How To Get Fake Tan Off Your Face – 7 Easy Ways
Have you been self-tanning or spray tanning this summer, only to realize you’re not happy with the shade on your face?
Perhaps you overdid it and it turned out a bit orange, but you have a big event coming up.
In this article, I’ll outline seven easy ways to remove fake tan from your face.
How To Remove Fake Tan From Your Face
Before I outline the steps and methods you can use, it’s essential to briefly review how self-tanners work.
Just about all sunless tanning products contain the chemical dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
When DHA interacts with the dead skin cells on the outer layer of your skin, it chemically reacts, darkening in color and forming what appears to be a natural tan.
This fake tan resides on the very outer layer of your skin, which is why it fades quickly and requires frequent reapplication as the skin naturally renews and sheds dead skin cells.
When we talk about removing fake tan from areas like our face, we’re not actually referring to washing it off like you would paint or makeup; we’re really talking about accelerating the skin’s natural renewal process to make the fake tan fade more quickly.
Alright, now that we’ve made that clear, let’s talk about some of the best ways to remove fake tan from your face specifically.
1. Exfoliate Your Face
Since self-tanner resides on the outer layer of your skin, one of the best ways to remove it safely, naturally, and quickly is through the use of a quality exfoliator.
I like using a microdermabrasion exfoliant designed for the face. Like this one, you can get on Amazon.
Not only will your skin feel fantastic afterward, but it will also help remove the fake tan from your face in a way that won’t leave it looking streaky or splotchy.
Just a warning, be sure to use the exfoliant just as you normally would. It can be tempting to scrub extra hard or use it for an extended period; however, this will likely lead to irritated, red skin.
We want to speed up the natural fading process of the self-tan, not grind off the skin holding the tan.
2. Try Lemon Juice
Lemon juice has been a popular method for removing self-tanner for some time. There are basically two ways to do this.
The first step is to take some lemon juice, which can be purchased from your local store, and apply it to a cotton ball or pad.
Gently dab it all over your face, making sure to apply it evenly. Let it sit on your skin for a few minutes.
The acidity of the lemon juice helps break down dead skin cells on the outer layer of your face, aiding in the removal of discoloration.
After a few minutes, gently rinse it off a few times with warm water.
You can also try making a simple exfoliant with lemon juice by mixing a tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of sugar to create a paste.
Gently scrub the mixture all over your face, let it sit for a few minutes, and then thoroughly rinse it off with warm water.
3. Steam
Ugh, this is certainly one of my favorite ways to remove sunless tanner or spray tan from my face.
If you have access to a steam sauna, spend 30–45 minutes in there, and then gently rub your face with a clean towel.
Like all the other methods listed, this will help speed up the natural renewal process of your skin and gently remove the tan.
4. Baking Soda
You can also make a paste with either baking soda and water or baking soda and lemon juice.
These are both lightening agents, and rubbing them into your skin can help to lift the color from your skin.
4. Self-Tan Remover
This is a great option if you need to remove self-tanner from your face immediately.
Fairly new to the market and extremely unique, Bondi Sands, the popular self-tanning company, developed a product specifically to remove self-tanner.
The product is extremely easy to use and contains no harsh chemicals whatsoever.
To use this to help remove self-tanner from your face, simply pump out a generous amount from the bottle and apply it liberally to your skin.
Leave it on your skin for about 5 minutes, then take a shower and gently wash it away with a wet washcloth.
You’ll be genuinely amazed at just how well this works.
5. White Vinegar
One of the benefits of white vinegar is that you likely already have some in your home. This material is used for almost everything and is extremely affordable.
It also works really well for washing self-tanner off your face or anywhere else.
The best way to use it for this purpose is to apply it to your skin and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then, take a shower and rinse it all off.
The acidity of the vinegar will help break down the layer of skin holding the fake tan.
6. Baby Oil
Baby oil works fairly well at reducing the color from self-tanner, but it isn’t the best option if you actually want to remove it quickly.
To use baby oil to accelerate the fading process on your face, simply apply a small amount and leave it on for approximately 15 minutes.
Then gently rinse it off in the shower with a warm washcloth. Not only does this work well at reducing the color, but it also feels amazing and is great for your skin.
7. Go For A Swim
The chlorine inside most swimming pools is actually quite rough on the skin. In most cases, this isn’t a great thing.
However, if you’re trying to get fake tanner off your face or anywhere else, this can work quite well.
After you’ve swum around for a while (make sure to spend plenty of time underwater so that chlorine can interact with your skin), go take a shower and use an exfoliant.
This should help loosen and remove that outer layer of the skin on your face, taking most of the color with it.
Alright, well, that should be enough ideas for you to use to help get that tan off your face! Let me know in the comments how well these worked for you!
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