The Best Self-Tan for Beginners, Tested & Ranked by a Beauty Expert

Tips To Achieve a Flawless Fake Tan

First things first, exfoliate your entire body before you tan to help remove dead skin and create a smooth base for application.

Then, use a rich moisturizer to hydrate your elbows, knees, ankles, and other dry areas to help prevent patchiness.

Be sure to use a tanning mitt (or latex gloves) to ensure an even, streak-free application. This way, you’ll also keep your hands free of tan, which is not only hard to remove but can also be a dead giveaway that your tan is, well, not courtesy of the sun.

My primary reservation with self-tan was that the color would come out way too deep (or worse, totally orange) since I have pretty fair skin.

The truth is you do have some control over your tan! Development time differs from product to product, but on average, the longer you leave it on the deeper in color your tan will be.

That being said, don’t be afraid to let it sit. Most self-tanning options offer a suggested development time depending on how dark you want your tan. I cautiously left my self-tan contenders on for the minimum recommended time before rinsing them off, but you could always leave your preferred glow on longer if you want a deeper tan.