THE warmer spring season has finally arrived, with Brits set to enjoy a glorious +18C sunshine on Thursday.
Like many beauty buffs, I will have my legs out – which means having to apply fake tan on them the night before.
From special ‘tan erasers’ to a cheap homemade remedy, I tested out five viral ways to banish stubborn fake tan[/caption]
But as much as I love waking up to a bronzed glow, there’s one aspect of the routine I absolutely dread every week – spending ages in the show vigorously scrubbing off the old tan that makes me look like a sad loaf of tiger bread.
So far in all my 15-year-long relationship with tanning products, I’ve solely relied on a shower glove and soap to tackle the leftover tan.
But although it does work, it requires long – and sometimes vicious – scrubbing that also causes my skin to feel like Sahara desert.
So, in order to make this crucial step of my fake tanning routine less tiring – and time-consuming – I’ve decided to test five popular hacks and products to remove the stubborn tan with no faff.
From ”tan erasers” to a DIY scrub that softens your skin, here’s how I got on…
Sticky homemade remedy
My mum has been raving about the viral honey and coffee scrub – and I was amazed to see that it did tackle most of the fake tan[/caption]
The high street is full of what feels like hundred different scrubs – but what if you could make your own without forking out a fortune?
I’ve seen numerous people, including my thrifty mum, rave about a DIY scrub made of a few tablespoons of ground coffee and honey.
The science behind it is pretty straightforward – while the morning brew removes the dead skin cells, the sweet nectar is said to boast humectant properties that draw moisture from the air and into the skin.
What’s more, not only is this remedy anti-ageing and can even brighten the complexion, the DIY scrub is also purse-friendly, costing you around 20p per use.
But does it work – or is the cheap solution too good to be true?
While the scrub did remove most of my stubborn fake tan, it was a little bit too harsh – and be prepared for a huge mess all over your bathtub or shower.
What I did enjoy was the buttery soft feel it left – and my naturally fair skin was now ready for a brand new layer of tanning mousse.
Pros: Cheap, easy to make, natural, leaves skin soft and removes stubborn fake tan
Cons: Can make your bathroom a total mess – and you’ll be rinsing out the coffee grains from the scrubbing glove for ages.
Bondi Sands Self Tan Eraser
I was excited to try out a special ‘eraser’ on my legs – but did it work?[/caption]
I was disappointed to discover the pricey product barely did anything to tackle my tiger bread skin[/caption]
I was always hoping that one day there’d be a special product that I’d apply on my body – and watch the fake tan slowly fade away.
This is exactly what the viral Bondi Sands Self Tan Eraser promises – and with over a thousand 4.5-star reviews online, I had high hopes.
The tanning must-have, which you can snap up from Superdrug, is said to ”effectively remove self-tan without harmful ingredients and excessive exfoliation”.
Fabulous’ £10 Fake Tan Test
FINDING the perfect fake tan isn’t easy. That’s why Fabulous tested a number of fake tans which cost less than £10..
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Superdrug Solait Self Tan Mousse Medium – £4.79 (was £5.99) – Buy Now
- Tester: Abby Wilson, Senior Fabulous Digital Writer
- Review: “This product give a very natural looking tan and if you wanted something a bit bolder, I’d suggest leaving it on longer or choosing a darker shade. I’m impressed with the results, but now my entire room stinks of the stuff. If you’re on a budget and want a tan for last-minute plans, I would say this is one to try. “
bBold Dream Mousse Tan in Dark – £9.50 – Buy Now
- Tester: Josie O’Brien, Senior Fabulous Digital Writer
- Review: “The first thing that hit me about this tan was the “juicy watermelon” scent – it’s delicious. I was left with a natural bronze hue rather than orange glow. My only qualm is that the tan seemed to stick to my dry patches and accentuated ‘strawberry skin’ on my legs. I’m still adding this tan to my arsenal though – the smell, colour and texture are dreamy.”
