BEAUTY
Tricks That Will Erase Your Worst Self-Tanner Mistakes
By JESSICA CHOI
Exfoliate
To fix messy streaks caused by uneven self-tanner application, gently scrub the darker area with a sugar body scrub in circular motions until the color fades.
For sensitive areas like the face and chest, use a product with glycolic acid to exfoliate without scrubbing. The acid will lift the tanning agent away so it’ll wash away and fade.
Apply More
Adding another coat of tanning spray can help even out streaks. Apply the second coat on clean, dry skin without moisturizers or deodorants for better results.
Alternatively, you can help blend the color seamlessly and spot-treat troublesome areas with a bronzing self-tanning mousse, which can be applied with a small kabuki brush.
DIY
For an all-natural remedy, cut a lemon in half and rub it over uneven areas. The acid from the lemon will break down the tanning agent and remove dark spots.
You can also mix equal parts of baking soda and water, which can be gently rubbed over uneven areas and rinsed with warm water. Be sure to moisturize afterward.
Body Oil
To correct overly-dark self-tans, apply baby or coconut oil generously on your body. After 10 minutes, rinse the oil off with an exfoliating washcloth and body wash.
To maintain and extend a natural-looking tan, moisturize regularly and mix a small amount of self-tanner with moisturizer or body oil before daily application.
Bathroom Products
Your bathroom has many products that can act as self-tan erasers, like shaving cream, which can both remove self-tan and fix larger areas that need a do-over.
These large areas include your legs and torso. For small too-dark areas, apply whitening toothpaste and wash it off with warm water after 10 minutes.