How To Remove Fake Tan With Lemon Juice
If you have tried self-tanning at home, you may be aware that it can sometimes leave you with streaky areas and uneven patches.
While this might seem incredibly frustrating at the time, do not worry. There is a completely natural and safe way to lighten your tan, using something most of us keep at home.
What is the miracle cure for a patchy tan?
Lemons! Many of us love adding a slice of lemon juice to our water or using it in some delicious cooking, but lemon juice is also a highly effective tool in helping to remove fake tan.
Read on to find out how!
The Ever-Useful Lemon Juice
Lemon juice works well to remove and lighten a fake tan. This is due to the citric acid in the lemon juice, which breaks down dead skin cells in the skin.
Removing and breaking down these dead skin cells helps to lighten a tan, as fake tans use DHA, which reacts with the outer dead layer of skin, to cause a tanned appearance.
Lemons have bleaching properties, which reduce the melanin in the skin, a pigment responsible for the darker pigmentation of the skin.
To enhance the effectiveness of lemons, they contain alpha-hydroxy acids, which actually exfoliate the upper layer of skin, further removing dead skin cells.
While it might seem a little harsh to remove the layer of tanned skin, the lemon does help keep the skin moisturized and hydrated, so at the end of it all, you will be left with healthy, lighter-looking skin.
Different Ways To Remove A Fake Tan With Lemon
Lemons are incredibly versatile, so there are many different ways and mixtures involving lemons that you can use to remove your tan from most areas of your body.
Plain Lemon
Lemon can be used on its own in small areas to remove or lighten a tan.
A cut lemon can be rubbed over the darkened area, or you could use lemon juice and wipe it gently over the fake tan.
You may need to repeat this process a few times if the area is significantly darker than the rest of the body.
Lemon and Turmeric
This is a great combination if you want to lighten self-tanner on your face.
A common mistake with self-tanning at home is using the same color self-tanner on both your face and body, which can lead to your face appearing significantly darker and making the tan appear unnatural.
Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and spread the mixture over the affected areas on your face.
Leave this on for 20 minutes, then wash it off thoroughly. Be careful to keep the mixture out of your eyes.
You can also use this premade. lemon turmeric scrub.
Lemon and Sugar
This doubles as a great exfoliator, especially if you are using the lemon to remove your fake tan and then have a new one reapplied.
All you need is one tablespoon of granulated sugar and a couple of drops of lemon juice.
Gently rub this into your skin in circular motions and leave it on for 15 minutes.
Use cold water to wash the scrub off. Your skin will be left fresh and rejuvenated.
If you don’t want to make your own, you can try this. lemon sugar facial scrub instead.
Lemon and Honey
Many of us have heard of honey and lemon as a remedy for the common cold, but it also works well for patchy tans. Honey has great antibacterial properties, which is also a bonus for the skin.
Two tablespoons of honey and a few drops of lemon juice make the perfect mixture, which should be rubbed into the darker areas and left to sit for 15 minutes.
Wash it off with cold water, and you will notice the difference straight away.
Using lemon to remove a fake tan is so great.
Not only do most of us have easy access to lemons, even if we don’t already have a couple at home, but they are also relatively inexpensive and pack a powerful punch when it comes to hydrating and rejuvenating the skin.
You don’t have to spend heaps of cash on products that help to remove a tan; you simply need a trusty old lemon and some time to let the lemon work its magic.
Other Ways To Remove Fake Tan
You can never have enough patchy-tan remedies, so to add to the effectiveness of lemon as a fake tan remover, here are some other easy ways to correct a streaky fake tan.
Take a bath – Correcting a fake tan has never been more relaxing. All you have to do is run yourself a nice hot bath, and spend some much-deserved time soaking in the warm water.
The water will help dull the fake tan. To make this process even more effective, you can apply olive oil to your skin 15 minutes before getting into the tub.
Swim – This is perfect for summer! Swimming in a chlorinated pool will definitely help to lighten your fake tan. The chlorine and water work together to get your tan to fade quickly.
Exfoliate – Exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to remove fake tan because it removes the outer layer of dead skin cells that have been darkened by the fake tan.
Use an exfoliating mitt and body scrub in the shower for the best results. Do not scrub too hard; just use enough pressure to gently remove all the excess dead skin cells.
Baking soda – Baking soda is another great household ingredient that does wonders when removing fake tan.
Create a paste with some baking soda and water to rub on over darker patches, rinse off, and repeat.
Baby oil – Apply a thick layer of baby oil to your skin and leave it to soak for 30 minutes.
Jump into a warm shower or bath and use an exfoliating washcloth to gently scrub away the darker patches and streaks.
Not only will your skin be left lighter and with a more even tan, but it will also be silky smooth.
Glycolic soap – Glycolic soap stimulates cell turnover, which means the dead skin cells holding your tan will be shed off, leaving a lighter tone behind.
It will not instantly correct a bad fake tan, but after a few washes, the skin will have lightened enough to appear patch-free and streak-free.
With so many ways to lighten your tan at home, using fairly common ingredients, there is no reason to be scared away from self-tanning at home due to the possibility of a patchy tan.
Streaks and patches can be removed easily and pretty quickly as well. With practice, you will be able to perfect home self-tanning.
Related Questions
How do I quickly remove fake tan?
The quickest and most sure-fire way to remove a fake tan quickly is to exfoliate. Add lemon juice to the exfoliation for enhanced results.
Exfoliating removes the outer layer of dead skin, which would have turned darker from the fake tan.
Once these dead skin cells have been removed, you will be left with the lighter skin underneath, which was not affected by the fake tan product.
Does coconut oil help to remove a spray tan?
Coconut oil is not entirely effective in removing a spray tan, but it does work really well to hydrate the skin following a spray tan.
Well-nourished and hydrated skin holds a spray tan much better than dry, flaky skin, so using coconut oil after your spray tan will really help your skin feel cared for and nourished, giving it everything it needs to really help the spray tan glow.
Coconut oil is a great product to incorporate into your beauty regimen leading up to a spray tan.
The extra moisture provided by the coconut oil will ensure your skin does not dry out during the spray tan, and that even the driest areas, such as knees, ankles, and elbows, will hold the spray tan evenly.
Can I use soap after a spray tan?
Avoid using soap, shampoo, shaving cream, or body wash for the first 24 hours after a spray tan.
These could interfere with and prevent the development of the spray tan, resulting in a patchy and streaky tan.
Instead, simply jump into the shower and rinse off any residue left over from the spray tan. Shaving should be avoided, as this could strip the spray tan product from the skin even more.
Lemon Juice – The Perfect Fix
It’s great to come across an ingredient that can quickly sort out a patchy fake tan, and even better when it costs next to nothing and is probably sitting in your fridge waiting to be used.
Forget lemon drop cocktails, use the trusted lemon to lighten and remove fake tan, helping you to achieve an even, natural-looking, and glowing summer tone.
Not only will your fake tan lighten, but your skin will thank you for the extra kick of moisture it gets from all the great minerals and vitamins found within the simple yet powerful lemon.
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