I’m a tanning expert – the three easy ways to fix your patchy fake tan and the knack to removing it in seconds
A BEAUTY guru has shared her top tips to fix patchy fake tan jobs and the best ways to remove it all without a hassle.
After seeing that Brits are Googling how to fix fake tan mistakes 400 times a day, experts at Beauty Daily x Clarins shared their insights on the matter.
When it comes to fixing a botched fake tan job, the first thing to do is steam. Experts shared that this is a crucial part of the “tan correction process that’s often overlooked”.
Being in a humid area can cause the pores to open, which “encourages dirt and dead skin cells to flake away”.
This is essential for overly tanned skin, the experts said.
You can either do this by turning all the hot water taps on in your bathroom and sitting in the room for a while, or booking into a sauna room.
The second step on the list is to use oil – coconut, baby or olive – and run it over freshly steamed skin. Leave this for 10 minutes before washing up.
Fake tan contains DHA, the Clarins expert explained, which can be “broken down faster by oils”.
And finally, you should exfoliate your skin.
“Simply rub the affected area in circular motions with mitts, a loofah or a washcloth to slough off the last unwanted tones,” they said.
Clarins’ beauty coach Rebecca Jones further recommended exfoliating the face and body every two weeks to remove tan build-up.
She said: “This way, it will thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate the body and would make a clean canvas and remove dead skin cells so that the (new) tan will blend and absorb more evenly.”
Rebecca added that another secret hack to fixing mistakes is through the use of lemon juice.
The expert recommended squeezing some onto a cotton ball before applying it to the affected area and letting it sit for a few minutes, then rinse off with warm water.
If, however, you’re looking for rapid removal techniques, they have three little known hacks to help you get a clean slate.
First, you can use baking soda. When there’s no body scrub around, take two tablespoons of baking soda with coconut or olive oil to create a paste.
Scrub the affected area in a circular motion, leave for five minutes and then rinse it all off. Don’t forget to moisturise after.
The experts said that sweating is another easy way to get fake tan off, which is also a “great excuse to get on the treadmill”.
And chlorine can help remove fake tan, too. The experts warned, however, that “results here aren’t guaranteed”.
“Due to chlorine’s oxidising effect, it can partially fade colour into patches and irritate the skin. However, when all else fails, booking a trip to the local pool may help fade colour faster,” they added.