7 Tips to Master Applying a Fake Tan (Without Looking Like an Oopa Loompa)

In these winter months some of us get a little pasty. Although a lot of people might frown on a fake tan, it is possible to apply it in a way that some might not even notice that you have used a fake tan product. Fake tan showed up in the 1960's when doctors discovered that UV rays are bad for your skin. Everyone wanted that sun-kissed healthy glow without the melanoma so the spray tan was born. Back at the dawn of fake tan things were really bad. Like embarrassing bad. So over the years, most people have stuck to tanning booths and good old fashion sunburn in fear of looking like an Oopa Loompa. I personally would rather look like the an Oompa Loompa than E.T. so I fake tan.

Fake tan has come a long way. It's very important that you follow all instructions that come with any product as they are all different. If you don't, it can lead to some embarrassing situations. Once I had to walk around for about a week with my hands looking like I was just playing in brown and orange paint. The instructions on the product I used clearly state to wash your hands after application but I did not wash them well enough. I highly recommend wearing plastic gloves when applying fake tan, then lightly apply tanner to the back of your hands and IMMEDIATELY washing your hands after application. Fake tan can rest between your fingers and stain your fingernails so make sure when you wash, wash vigorously and pay extra attention to these areas.

The first time I applied fake tan I was WAY too white! Like ghostly white, like albino white, like vampire white, like so ridiculously pale if I put on red lipstick I looked like a mime. So the first time I fake tanned I made the mistake most first timers make. I bought the darkest tan they had. I turned out looking Oompa-Loompa orange, instead of the looking like a bronzey gorgeous goddess like the Brazilian model on the box. The model on the box who probably grew up on a beach and has never used fake tan in her life; which brings me to my first tip:

1. Darken Gradually No matter how golden you want to become it's best to start out with a shade that is closest to your current skin tone. You can increase the darkness of your fake tan as you go. Starting off too dark will not blend with your current skin tone and is bound to come out looking like you have vitiligo. (The Michael Jackson "disease". Don't get me wrong vitiligo is a real thing but Michael did not have it.) You will always miss a spot or 2 just about every time you apply but you can minimize the appearance of an uneven tan by gradually darkening your skin tone over the course of a few weeks. If you take your time and darken gradually most people are less likely to notice you've done anything. Once you reach the desired skin tone, maintenance is very minimal.

2. Never self-tan for the first time the day of an event. Do not try and go from Casper white to Aladdin gold in one pass. It takes a few hours for the tanner to darken your skin. The longer you let it sit, the darker the effects will be. The bottle will tell you not to take a shower for a few hours. I have found the best way to get the color you want is to apply self-tanner to clean and recently exfoliated skin at least 12 hours before your next shower. To get the best results make sure you apply the tanner with enough time for it to take effect and then for you to take a shower. Taking a shower will help clear up some of the blotchy spots and make them less noticeable giving your skin a more balanced look.

NOTE: You will look orange a few hours after application. After you shower the orange will go away and leave a more natural look behind. This is why it is so important not to apply fake tan for the first time the day of an event. For best results apply a 2-3 before said event. This way you can touch up any spot you missed and still have the opportunity to let it set and shower again.

3. Double up I usually use a liquid bronzer than top it off it an aerosol spray tan to ensure I got every inch of my skin. It's very easy to miss spots, most commonly missed areas are:

1.The back of your biceps 2.Your rib-cage next to your pectorals (under your armpits) 3.Your ankles and feet 4.Neck, under your chin all the way back to your ears 5. Back of your neck

6.The upper part of your back

It is nearly impossible to get the area between your shoulder blades. If you cannot have someone apply fake tan to your back, use a back scrub brush of some kind. Like a loofah on a stick back brush or the long mesh sponge exfoliating nylon puff spa thingy. I just squirt a bunch in that area and use the sponge to spread it around as evenly as I can.

4. Boobs If you're a female who has fake tanned before you know that your breasts a tricky spot. They usually don't come out very even because after applying a tan they are trapped in a bra all day. Some areas get rubbed off by your bra and others get taken out by the sweat on your chest making your breasts can look blotchy and gross. Blotchy and gross are not a desired look for breasts so after you have applied the fake tan and allowed it enough time to dry toughly, (about 20 minutes or so) then put baby powder on your chest area and on the inside of your bra before you put it on. Focus mainly on the area between your breasts and under them as this is where most sweat will accumulate.

5. Clothing DO NOT WEAR WHITE! Especially do not wear white underwear! I would avoid all light colors all together until you take your first shower after application. How long you should wait to take a shower varies from brand to brand so just be sure to read the instructions. I always say the longer the better. But I don't even wear white underwear until like 3 days and 3 showers after I have applied my last fake tan. If you are going to keep this up and look tan all the time, I would suggest wearing black or nude colored bra's, or at the very least making sure the whit bra you have is bleach safe.

6. Touch-ups After your first 24 hours, you may notice a few area's that are lighter than others. I use the aerosol spray tan or tan wet nap for touch ups. Jergens natural glow is also a really great and subtle way to smooth over any inconsistency's in color. I would suggest using Jergens natural glow every day that you have not applied fake tan to help keep your skin golden gorgeous and hydrated. Which brings me to my next tip...

7. Maintenance Now that you have an all over tan be sure you keep it up. Consistency in application leads to a more natural look. I usually apply fake tan every 5-7 days and apply Jergens Natural Glow every day in between when ever I get out of the shower. As long as you follow all of these tips you can achieve a natural looking tan, with out damaging your skin. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or any tips that might help someone who is starting their fake tan journey.