The neck can be one of the most difficult areas to tan. You move your head around often, up and down, left to right, and while you do this, your neck moves and creases. While this isn’t a problem usually, when your spray tan is drying, this can lead to streaks in the creases, which then gives you a very zebra-like appearance.
Spray tan neck creases can be caused by the excess movement of the neck as the product dries, wrinkles, or sweating after a spray tan. These can cause streaks and patches, which is definitely not what you want to be showing off.
You really would not want to walk around with some odd-looking spray tan neck creases, so what is the best way to fix them? There are a few options to choose from. First, you will need to remove the existing streaks, which can be done at home, and then you can apply the product onto your neck, whether it be a new spray tan, self-tanning product, or makeup applied daily to blend your neck with the rest of your beautifully tanned body.
Neck creases can be fixed, so if you find some strange patches and streaks developing on your neck after your spray tan session, try one of the below hacks to get your neck looking smooth and even, matching the rest of your toned skin.
Removing The Streaks
Before you can fix and even out the streaks and creases on your neck, you will have to remove the darker patches.
There are a few ways to do this at home, which will help to even out the color before you can even think of trying to recover the area again with another tanning product.
You cannot just place a new tan over the streaky patchy one. Doing so will only highlight the darker areas and you will be stuck with an even harder tan to remove.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice will really help to remove the darker streaks on your neck.
By placing some fresh lemon juice onto a cotton swab, and dabbing it around your neck area, you will be able to lighten the tan quite substantially. Try not to let the lemon juice run too much, as it could run down and cause streaks down your chest, interfering with the tan there.
Once the lemon juice has been left on your skin for a little while, carefully wipe it away with a wet face cloth.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is such a useful item to keep at home, and it works well to remove spray tanning streaks. Make a paste with some baking soda and water, and spread this around your neck area.
Once again be careful not to let it run, as it may ruin other areas of your tan. Leave the baking soda paste to sit for a few minutes, and then use a wet face cloth to wash it away.
This helps to remove the tan, as the baking soda absorbs the color and acts as an exfoliator, removing the dead skin cells which hold the actual color of the tan, therefore lightening the area.
Baby Oil
Only use this method if your tan has set and you are planning on having your first shower, or if you have had your first shower already.
Apply some baby oil to your neck area, and leave it to soak for 10 minutes.
Once the 10 minutes have ended, get into the shower and wash it away. Use a face cloth to wipe away the area. The baby oil would have softened the tanned skin cells, and when you wipe them away with a face cloth, the tan will wipe away as well.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste works well to remove spray tan streaks in smaller areas, such as the neck. Rub some whitening toothpaste onto the affected area and leave it to sit for a few minutes. Wipe it away with a facecloth and the color should be removed as well.
Aloe Vera Gel
Good quality aloe vera gels are full of antioxidants and other enzymes that are not only great for nourishing your skin, but they help to tone down tan lines in the gentlest way possible.
Apply some aloe vera gel to your skin a few times a day until the spray tan neck creases fade away.
Windex
This option should only be used if you are really desperate. Many women swear by using Windex to remove a spray tan, but this should only be used as a last resort, and in smaller areas.
If there are only one or two streaks on your neck, spray some Windex onto a piece of cotton wool and wipe away at the streaks. The solvents in Windex will remove the tan. Just remember that the product contains other ingredients such as blue dyes and fragrances, and these could cause irritation to the skin.
Do a tiny test patch first to see how your skin reacts.
Patching Up Your Neck Tan
Once you have successfully removed as many of the streaks and patches from your neck as possible, you will need to patch it up to appear toned and even with the rest of your skin.
Here are some ways that you can get your neck tanned again, but evenly this time.
First, Exfoliate
Before you apply a new tanning product to your neck area, you need to exfoliate one last time. As your neck skin is thin and often sensitive, only gently exfoliate the area using a gentle exfoliator or a washcloth.
This helps to remove dead skin cells, which could cause the new tan to be patchy.
Redo Spray Tan
This is a bit of a risky option to cover up your neck area, and you should only choose this if you are super confident in your spray tan technician. They will need to carefully spray tan the neck area, ensuring there are no stains or messes anywhere else.
If possible, wait to go for the neck touch-up when you need your next spray tan application. This will mean that the technician will be able to spray tan your whole body, including your neck, which will give a more complete and even finish.
Use Self-Tanner
If you are confident in your self-tanning abilities at home, you can try to touch up your neck with a good self-tanning product.
Use a tanning mitt to gently massage the self-tanning lotion onto your neck in small, circular motions, and remember to blend it in up your chin and slightly down near your chest as well.
Blending the self-tanner will help the tan look more natural and even. Try to match the color of the self-tanner as close to your spray tan as possible.
Wear Makeup
If you are nervous to go ahead and have a spray tan done or to use self-tanner at home, you can use some makeup to cover up your untanned neck.
Use a proper foundation that matches the rest of your skin.
Using a makeup brush, blend the foundation into your neck, and up to your chin and down to your chest to make it appear more natural. You can use a powder over the foundation to set it, but this will also depend on the foundation you will use.
While you will have to apply the foundation every time you go out, it is a sure way to avoid any lasting creases and streaks that stand out.
Related Questions
How do I prevent tan lines on my neck?
After having your spray tan done, but before leaving the salon, apply some baby powder to your neck area. This will prevent the spray tan formula from streaking and will stop sweat dripping down, which is another way streaks and patches are caused.
The baby powder will not interfere with the chemical reaction of the spray tan product and your skin, so you will still be able to develop a gorgeous tan, just without any tan lines.
Does a spray tan help to hide tan lines?
If you have a natural tan from sitting out in the sun, but have developed tan lines, then a spray tan is a good way to hide these tan lines, evening them out with the rest of your skin.
The lighter areas of the tan lines will absorb the spray tan color, and then appear more even, blending into the rest of your skin. A spray tan will also help to give some extra radiance to your existing tan, lifting it up to the next level.
