Are you interested in using sunless tanner to get that fresh glow, but you don’t want to deal with all the streaks and spots that come along with the tanner?
You are in luck, because despite what your past experiences may have been or what you saw happen to a friend, you can apply sunless tanner without streaks.
It does take a little more patience and you definitely shouldn’t do it when you are short on time, but if you follow these steps you can get that beautiful natural tan with a sunless tanner.
How to Apply Sunless Tanner without Getting Streaks
Before You Apply the Tanner
Before you even grab the sunless tanner you need to make sure that you exfoliate at least once, preferably twice. I would recommend exfoliating the day before and then right before you apply the tanner, so that you can be sure that all the dead skin is removed from your body.
When you have dead skin cells still sitting on your skin, that is what causes spots and streaks to happen. You want your skin to be as smooth as possible to make the tanning applications as smooth as possible.
When exfoliating be sure to pay special attention to really dry and scaly areas of your body like your elbows, knees, and ankles.
Not only should you exfoliate a day in advance but you should also shave no more than 12 before applying the tanner. You don’t want to apply the sunless tanner on irritated skin or have open pores from having just. So that means the day before you plan on using your sunless tanner, shave and exfoliate in the shower.
Lastly, you want to apply a good moisturizing lotion (not scented or with fragrances) to any areas of your body that are dry. This may include your whole body or just certain areas like your knees and elbows.
The lotion helps to moisturize the area so the skin can properly absorb the tanner and allows for a smooth and consistent tan.
Applying the Sunless Tanner
If you are looking to get a tan with a sunless tanner and you don’t want any streaks, don’t go with the cheapest tanner you can find. You want one that is a quality product and that will be able to apply evenly to your skin.
I recommend that you wear disposable latex gloves when applying the tanner so you don’t have to worry about orange palms. If you don’t have gloves, then be sure to wash your hands after you apply the tanner to areas of your body. Don’t leave it to the end to wash off the product from your hands as it most likely won’t come all the way off by that point.
Apply the tanner evenly and work in smaller areas of your body. For example you don’t want to do both legs at a time, but instead start down at your feet (don’t apply to the bottom of your foot) and work your way up one leg at a time.
Be sure to pay special attention to certain areas of the body where you are more prone to streaks such as your ankles, knees, elbows, and chest area.
This is not something you want to rush through as that will lead to streaks.
Don’t forget to apply all over your body, except for the soles of your feet and the palm of your hands. If you are having a hard time with your back you may want to see if someone can help you with an even application or use a special loufah or mitt to get it all mixed in properly.
If you have certain areas of your body that tend to get too dark, such as your knees or elbows, then mix your tanner with a regular lotion to dilute the color slightly. This helps to avoid streaks and dark spots in these areas and you can always add more tanner if you need to.
After the Application
After you have applied the sunless tanner, you want to get the most out of your application so you shouldn’t shower for at least 8-12 hours. This is why it is a good idea to do your tanner application at night so you can then shower in the morning.
Wait at least 15 minutes before you put on any type of clothing to ensure the tanner is completely dry on your body.
You may also want to avoid wearing any tight clothing like leggings or even a bra right after the application so the tan doesn’t just wear off on the clothing.
If you find that you have dark spots or some streaks, use a towel to get rid of any excess tanner. For smaller areas like your face you can use Q-tips to remove the excess tanner.
Lastly, just a warning, after you apply sunless tanner it is a good idea to stay away from white clothing for at least 12 hours unless you want it turned orange or brown.