The art of Self-Tanning

Self-tanners are the only way to get a tan that is safe for the skin. All self-tanners are virtually equal in that they use the same ingredient, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), to chemically turn the skin brown. Some products contain a greater concentration of DHA than others, and the higher the concentration the faster the skin will turn color and the darker it will be. The key to a good result is the application, which is always tricky. It takes experimentation to figure out how much to use, how dark to go, what areas to go over lightly (like knees and elbows), what areas to avoid (like palms of hands and armpits), and where to start and stop the application (do you stop at your ankles or continue down to your toes?). All of these are questions you need to answer for yourself, depending on your own personal preferences and blending techniques.

Note: If you choose to buy a self-tanner, whether it contains a sunscreen or not, please be aware that self-tanned brown skin does not offer any protection from the sun. All of the rules for wearing sunscreens still apply when you are using these products.

During the summer months, fashion magazines are replete with advertisements and stories about the best self-tanners and the optimal application for obtaining the best results. Varying products proclaim they are streak-free, won’t turn orange, dry in five minutes, tan in under an hour, or have special color indicators. Those claims are often unreliable or misleading. Essentially, any self-tanner can be streak-free if you apply it evenly. A product that has “color indicators” simply refers to one with a temporary color that helps you see where you’ve applied it. That is helpful but still not foolproof, because the tint can dissipate quickly in some areas, leaving you wondering where you’ve applied it. (However, products that aren’t transparent are definitely a great place to start, helping improve your odds of putting it on right.)

As far as the color of the tan you get, there are basically no color differences between products. That’s because, as stated earlier, almost all self-tanners contain the same ingredi­ent, dihydroxyacetone, which turns skin brown. DHA is a simple sugar involved in plant and animal carbohydrate metabolism, so you can even think of it as being all natural. How fast your skin turns color also has to do with how much DHA the product contains. The true color differences correlate with how much DHA the product contains and how your own skin reacts to this ingredient. DHA browns the skin through its interaction with the amino acid arginine, which is found in surface skin cells (Source: Chemical Engineering News, June 2000). Drying time is irrelevant, because the tanning effect actually depends on the chemical changes taking place in your skin cells. That’s why, if you aren’t patient

and your skin rubs against your clothes (whether the self-tanner is completely dry or not), it will cause smudging or an uneven appearance.

Products that claim to turn your skin tan in less than an hour may actually be a problem, because if you make a mistake in application (and that is almost inevitable at first) it will also be almost instantaneously noticeable. A self-tanner that takes a few applications to achieve the color you want may be a better option as you learn how your skin reacts and hone your technique.

Regardless of the claims made about any self-tanner, it turns out that which product you choose isn’t anywhere near as important as your technique and diligence. The following list will help you get the absolute best results with minimum problems. Just let me warn you, trying to do this fast will make your skin look more strange than tan.

1. It takes time, so apply self-tanner in the evening, allowing yourself at least a half hour, although an hour would be best. (For those who think the time it takes to apply self-tanner is inconvenient, remember how many hours it used to take in the sun to get the same amount of color? And with self-tanners there’s no risk of wrinkles or skin cancer.)

2. Self-tanners grab on to dead surface skin cells, and you may have more of these in some areas than others. To help achieve a uniform appearance, take a shower or bath and exfoliate your skin, either with a washcloth or some baking soda, or both. Don’t overscrub, but do pay extra attention to your knees, ankles, feet, elbows, and neck.

3. After showering and completely drying off, apply a minimal thin layer of moisturizer over the areas where you will be applying self-tanner. This will help the self-tanner glide on more easily and not stick over dry patches. A little extra moisturizer over ankles, knees, and elbows can prevent those areas from looking patchy. I have seen some recommendations that suggest mixing self-tanner with your moisturizer, but don’t do it because that will encourage streaking (unless you can precisely mix the two together), and it will take longer for the self-tanner to absorb and dry. Besides, there are several body moisturizers that contain a tiny amount of the self-tanning ingredient dihydroxyacetone, and these can be great for experimenting with a really subtle yet buildable tan.

Body Sense: Perspiration can make self-tanners streak, so take a cool shower or bath to keep yourself from sweating. Your skin must be completely dry to get the best results. Do not apply self-tanner in a steamy, hot bathroom.

4. It is best to apply the self-tanner while naked, but wearing an old bathing suit (one you don’t plan to wear outside) can help you determine where you want your tan to be. Either way, have a game plan of where you want to stop and start the color. (Do you want tan armpits, the entire arm tan? What about the heels of your feet, your ears, or the palms of your hands?) Remember that self-tanners will stain clothing and bed linens until they are completely absorbed into the skin and take effect in the skin cells.

Body Sense: Applying self-tanner on your back requires a friend with a helping hand, although you can use a long-handled paintbrush. I vote for the friend (or significant other) as the paintbrush poses some issues of dripping and uneven application.

5. Apply self-tanner to one section of your body at a time. Be more concerned about even application than rubbing it all the way in. Avoid areas of your body where you do not want to have color.

6. To prevent tan palms, you can try using surgical or plastic gloves to apply the self­tanner. This can work well, but can also make application trickier. Another option is to wash your hands after you’ve applied the self-tanner to a section of your body, or just to wash them every few minutes. If you wait too long you will have strange – looking palms. It helps to have a nail brush handy to be sure you get the self-tanner off of your cuticles and the area between your fingers.

7. Different parts of your body “pick up” self-tanner more easily than others. For ex­ample, some people find that their legs turn brown more easily than their arms or torso, while others find that their faces and necks change color fastest. Experience will help you determine which is true for you. Be careful around your nose, eyes, ears, hairline, and lips. A cotton swab can help blend a thin, even amount smoothly over those areas. To keep your hair from turning color, apply a layer of conditioner or Vaseline over the hairline.

8. Wait at least 15 minutes before getting dressed. Do not exercise or swim for at least three hours.

9. If you make a mistake and end up with streaky or dark areas of skin, consider using my 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid over these spots. Then, in the morning, manually exfoliate those areas with a wet washcloth, and Voila! Bye-bye streaks!

10. Problem Areas. As an option for your hands (which can be particularly tricky to get looking natural) apply self-tanner as you would a moisturizer, but then quickly wipe your palms off on a slightly soapy washcloth. Then take a Q-tip dipped in cleanser, eye-makeup remover (one that is not greasy so it doesn’t spread or smear), or nail – polish remover and carefully use it to wipe around the nails and cuticle area and between your fingers. Another option is to use a makeup sponge to apply self-tanner to the back of your hands, tops of your feet, temples, and hairline. By holding the sponge deftly between two fingers, you only need to worry about preventing this small area from becoming the wrong color.

Body Sense: Skin-care products such as AHAs, BHA, topical scrubs, Retin-A, and topical disinfectants can affect the self-tanner’s action on your skin or even eliminate the color by exfoliating the surface skin cells (self-tanners only interact with the surface of skin). It is best not to apply these products the evening you apply a self-tanner. However, if you must do so, wait at least two to three hours before you do.

11. Reapply self-tanner as you feel the need. Generally it will start wearing away in about three to four days as the surface layers of skin shed. If you shave your legs daily, the self-tanner will fade much faster and may look uneven. If that’s the case, reapply self-tanner to legs after shaving.

All of these are valid application techniques, but none of them come with a guarantee, which is why it takes experimenting and going slow to get the best results.

Updated: September 14, 2015 — 12:33 am