How To Remove Fake Tan

HOW TO REMOVE FAKE TAN

There are an only couple of reasons that you would ever want to remove your fake tan (would be nice to have a wee constant glow, but in our beautiful Scottish climate…………... no chance!) So, the reasons that you need to remove your tan. 1 you have had a disaster, or 2, you are reapplying new fake (that’s the only reasons.... right?)

Tan Removal

If you are new to fake tanning and had a little mishap. Or it might have been a last-minute rush job and you have gone overboard. Or heaven forbid you went full Ross and counted MISSISIPITI. MISSSISP…..MISSISPILYMISSISSIPPILLISLY in a spray tan booth and got an 8, You want to get rid of that.

To get the best self tanner results at home you got to put a teeny tiny little bit of work in. You want to get your skin prepped and that means exfoliating. This removes the dead skin cells and will create a super smooth beautiful canvas your you to apply the tan. If you are tanning often you want to avoid build up of several layers of tan as this can lead to uneven results. Light exfoliation as the tan fades will help it fade evenly. Worry not we put together our top tips to removing that bad fake tan.

Tips to Remove Tan

Catch it Early

Try and look for mistakes during the first eight hours while the tan is developing. If it is a total all over fake tan fail, then getting in there quick makes it easier to correct early on.

Don’t Panic

Don’t be grabbing that scouring pad and panic scrub the tan off. You will just end up taking the self-tan off in patches. This will start a snowballing effect and you’ll lend up looking like a Giraffe.

Scrub it (Gentle Now!)

If your tan is too dark, then exfoliating the top layers of skin will help tone it down - but be gentle as you scrub!

Grab a Mitt

Then make sure to gently exfoliate your skin in circular motions. This will break down the tan and remove evenly.

Steam

Sit in a steam room for half an hour. Now like most people you don’t happen to have a steam room in the house, put a hot shower on and leave it running. The heat and humidity will penetrate the skin and help to soften the tan.

Common Fake Tan Problems

Tanned Palms

This is a very very common problem. You have spent hours in meticulous prep. You’ve been making all kinds of weird shapes tanning your back. The rest of the tan is flawless (well done you). But, as you finish you notice there has been a goddam leaky mitt and you have stained hands. If it is a very small amount you can take a baby wipe between both hands (like the pray emoji) and move up and down. If it is a little more severe, apply a small amount of whitening toothpaste to the hands. Rub the toothpaste around the palms and the nail areas and leave for a couple of minutes. The thick consistency, cleansing quality, and the baking soda content is perfect for clearing up any streaky areas.

Ooops Gone Dark (Way Too Dark)

This is another common problem. It is usually when you are trying out a new self tan brand or new to self-tanning. If you’ve left the self tan on for too long. A 60 minute tan overnight is one I see. This leaves you way beyond that sun kissed tan you were longing for then grab the baby oil and massage into the skin. You can use baby oil or coconut oil, wait for 30 minutes, then take a soak in a hot bath. In the bath take the tan eraser removal mitt and buff your body all over to remove the oil. Oil and hot water help speed up the breakdown of fake tan.

Streaky Tan on Legs

Failure to exfoliate first, or rushing the tan can cause uneven tan application. This can result in streaks on your legs. It's easily done if you are new to tanning, but again don’t freak out it’s an easy fix. Apply an oil-based fine-grained body scrub directly onto dry skin. Spend a few minutes massaging it in. The oil will help the fake-tan break down, and the grains will exfoliate your skin. Next, jump in the shower to wash off the scrub, then shave your legs – shaving will act as a second exfoliation.

Other Ways To Remove Tan

Lemon Juice

Get a wee damp (old) towel and dip it in lime or lemon juice. Place this in the microwave & heat it up for a couple of minutes. Once you hear the ping rub the towel over the patchy areas, which should shift the tan immediately. The acidity of the lime and lemon helps to penetrate the skin to rescue any fake tan disasters. This is best for small areas to fix. I would recommend using this if you have a full-on spray tan disaster, could take a while and a shit load of lemons.

Baking Soda

Mix a couple of tablespoons of baking soda with a small amount of warm water, until it becomes like a thick paste. Rub the formulation on any streaky spots. The abrasive and de-staining properties of the baking soda help shift some of the stubborn areas.

Hair Removal Cream to Remove Tan (careful now)

This is one I would only recommend on tiny areas of particularly stubborn patches of fake tan. But it does have chemicals in the cream that break down substances in the fake tan well. This allows it to be easily wiped away. All you need to do is apply a light layer of the hair removal cream to the patchy or streaky tan you want to remove. Let it sit for about ten seconds, then wipe it away with a cleansing wipe or damp towel. Obviously, the main use of these creams is to remove hair, so don't use this technique on any areas of the body where you wish to keep your hair. People with sensitive skin may not react well to these creams. So please do a patch test on a small area of skin, such as on your wrist, before applying it all over. Hair removal creams designed for the body should never ever be used on the face.

Swimming Helps with Tan Removal

To remove the tan, get yourself down to the local pool or gym. After a quick shower first. Jump in for a quick swim in chlorinated water, this will soften the tan. Follow this with a sauna (if available) this will encourage your skin to sweat.

Removing Fake Tan

As you can see there are loads of ways that you can remove fake tan. Different skin types & different products will produce different results. Best advice is to test it out, see if there is a way that works for you. find a method and product you prefer to remove that bad, streaky or build-up of tan.

For the easiest removal, and the exfoliation I use The Fake Tan Eraser. This amazing tan removal mitt gently exfoliates your skin. Its a soft exfoliating mitt that leaves your skin soft and removes all old layers and build-up of fake tan.

Getting Best Fake Tan at Home

To ensure that you don’t get these problems you should look at your tanning routine. Its in 3 parts, and this will guarantee that your tan game is strong.