How To Exfoliate Before Self Tanner For The Perfect Faux Glow

Want to get your bronze on but worried about streaks? We feel you. After a lot of trial and error, we’ve learned that the secret to a smooth, even application lies in learning how to exfoliate before self-tanner. 

A lackluster pre-tan scrub can result in orange elbows and streaky thighs. The key is to adjust your level of exfoliation depending on which body part you’re working on, as you can with our new raw sugar body scrub.

5 Do’s And Don’ts Of Exfoliation

A few tips to remember as you exfoliate:

1. Do exfoliate 2-3 times weekly, or as often as is comfortable for your skin. 
2. