Shaving Before Using Fake Tan – Essential Guide
Have you been wanting to use self-tanner but wondered if you should shave before using fake tan or after?
In this quick guide, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of both and explain why you may want to shave before applying self-tanner.
However, stay with me, because I have a few crucial tips to share with you about shaving before using self-tanner.
Shaving Before Applying Self-Tanner – The Basics
Before discussing whether to shave before applying self-tanner, let’s briefly understand how sunless tanners work.
Most quality sunless tanners (Like my favorite from St. Tropez) work through a chemical called dihydroxyacetone, or DHA.
DHA reacts with the amino acids in the dead skin cells on the upper layer of your skin, causing it to darken, which imitates a real tan from the sun.
Since the dead skin cells gradually release from your skin during the constant and healthy cell renewal process, the fake tan you achieve from self-tanning products will also disappear.
That is why you need to reapply self-tanner fairly often. (see my comprehensive guide on this).
Now that we understand that the color from self-tanner resides in the outermost layer of the skin, you may already be wondering whether you should shave before self-tanning, and the answer is yes.
Should I Shave Before Fake Tanning?
Yes, absolutely, you should. If you shave after applying self-tanner, your razor will also remove a significant amount of the skin cells that hold the color.
So, no matter how careful you are when shaving your legs, you’ll also be taking a fair bit of self-tanner with you.
Not only does this remove the fake tan much faster than it would naturally fade, but it will also cause it to fade in a streaky, blotchy manner, as you are not likely to shave your body in a perfectly even manner.
In fact, if you shave your legs regularly, this should be a crucial part of your normal self-tanning routine.
Typically, I suggest that you first clean and exfoliate your body in the shower, which is also the best time to shave. Afterward, you’ll continue on with moisturizing, etc.
At this point, you may be wondering, what happens if the shaving irritates my skin and leaves open pores?
Although this doesn’t happen to everyone, it can sometimes happen.
The result is usually tiny brown spots where the self-tanner darkened inside your pores, leaving your skin looking blotchy.
Luckily, there is a trick to keep this from happening!
How To Keep Your Self-Tanner From Looking Blotchy After Shaving
So, while you’re still in the shower after cleaning and exfoliating your skin, go ahead and shave. Then, hop out of the shower and dry off.
Next, go to the freezer and grab a frozen bag of mixed veggies, or an ice pack, something cold and moldable.
Rub the frozen bag slowly over your legs or wherever else you shaved. The cold will help to seal the pores and prevent those dots from appearing after you use self-tanner.
Waxing Before Using Fake Tan
Some people prefer to wax their legs before self-tanning, which can be a really great option.
However, most experts recommend waiting 24-48 hours before applying sunless tanner after waxing.
The reason for this is that waxing can cause significant skin irritation. Self-tanner can exacerbate the issue, but it can also cause uneven application, resulting in a less-than-perfect-looking tan.
So if you are going to wax, just do it a few days before your self-tanning routine.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that you really should shave or wax before applying self-tanner to prevent it from fading faster and unevenly.
Just be sure to follow the simple tips in this article to achieve a beautiful summer glow.
Related Articles
Waterproof Self-Tanners – Will Swimming Remove My Fake Tan?
