it has developed and keep rinsing until the water runs clear. This way, you know that you have removed all over the excess. Finish with another cold rinse.
- Apply body lotion and you’re good to go!
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- Suitable for time-poor tanners
- Hydrates your skin every application giving you long-lasting, natural-looking skin
- SELF TANNER: Customize the depth of your self tan with our most advanced 3-in-1 express tanning mousse - wait 1, 2 or 3 hours for your desired glow
- BEAUTY PRODUCTS: Choose from a light, medium or dark tan with fast & foolproof results that last all week with this quick-drying & non-sticky bronzer fake tan
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Also read:
How to Get Rid of Self-Tanner from Hands? (A Quick Guide)
How to Take Off Self Tanner Quickly? (My Favorite Methods)
Will the tan be visible on clothes?
If you have self-tanned before an event, you may be worried about the product staining your clothes, and it’s best to be prepared for this.
If you have used the first method, with a normal self-tanner, and have followed the steps correctly, you shouldn’t struggle with any staining on the day of your event. Nevertheless, you may experience it on your sheets if you slept with it on, which is why you should lay down a towel that night or use darker sheets.
You may also find some staining on your clothes on the day after you have self-tanned, but not too much.
If you have followed the express method, there is a chance that you may experience some staining, and one of the best chances of preventing this is to self-tan a day or two before your event. If you are wearing dark-coloured clothes, the staining shouldn’t be a problem.
Also read:
Why Does Self-Tanner Smell? Can I Make It Less Smelly?
Final thoughts
Essentially, there are different ways you can use self-tanner before an event to suit your needs, but the most effective, cleanest, and streak-free way is to allow yourself enough time to properly prepare and nourish your skin beforehand. As long as you leave yourself enough time, self-tanning before an event shouldn’t be a problem!
