Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Finally Found Products That Fix Streaky Self Tan Without Starting Over
33
items You spent 45 minutes carefully applying self tanner, woke up looking like a giraffe, and now you're debating whether to scrub your entire body raw or just wear long sleeves for a week. If you've ever panic-Googled ‘how to fix patchy fake tan’ at 6 AM...
Sections
5
Tan Removal and Streak Erasers
Self Tanners That Actually Go On Even
Application Tools That Prevent Mistakes
Post Tan Skin Care to Lock In Color
Color Correctors for Stubborn Problem Areas
Tan Removal and Streak Erasers
That dark splotch on your knee isn't going anywhere with regular soap. Took me three failed attempts before I found removers that actually dissolve the color without leaving me red and irritated.
Pump this on dry skin before you shower and watch the streaks literally dissolve. Saved me from a horrifying ankle situation the morning of a wedding.
St. Tropez, Self Tan Self Tan Remover Mousse, 6.76 Fl Oz
Keep this in your shower for emergencies. Slather it on the patchy spots, wait five minutes, and scrub with a mitt. Works faster than anything else I've tried.
Bondi Sands Tan Eraser 200ml
Use this to blend out fading patches instead of reapplying full tan. Perfect if you're someone who tans unevenly on your arms but not your legs.
Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer Self Tanner
Grab this before you even think about applying new tanner. Buffing off the old layer first is the difference between smooth color and zebra stripes.
Tree Hut, Shea Sugar Body Scrub, 18 oz
Gentler than most scrubs so it won't shred your skin when you're already irritated from scrubbing off a bad tan. Stock up, you'll use it weekly.
Dove, Exfoliating Body Scrub, 15 oz, Macadamia Rice Milk
Toss these on in the shower with your tan remover and use circular motions on stubborn spots. My knees and elbows finally matched the rest of my body.
Cleanlogic 230031 Exfoliating Bath Gloves
Swap this in after you fix your tan so the new application doesn't fade unevenly from sun exposure. Learned that lesson on a three-day trip to Florida.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 70 Sunscreen
Self Tanners That Actually Go On Even
After erasing a bad tan, the last thing you want is to repeat the disaster. These are the formulas I switched to that don't pool in my elbow creases or turn my palms orange.
Try this if you've been scared of mousse formulas. It's tinted so you can see exactly where you're applying, which means no surprise dark patches tomorrow morning.
(5 pack) Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Self
Pair this with a velvet mitt and you'll get the most natural fade I've ever seen from a drugstore tanner. Dries in about two minutes, no sticky feeling.
L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Water Mousse
For anyone who wants a deep color without doing three layers. One coat gave me a vacation-level tan that faded evenly over five days.
Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam
Snag this if you hate the smell of traditional self tanner. Smells like actual skincare, develops gradually, and nobody at work asked if I was wearing fake tan.
St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Vitamins Bronzing Water Serum
Grab this when you need color NOW. The tint shows immediately and the final result develops in about three hours. Got me through a last-minute pool party.
Australian Gold Instant Sunless Tanning Lotion
Application Tools That Prevent Mistakes
Bare hands were my downfall for years. Orange palms, fingerprint streaks on my stomach, the works. These tools are the reason my tan finally looks like it came from an actual beach.
Toss your old kitchen sponge approach and use this instead. Velvet side distributes mousse so evenly that I stopped needing to go back and fix spots entirely.
EcoTools Good Tan Full-Body Tanning Mitt
Use a damp one of these on your face for self tanner application. Stipple it on and your jawline blends perfectly without that mask-line situation.
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge with Case
Wrap your hair in this before tanning so you don't end up with bronzer streaks along your hairline. Also keeps drips from running down your neck.
Kitsch Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap for Women - Pink
Keep a dedicated one of these for blending tanner around tricky areas like your wrists and ankles. Dampen it first for a seamless gradient.
e.l.f. Blending Sponge, Peach
Dab this on your eyebrows, cuticles, and between your toes before applying tanner. Barrier method sounds weird but it prevents those telltale dark crevices.
Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Original 1.75 oz
Bring this into whatever room you tan in. Checking the backs of your legs and shoulders mid-application caught three streaks I would have missed completely.
Conair Styling Essentials Compact Mirror
Perfect for dabbing tanner around your nose and ears where full mitts are too bulky. Cheap enough that you can toss them after each use without feeling guilty.
Equate Beauty Latex Free Wedge Cosmetic Applicator
Post Tan Skin Care to Lock In Color
Watching a perfect tan fade into a patchy mess after two days is genuinely heartbreaking. Keeping skin hydrated is the boring step nobody talks about, but it's the one that actually matters most.
Slather this on twice a day after tanning. Fragrance-free so it won't react with the DHA, and my tan lasted a full extra two days compared to using regular lotion.
cerave daily moisturizing lotion 473ml
Use this on your shins and forearms where tan fades fastest. Rich enough to keep flaking at bay without being so greasy that it slides off.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy
Dab this on dry patches before bed, especially elbows and knees. Woke up with smooth skin instead of that crusty alligator texture that makes tan look terrible.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Switch to this from your regular body wash while you have a tan on. Harsh soaps strip color fast, and this one kept my tan from fading unevenly in the shower.
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Light Fragrance Body Wash 1L
Lightweight enough for summer when you don't want heavy lotion but still need hydration to keep your color locked in. Absorbs in seconds, no residue.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Lotion for Dry Skin
For anyone whose skin drinks up regular moisturizer and still feels dry by noon. Layer this under clothes and your tan will fade like a natural one, gradually and evenly.
Sheamoisture Raw Shea Butter Body Lotion, Anti-Aging
Keep this in the fridge and apply after any real sun exposure on top of your fake tan. Prevents peeling that would take your self tanner off in chunks.
Sun Bum Cool Down Hydrating After Sun Spray fldgpO
Color Correctors for Stubborn Problem Areas
Some spots just refuse to cooperate. My hands always looked two shades darker than my arms, and my feet told on me every single time. These products target the areas where self tanner goes to cause maximum embarrassment.
Use the sponge tip to blend out self tanner that settled into your smile lines or around your nose. Quick fix before leaving the house when you spot something weird.
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer, 150
Mix a drop with moisturizer and pat onto your collarbones and shoulders to distract from any remaining unevenness. Catches light so nobody's looking at the patchy spot.
NYX Professional Makeup Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator
Blend this onto the backs of your hands if they turned orange. Matches your skin tone and washes off at night. Saved me from looking like I dipped my hands in Cheeto dust.
e.l.f. Camo CC Cream, Light 210 N, 1 fl oz
Dust this along your jawline and neck to bridge the gap between face and body tan. Powder format means you can control exactly how much color you're adding.
Physicians Formula, Murumuru Butter Bronzer
Smooth this on your legs before going out to even out a fading tan. Gives that lit-from-within look that makes imperfect tanning way less obvious.
L'Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Glow Enhancer
Tiny tube but incredibly pigmented. Dot it on any dark spots where tanner pooled, blend with a damp sponge, and the mistake basically disappears.
Hard Candy Glamoflauge Pro Concealer
Swipe this on your ankles and feet where self tanner always looks the worst. Blends out those harsh lines between tanned skin and your actual skin tone.
wet n wild, Makeup Stick, You're A Natural