Dark Self-Tan: How to Get the Best Results

A beautiful tan always leaves you looking younger, healthier, slimmer and more confident. With self-tanning products, you can achieve that healthy vacation glow, anytime, anywhere.

If you want vacation color for summer, there are a few, easy steps to maximize your self-tanning products and get a deep, long-lasting dark tan. After more than 20 years of providing sunless tans, Sunless, Inc. has unlocked the secret to your most beautiful tan.

Want to look like you just returned from a week on the beach? Here’s how to get that dark self tan at home.

Prepare Your Skin
Preparation is perhaps the most important step when you want a lasting, dark self tan. Start with smooth, clean, healthy skin to get the best possible results.

Exfoliate: Rub-off excess, dead skin cells for even color without dark or blotchy patches. 
Moisturize: You can moisturize your skin the day before, but avoid lotions immediately before you tan. Lotion can prevent the development of the tan and create uneven results.
Balance pH: Dry, imbalanced skin will take on a more orange hue. But you can prevent the orange by using our primer. It balances the skin’s pH levels, to create a long-lasting, natural tan with no orange.

Make these steps part of your normal beauty routine to build and maintain a dark self tan.

Choose the Best Products
Inferior products will give you lackluster results. Avoid blotchy, streaky, fast-fading or orange tans by choosing only high-quality tanning products and accessories for a dark self tan.

All Sunless, Inc. products are formulated with premium ingredients that help to oxygenate, detoxify, firm and rejuvenate the skin. It also helps to stimulate the collagen in your skin to become firmer and helps the amino acids in DHA develop the optimal color.

All Sunless, Inc. products are also:

Gluten-free
Paraben-free
Cruelty-free
Non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
Our self-tanners each have a perfect blend of naturally-derived sunless tanning ingredients for a stunning tan, every time.

Don’t Overapply
When you want a dark self tan, it can be tempting to use self-tanner frequently to deepen the color. But applying self-tanner day after day can lead to an unnatural skin tone.

Keep in mind that self-tanning products work with your skin to deepen your natural color, so results will vary for each person. The final look can also differ depending on your skin’s current color, whether you have fair skin or a dark skin tone.

For that just-vacationed glow, apply an even layer to well-prepped skin.

Tip: Use an exfoliating mitt to blend product to get a streak-free, natural tan.

Maximize Your Tan Life
To maintain and extend the life of your dark tan, follow these tips.

Be patient. Instant self-tanners with bronzer will add immediate color to your skin, but the extended tan is still working underneath. Stay dry (whether showering, swimming or sweating) for 4-6 hours to give the tan time to develop. Expect your skin to reach peak color about 24 hours after applying.
Moisturize. Keep skin hydrated to hold onto beautiful, lasting color.
Avoid harsh soaps or beauty products. Body wash or skincare products that accelerate natural exfoliating can fade your tan faster. Instead, daily use of a sulfate-free body wash will give skin a silky clean moisturizing finish and help your tan last longer.

Tip: Avoid the exfoliator until at least 5 days after tanning.

Exfoliate as needed. The body naturally exfoliates the epidermis, or top layer of skin, weekly. To avoid uneven patches, gently rub off dry skin so your tan fades naturally.
Extend Color with Gradual Tanner
While instant self-tanners provide deep color and fade over one week, gradual tanners build color and reach peak color at around one week. When paired together, these products can give you a dark self-tan that lasts.

Here’s how:

Apply instant self-tanning spray or lotion to clean, exfoliated skin.
Protect skin with daily lotion and a sulfate-free body wash.
To keep the tan from fading, use gradual tanners.
Exfoliate. Slough off dry or dead skin cells to expose the smooth layer of skin underneath, and allow it to absorb the gradual tanning product.
With continued use, you should see a gradual tanner progressively add color and replace the extended tan. After several days, you may choose to start the process over again with a full body exfoliation and reapplication of the extended tanner.

And remember: Most of all, choose high-quality products that are good for your skin. That way, your skin will be glowing from the inside out.