A fresh tan is one of the necessary components of today’s mainstream Instagram aesthetic. It makes you feel a whole lot more confident, gives your skin the perfect contrast to your outfit, and can even make you feel like a whole new person! Getting a tan can be so life-changing that you might not even be able to recognize yourself in the mirror after you get a fresh coat. Other than looking great in general, a tan can also bring out the definition in your muscles and give you a radiant glow that can be spotted from a mile away that will make even the most avid of beach-goers jealous. The reality, however, is that not all of us have a sundeck to bathe in every day for a natural fresh glow. The closest many of us can get is a self tanner.

The reality of getting a self tanner

Although self tanners are lifesavers for so many of us out there, one common issue that usually comes with tanning is the expiration date and the inevitable fading, especially when you do it on your own. Unless you attained it the natural way, the tan that you’ll get will slowly fade off with all the baths that you take and the sweat that your body produces every day. Spray tans and self-tanners usually fade in three to seven days after application due to the way that it’s put on and the fact that moisture and wetness are two inevitable things that normal human beings go through. 

How to keep your self tanner on for much longer

Although the effects and benefits that come with your self-tanner are absolutely glorious and are advantages that you definitely don’t want to lose, you don’t have to skip showering for as long as you can to keep that attractive tan of yours. There’s no need to throw your hygiene out the window — here are some tips you can follow to extend the duration of your self tanner:

1. Shave or wax before your apply the self tanner

In terms of the common mistakes that people make when trying to keep their self tanner-created look for as long as possible, one of the most frequently-occurring ones is that people don’t shave or wax certain areas beforehand. Oftentimes, people tend to remember that they need to take off some excess hair right after applying self tanner. Some apply drastic amounts of shaving cream, hair removers, or go for wax appointments with their self tanner freshly applied. Wax, shaving creams, and other hair removal products contain certain compounds that can easily strip your self tanner right off your body, resulting in an uneven finish and unappealing spots that are lighter than the rest of your body. 

2. Shower, please!

Contrary to popular belief, showering can actually help keep your tan intact and even make your sun-kissed glow even better! However, before you step right into your bath, you’ll need to wait for 7 to 8 hours before you get any water or moisture on your skin to help the compounds of your self tanner settle in as best as possible. Aside from waiting for a certain amount of time before taking a bath, you’ll also have to avoid showering with hot water as higher temperatures can cause your skin to dry out, causing your tan to fade away more quickly.  

3. Hydrate and moisturize regularly

Just like trying to avoid hot water showers, hydrating and moisturizing regularly will help keep your self tanner on for much longer because healthy and plump skin will be much more enthusiastic to hang on to the product!

4. Exfoliate as much as possible

The best way to keep your self tanner on your skin as long as possible is to prepare the surface for application as best as possible before you put a fresh coat on. Just like placing paint on a wall, exfoliating with a scrub or a loofah before applying self tanner will help the coat adhere better to your skin as smoother and fresher skin will keep the substance on.