How to Apply Self Tanner Without Streaks (Including DHA-Free Formulas)

For an even self tan, exfoliate the day before, moisturize only your driest spots, then apply the tanner in thin sections with a mitt or gloves, using long sweeping strokes and very little product on elbows, knees, ankles and hands. Wash your palms straight away, let it dry before you dress, and build deeper color with a second coat the next day rather than one heavy layer. The rest of this guide covers each step, how long a tan lasts and what to do when it goes wrong.

How does self tanner work?

Most self tanners use DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a sugar that reacts with proteins in the very top layer of your skin and turns it brown. It doesn't involve the sun or melanin, and it only affects dead surface cells, which is why the color fades as skin naturally sheds.

DHA-free tanners usually use erythrulose instead. It's a related sugar that works the same way but develops more slowly. Erythrulose occurs naturally in red raspberries; the erythrulose in cosmetics is made by fermentation.

Our organic sunless tanning lotion starts to show color in about three hours and keeps developing over 24. If you'd rather avoid DHA, the DHA-free sunless tanner uses erythrulose and builds color gradually over a few days. Both come in Regular or Dark and also moisturize.

How do you prep your skin for self tanner?

Prep matters more than the tanner itself.

1. Exfoliate the day before with a body scrub, paying extra attention to elbows, knees, ankles and heels. Dry, flaky patches soak up more color and go dark. A gentle option is the honey and almond body scrub.
2. Shave or wax at least several hours earlier, ideally the day before. Freshly shaved skin can sting, and tanner tends to settle into just-opened hair follicles as dark dots.
3. Start with clean, dry skin: no deodorant, perfume or heavy moisturizer where you're tanning, since these can block or streak the color.
4. Moisturize only the driest spots (elbows, knees, ankles, tops of feet, knuckles) with a thin layer of lotion just before you apply. This acts as a buffer so those areas don't over-darken.

How to apply self tanner, step by step

1. Use a tanning mitt or gloves. Bare hands leave orange palms.
2. Work in sections: legs, then torso, then arms. Apply a small amount and blend in long, sweeping strokes, then circles to even it out.
3. Go light on joints. Use only what's left on the mitt for knees, elbows and ankles.
4. Feather at the edges. Blend lightly from wrists onto the backs of hands and from ankles onto feet, so there's no line.
5. Wash your hands (palms, between fingers, nails) as soon as you finish.
6. Wait before dressing. Let it dry fully and wear loose, dark clothes. Avoid sweating, swimming or showering until the time on the label has passed.

Use a separate, gentler face tanner or a small amount mixed into moisturizer for your face, and patch-test any new tanner on a small area first.

How long does self tanner last?

Usually about a week, sometimes a little longer. Our sunless tanning lotion lasts up to about ten days. Because the color sits in the outermost skin cells, it fades as they shed; hot showers, scrubbing and swimming speed that up.

To make it last, moisturize every day and skip scrubs until you're ready to reapply. A gradual-tan or tan-extending moisturizer helps between applications; our after-sun lotion and tan extender adds a little shimmer while it moisturizes.

Does self tanner protect you from the sun?

No. A self tan isn't a base tan and doesn't block UV rays. Even tanners that contain sunscreen only protect for a short time after you put them on. Keep using a broad-spectrum sunscreen as usual.

How do you get self tanner off your hands?

Act quickly: the sooner you wash, the less it develops.

• Wash with soap and warm water, scrubbing between fingers and around nails.
• If it's already set, gently rub with a body scrub, or a paste of baking soda and a little water, then rinse and moisturize.
• A warm soak followed by a washcloth helps on stubborn spots.

Avoid harsh scrubbing, which can irritate skin and leave it patchy.

How do you remove self tanner or fix streaks?

• Streaks or dark patches: exfoliate just that area with a scrub, then apply a thin layer of tanner over any light gaps to blend.
• Removing it all: soak in a warm bath or long shower to soften the top layer, then exfoliate all over. It may take a couple of sessions over a few days.
• Orange tone: usually too much product or too deep a shade. Next time, try a lighter shade or a gradual, DHA-free formula.

Find our tanners and scrubs in Skincare and Bath & Body. If you're new to reading ingredient lists, our guide on how to read a skincare label explains what to look for.