Common tanning mistakes we’ve all made

Whether you’re a self-confessed tanaholic or you’re just starting out, you’ve no doubt made some sort of self-tanning mistake (ahem, disaster) along your faux glow journey. From darkened elbows, to mismatched limbs and bright orange hands, we hear you. Here are 11 common tanning mistakes we’ve all made at least once.

#1 Your hands don’t match your body

If you’ve woken up with bright orange hands, chances are you forgot to use an applicator mitt. To reverse the damage, why not try our DIY fake tan removal scrub. And next time you're applying your tan, try using the St Tropez Applicator Mitt to avoid any other messy stains.

#2 Your knees, elbows and ankles are way too dark

Repeat after me: I must pay attention to tricky areas! Knees, elbows and ankles catch fake tan much easier than other areas of the body, which is why they can come up darker than others when you tan. To prevent this, lightly moisturise these areas before you tan.

#3 You’re streaky

Streaky limbs are never a good look. To avoid said disaster, use a coloured self-tanner (like Ella Baché Great Mousse Tan), so you can see where you’ve already been when applying.

#4 You forgot your back

You dedicated your entire Thursday night to tan preparation and application, so you’re ready just in time for the weekend… Only to put on your brand spanking new dress and realise – you forgot to tan your damn back! Get your significant other to apply Le Tan Wash Off Lotion stat. Or if you’re single (and ready to mingle), Bondi Sands Back Applicator is just as effective.

#5 You ruined your sheets

If you like to let your tan marinate overnight, you’ve no doubt turned your fair share of sheets bright orange. We recommend keeping a dark coloured set (that you don’t really care if you ruin) on hand for tanning night.

#6 You stained your clothes

You didn’t wait long enough for it to dry, did you? Prevent staining your clothes by making sure your tan has dried completely before dressing. A good 15 to 20 minutes should do the trick.

#7 You applied too much formula

Oh no! Buff it in with an applicator mitt, and pretend it never happened.

#8 You’re bright orange

There’s nothing worse than waking up and looking more like an oompa loompa than a glowing goddess. To avoid this, choose a green-based formula like Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam. They have a Light/Medium version for pale-skinned ladies, and Dark for olive-toned beauties.

#9 You forgot to shave before you applied

And now you have beautifully bronzed, but hairy pins #faketanfail. Once you have tanned, wait at least 48 hours before shaving to avoid taking off the tan as well. In the interim, perhaps opt for wearing maxi dresses?

#10 Your colour isn’t fading evenly

It’s time to exfoliate, girl. Manicare Exfoliating Gloves will get rid of any dead skin cells that are holding onto that (now uneven) tan.

#11 You smell

Pee-yew! Choose an unscented formula next time, why dontcha? We like Rimmel London Sun Shimmer Self Tan Mousse.

Have you ever made any of these fake tan blunders? What other tanning mistakes can you think of?