Fake tan fails: an expert’s guide to avoiding everything from orange knees to streaks

From stained palms to a patchy finish – here’s how to swerve tell-tale tan fails that can extinguish your golden glow

While avoiding harmful UVA/UVB rays has always been the smart summer choice, fake tan has come a long way since the days of stinky, sticky formulas that left a tupperware-after-tomato-sauce stain rather than a realistic glow. 

Today, innovative new ingredients care for skin as they add that much-desired hint of colour. What’s more, they also take the guesswork out of self tanning to ensure that your bronzing experience is almost foolproof. 

We’ve rounded up the formulas and nifty tools that will hopefully make those fake tan fails a thing of the past and asked the experts for their golden rules on fake tanning at home. It’s time for your glow up!

The fail: shaving bumps

Fail to prepare, and you may end up with skin that looks like a plucked chicken. "The key to a streak-free, even, healthy-looking tan is all in the skin prep," explains Michaella Bolder, St. Tropez tanning and skincare expert.

But doing that prep too close to tanning can be a problem. "Ideally I’d advise shaving the day before you plan to tan. But if you’ve left it until the last minute, use a fresh razor to shave for a smooth finish.

"Jump in the shower and buff skin all over using exfoliating gloves or a tan remover mitt with an oil-free shower gel. I like to finish with a dose of cold water to help minimise the appearance of pores.

"If you have any large, open pore areas, I’d avoid tanning these directly and instead use your tanning mitt to buff any excess tan from the surrounding areas over them. This will help to stop excess tan from collecting and leave skin silky smooth."

The fail: patchy hands, ankles, knees & elbows

If you find your hands and other dry areas end up several or more shades darker than your face, it’s possible to troubleshoot without having a painful wait for the rogue tan to fade. 

"Apply baby oil to the area and leave on for 10 to 20 minutes," advises Skinny Tan's tanning expert Claire Lambert. 

"Rinse and buff off the oil using an exfoliating mitt. Then grab yourself a wedge of lemon and rub it all over the area. Leave for around 10 to 20 minutes again and then gently rinse and buff with the mitt once more." 

Of course, prevention is easier than the cure when it comes to avoiding dark or orange knees when fake tanning. It starts post-shower. "Dry your body and apply an aloe vera-based moisturiser to your hands, wrists and elbows and then a sweep on the inside of arms, knees, feet, ankles and any other dry areas," says Michaella. 

You can also take it a step further. "After your initial hydration, apply a richer shea butter moisturiser again over any ultra dry areas like knees, hands and feet, or any random dry patches that tan tends to cling on to," Michaella urges. 

A top application tip? "Use residual tan on your mitt rather than a fresh pump of tan." 

"Use the mitt to lightly buff over the dry areas, then use a clean mitt to further blend over them to lift excess tan and ensure you’ve covered all crevices," recommends Michaella. To avoid hand mishaps, "try bending hands into a claw shape and lightly glide the mitt over them using a light dusting method." 

The fail: stained palms 

Most of us want our fake tan to be undetectable, that’s why getting caught brown handed is something none of us want to fall victim to. 

"To avoid orange palms when tanning, always make sure that you use a clean tanning mitt to prevent product transfer," suggests Michaella. 

Got a fist full of fake tan? No problem. Just wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Wipe your palms, between your fingers and buff your knuckles on a towel immediately after application – even if you don’t think you’ve transferred. 

And your hands aren’t the only body part at risk. "To avoid tan on the soles of your feet, stand on a clean towel then use a baby wipe or wet flannel over them to remove any tan residue," Michaella recommends. "You can use a damp cloth or baby wipe around wrists, nails and eyebrows too." 

The fail: streaks 

Great when you want a run of luck, but not for your tan, streaks are the bane of many fake tanners. "As well as proper prep, apply your tan in circular motions to ensure you’re getting a perfect blend every time," suggests Claire. 

"I always recommend applying fake tan with an application mitt or other tool – not your hands – and using a formula with a guide colour, [a colour deeper than your skin tone] to help you see where you’re applying. 

"Start from the lower legs and move upwards. To finish, use a tanning brush to buff in the tan around the more difficult areas like ankles, wrists, hands and the hairline – not forgetting the ears like many people do! A brush enables you to really blend in the tan for a flawless, natural finish." 

The fail: uneven tan fade 

With so much tan admin to deal with, you want your glow to stick around longer than a flight to somewhere you’d get a natural one.  

How can you avoid a patchy tan? "Tan maintenance is important to ensure the colour fades evenly," explains Michaella. 

Moisture is key. "Use an oil-free moisturiser daily straight after you shower to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Oils directly on the skin will begin to lighten your tan as it’s a common ingredient to help remove it." 

To help your tan to fade evenly, (gently) scrub up. "I’d recommend lightly exfoliating every two-three days to buff away any dead skin cells and avoid your tan from fading in patches," says Michaella. 

Bear in mind that shaving can have a similar effect. "Shaving and exfoliating results in cell turnover which can lift the tan slightly in certain areas," she explains. 

"If you feel that your tan has faded quickly, try topping it up using a gradual tan to give your skin an instant moisture burst and boost your tan colour once again." 

The fail: your face is paler than the rest of your body 

If you’re keeping up with your skincare routine, your face tan will fade quicker than your body as this daily self-care ritual can encourage the skin cells to turn over quicker through cleansing and exfoliating. 

"I’d recommend keeping your face topped up daily by using tan drops in your moisturiser or another face tanner to maintain your glow," suggests Michaella. 

"Try using two to six drops in your moisturiser and apply over the face and neck for a bronzed-skin base that will develop over the next four to eight hours." 

No face tan? Cheat. "I advise people to use the leftover excess tan on the application mitt for their face at a pinch," says Claire. "That way, the colour won’t be too deep. Using a tanning brush allows you to add some contour to your face using tan too." 

The fail: stains on your clothes & bedsheets 

Brown stains and biscuity smells on your clothes and bedsheets are a red flag and a commonly accepted part of tanning that you shouldn’t have to suck up. 

Here’s how to avoid fake tan on sheets and clothes: "I’d always advise wearing full-length, loose-fitting, breathable clothes that are dark coloured," suggests Michaella. 

"The discolouring of clothes and bed sheets often occurs due to excess tan, guide colour on the skin or sweating in the night which causes the tan to transfer. 

"If you prefer not to allow your tan to develop overnight, try using an express formula that takes one to three hours to develop, leaving you plenty of time to wash off in the shower before you go to bed and avoid the issue completely." 

The fake tan fixes 

So now you know the fails, here are the fixes: Boots' top picks for a professional-looking tan, no matter your budget. 

Shop more top fake tan products in our full range.