Here's The Best Time To Shave Before & After Self-Tanning

For those of us who love rocking a sun-kissed glow, self-tan is a life-saver. This nifty tanning method removes the need to strip down for an embarrassing spray tan but also carries none of the skin damage consequences of regular sun tanning. It can also be done at your convenience in the comfort of your home, whenever suits you, and once you've invested in a bottle and applicator or mitt, your costs are covered. Plus, there are endless drugstore self-tanners on the market. Win-win-win! The only downside of DIY tanning is that there's more room for streaky, dotty, and uneven results if you aren't confident in your application skills. 

While flawless tan application usually comes with years of practice, you can speed up your mastery of this skill by understanding the universal shaving-tanning schedule. The golden (pun intended) rule of self-tanning is to shave no sooner than 24 hours before you apply your product. When it comes to shaving afterward, you'll want to leave it for at least eight hours, though 24 hours may be the safest time frame to wait. If you apply your tan too early after shaving, you run the risk of the product irritating your sensitive post-shaved skin. Similarly, if you don't give it enough time after applying your tan to shave, you could end up wiping off your color. 

The idea behind waiting a good day after shaving to apply self-tan is that you want your skin to settle. Shaving can sometimes be irritating, and applying tan in this scenario will only make things worse. Additionally, you'll also want to wait 24 hours after exfoliating to self-tan, so it makes sense to shave and exfoliate together, and then come back 24 hours later for tanning. Exfoliating is super important before tanning of any sort, since it removes dead skin and creates an even base for a non-streaky tan. But again, if you do this too soon before tanning, the product could wedge itself in those fresh open pores and leave a dotty "cheetah" appearance. 

In addition to avoiding shaving and exfoliating immediately before your tan, you'll also want to steer clear of wearing deodorant or perfume. Not only can these dry out your skin, but they can prevent the tan from sticking properly or evenly. Worst-case scenario, products like perfume can even turn your tan green! But one thing you do want to do before self-tanning is apply moisturizer. Around two to three hours before, run over the driest patches where you usually get dark spots with a hydrating moisturizer. For most people, this includes your ankles, knees, and upper arms. 

Let's say you forget to shave your legs 24 hours before self-tanning. Don't panic! You can actually shave after self-tanning without ruining your tan as long as you wait eight hours. Of course, shaving before your tan has fully dried will result in you peeling off that layer of color, so it's crucial to wait. Eight hours is the general advice, but read the directions on your self-tan label. Some products take longer to dry, so if you're unsure, wait at least 24 hours. The last thing you want to do is scrape off your tan after applying it perfectly! 

When it comes to preserving and prolonging your tan, you'll also want to avoid hot water. This can strip off color before its time and also dry out the skin, leading to your tan going patchy. In general, always wait until your tan is dry to touch before dressing, and then avoid getting wet for at least eight hours, or however long your specific product recommends. This includes sweating, so that gym session may need to wait! One thing you'll want to avoid at all costs while preserving your tan is chlorine, but it is helpful to regularly moisturize every day after tanning. Moisturized, hydrated skin will help your tan to stay on evenly for as long as possible.