4 Tips On How To Remove Fake Tan

Our tips & tricks on how to get rid of fake tan that's gone streaky

How To Get Rid of Fake Tan - Step by Step

Fake tan mistakes can happen. As not everyone has a fake tan remover in their cupboards, there are a few other ways to get rid of fake tan without having to invest much money.

Exfoliate

Use an exfoliating scrub, mitt or a body brush to remove pigmented dead skin cells. Don’t panic and be too harsh while exfoliating as it could irritate your skin and the fake tan could get even more patchy. Ensure to give extra attention to the more dry parts of the body, especially elbows, knees and feet.

Please Note: Do not use body scrubs with big grains to remove fake tan from your face as facial skin is thinner hence way more sensitive. Opt for facial scrubs instead, we love the NIVEA Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub.

Go To a Steam Room

Heat and humidity will help with removing fake tan. Spend some time in a sauna or a steam room to open up the pores and exfoliate in the shower afterwards. If going to a steam room is not an option, a hot steaming shower would do the trick too.

Body Oils

Oils are great to break down the tan. Run a hot bath with some body or bath oil in it and soak in for as long as possible. If you’re a shower person, apply oil all over your body, let it sink into your skin completely and take a hot steamy shower to wash it off.

NIVEA Body Oil is a great product to get rid of fake tan. Containing Q10, Avocado oil, Cottonseed oil and Macadamia oil, it reduces the appearance of stretch marks and evens skin tone, plus it will leave your skin firm and deeply nourished.

Go Swimming

Chlorinated swimming pools and hot tubs are also a great place to spend time in if trying to get rid of fake tan. Have a swim in the pool for the chlorine to break down the tan and use an exfoliator in the shower afterwards to remove the streaks.

Removing Fake Tan From Certain Areas

If you’ve got only a few streaks here and there, exfoliate or wet shave only the areas that have gone wrong. This way you won’t have to remove the fake tan completely and start all over again.

How To Get Fake Tan Off Hands

The best way to get fake tan off hands is to avoid them getting stained in the first place! When applying fake tan, use a tanning mitt and make sure to wash your hands well afterwards.

However, if your hands do get a little stained, try this little DIY trick. Mix baking soda with a little water to make a paste and rub all over your hands. Leave on for a few minutes and wash off. This trick can be used when removing fake tan from feet as well!

How To Remove Fake Tan From Feet

Dry feet tend to absorb more product and so tan can get more blotchy in this area.
Soak your feet in warm water to soften the skin and use a pumice stone to scrub off the dead skin cells. Use NIVEA Rich Nourishing Lotion to make sure your feet are deeply moisturised. 

2 Minutes to Build Your Custom Skincare Routine

Whether you have any perfect imperfections or skin concerns that really bother you, try our routine builder for a genuinely bespoke, helpful skincare routine. All you need to do is answer a few simple questions about your skin concerns and lifestyle. Our tool then analyses your unique skin features and constructs a personalised routine adapted to your needs.

 

What you’ll get from NIVEA Routine Builder:

  1. Bespoke skincare routine for your skin type
  2. Tailored product suggestions
  3. Problem area analysis
  4. Lifestyle suggestions
Build Your Skincare Routine Now
face t-zone

Home Remedies

Sometimes, fake tan removers can be expensive! However, you can easily make a fake tan remover using the products you've probably already got at home. Lemon juice has bleaching abilities and is a great ingredient to remove any pigmentation from the skin. 

Mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of lemon juice into a paste and apply on the skin.
Leave on for a few minutes and wash off with warm water.


Note:

Make sure to do a patch test on a small area of the skin to avoid any reaction or irritation.


How To Avoid Getting Streaky Fake Tan

Prep your skin well beforehand. To get the most even tan, exfoliate and shave at least 24 hours before putting fake tan on. 

Make sure your skin is moisturised - dry spots will get more pigmented and this will lead to an uneven tan. Avoid perfumes, oil-based moisturisers and scented lotions as these could strip off your tan.

Use NIVEA Gradual Tan Moisturiser For a Streak-Free Look

Maintaining an even fake tan can be challenging, using a gradual tan moisturiser could be the answer for creating natural, streak-free tan. Use NIVEA Gradual Tan moisturiser to combine gradual tanning with instant moisture for tighter, firmer skin with a natural-looking, radiant sun-kissed glow. Enriched with anti-age ingredient Coenzyme Q10, NIVEA Gradual Tan lotion will provide your skin with plumping and firming result. The formula includes small drops of gradual self-tanner, meaning it could be used daily to ensure the streak-free result for a glowy bronze skin all year round. It also has a fresh summery scent featuring rose, jasmine, peach and plum that won’t leave you with the typical dready scent other self-tanners usually have.