St Moriz Professional Medium Tanning Mousse – £4.99 – Buy Now
- Tester: Kate Kulniece, Fabulous Writer
- Review: “Not only does St Moriz mousse leave you with a gorgeous bronzed glow, but it also smells fabulous – think Piña Colada on a sunny beach. At first, I was a little bit sceptical cause I’m a gradual fake tan girlie, but this quick developing St. Moriz number may change it all.”
As instructed, I generously applied the white foam on one of my legs and let it work its magic for five minutes, as instructed on the packaging.
However, I was in for a disappointment when I jumped into the shower ready to watch the orange tan flow down my body – as nothing happened, and my leg was just as bronzed as it was before.
What I do have to add though is that it made the scrubbing process a little easier – but given it costs almost £18, I expected the ”eraser” to do all the work for me.
Pros: Nice scent, doesn’t leave any marks on the sheets whilst you’re waiting, easy to apply.
Cons: You still need to scrub the tan off – although not as vigorously.
Vaseline Intensive Care Body Oil Cocoa Radiant
My Oompa Loompa arm before using the scented body oil[/caption]
I was chuffed to see that not only my skin felt butter smooth – but most of the tan was gone[/caption]
I’m all for a viral TikTok hack – so you can bet your bottom dollar I was dashing to the shops to snap up when I saw beauty buffs rave over the Vaseline Intensive Care Body Oil as a self-tan remover.
According to my fellow fake tan lovers, all you need to do is apply the cocoa-scented oil onto your body and let it sit for around 15 to 30 minutes.
The science behind it, a woman named Catherine (@catherinnnneeeeee), explained is pretty simple.
”The oil helps to break down any old fake tan, making it easier to remove,” she recently claimed on the platform.
This trick, which costs just pennies per use, could easily become one of my all-time favourite ones – not only it made scrubbing off my tan significantly easier, the oil gave my skin a gorgeous glow, not to mention the chocolate-y scent.
Pros: Budget-friendly, gives your skin a buttery feel and a radiant glow – and works wonders on stubborn tan that won’t go away.
Cons: The body oil does take some time to absorb – so if you’re thinking of applying before a night-out, make sure it’s not last minute. Otherwise, you’re risking stained clothing.
St Moriz Professional Self Tan Remover Foam
Similarly to the previous foam eraser, this £4.99 buy also did next to nothing to banish the orange mess[/caption]
St Moriz is the brand behind my favourite fake tan – so you can only imagine my excitement when I spotted their very own Professional Self Tan Remover Foam on the high street.
Similarly to the more pricey version by Bondi Sands, this foam boasts a ”fast-action” vegan-friendly formula that tackles faded tan, ”without the need for abrasive scrubbing”.
The bargain find, which goes for just £4.99 for a 100ml bottle, has a mere 2.6-star rating amongst thrifty Superdrug shoppers – and I can see why.
Although the white foam did have a nice scent and got absorbed into my skin, I felt like it did almost nothing – and I had to resort to vigorous scrubbing once again.
Pros: Lovely, fresh scent, doesn’t stain your clothing, relatively affordable.
Cons: While it’s a purse-friendly option, the foam did barely anything to remove the stubborn tan on my leg, so be prepared to scrub as usual.
Baby oil
To my surprise, this £1.50 buy worked better than the other tricks[/caption]
Yes, according to the web, oil in all its forms – including coconut, olive and even baby oil – loosens dead skin cells, which can help break down fake tan build-up.
The latter has been hailed as one of the greatest ways to tackle self-tan – and it’s more affordable than sticking to pricey olive oil, which will set you back a whopping £10 on average.
As advised by beauty buffs online, I applied the baby oil onto my chest area and left it to soak for 30-off minutes, before jumping in for a rinse.
To my surprise, this £1.50 buy worked better than the other tricks – and I was amazed to discover just how little scrubbing was required to unveil the naturally pale skin underneath.
Pros: Won’t break the bank, leaves the skin extra soft and smooth – and tackles fake tan with barely any scrubbing needed.
Cons: Might not be the best idea if you’re looking for a quick, five-minute solution, can stain your bedding or sofa if you’re chilling whilst the oil works its magic.
