Okay, so I’ve always been a bit of a sun-worshipper. I love that golden glow, you know? But I also know the dangers of too much sun, so I’m all about that fake tan life too. This summer, I had a bit of a dilemma. I had a wedding to go to and I wanted to look my bronzed best, So apply the self tanner first.
But then, a few days later, the weather was AMAZING, like perfect beach day amazing. I really wanted to catch some natural rays, but I was worried. Would my fake tan mess with my ability to get a real tan? Would I end up looking like a streaky orange mess?
My Experiment Begins
First things first, I did a quick online search. A lot of confusing info out there! Some people said the self-tanner would block the sun completely. Others said it wouldn’t make a difference. Some even said it would make me more likely to burn. Ugh!
I used అ fair-skinned skin and a medium-shade self-tanner, I always use a mousse ’cause I find it easier to apply evenly.
Here’s what I did:
- I applied my self-tanner as usual, a couple of days before the sunny day. Made sure to exfoliate first, moisturize the dry bits (knees, elbows, ankles), all that jazz.
- When the sun finally came out, I waited a few hours after the fake tan had fully developed.
- I slathered on a good amount of sunscreen – SPF 30, broad spectrum. Don’t want to risk getting burned, fake tan or not!
- I spent about an hour in the sun, turning regularly like a rotisserie chicken. Okay, maybe not that dramatically, but you get the idea.
The Results
So, what happened? Well, I definitely got some color. It wasn’t as intense as it would have been without the self-tanner, that’s for sure. But it wasn’t a disaster either. My skin looked a little more golden, a little more “alive.”
There is my skin did seem to tan a little bit underneath the fake tan, and the combined effect was actually pretty nice. It was like the self-tanner gave me a base, and the sun just deepened it a bit.
No streaks, no weird patches, no orange nightmare. I wouldn’t say I got a super deep tan, but I definitely looked sun-kissed.
My takeaway? You can still tan with self-tanner on, but it’ll probably be a more subtle tan. And, as always, sunscreen is your best friend! Don’t skip it, even if you’re already rocking a faux glow.
