Problem: I tried an expensive new self-tanner from the spa line Decleor. It just smelled so much better than the one I was using from Coppertone, and the packaging was so much prettier. Now my palms are striped, one leg is darker than the other, and my knees and elbows look mottled!
Solution: Believe it or not, the expensive self-tanner is not at fault for your chameleonlike dilemma; rather, it is most likely due to uneven application. First, almost all self-tanners, regardless of price, use the same ingredient, dihydroxyacetone, to create the color change in your skin. The scent that attracted you to the Decleor product (some women tell me the Clarins, Origins, and Lancome self-tanners smell great, too) helps mask the naturally sweet smell of this ingredient. However, the fragrance is temporary and fades in a brief period of time. The color, on the other hand, affects the skin cells, and it takes time to get your skin back to its normal color because the cell itself changes color. Sloughing can remove altered skin cells, but at this point you can’t quickly slough off all the layers of skin that have been affected. That takes time. Well-formulated AHA or BHA products can make mistakes fade faster and sometimes even remove them entirely. For less prominent problems, you can try baking soda mixed with Cetaphil Cleanser, sea-salt scrubs, or even a washcloth massaged over the problem areas twice a day. Still, in most cases when complete fading of botched areas is hoped for, time is the only real cure.
Once your skin is back to normal, you can try again. Remember that when it comes to self-tanners, application is everything! Be patient. Apply the self-tanner only over a clean, dry, exfoliated body, giving special attention to the knees, elbows, and heels. Do not apply selftanner in a steamy, hot room where perspiration or condensation may make it run. Do one area of your body at a time. Watch what you are doing, and apply the self-tanner thoroughly and evenly. If you miss an area, you are going to look noticeably streaked or blotchy. Wash the palms of your hands as soon as you are done applying the self-tanner (or wear gloves during application and use a makeup sponge to apply self-tanner to the top of your hands), and then stand still until it is completely absorbed, with no after-feel. Some women think that using a fast-darkening self-tanner is best because it changes the skin’s color immediately and you can more easily see your mistakes and correct them. Others prefer a self-tanner that changes color slowly, so you can build a tan slowly and evenly. The choice is yours.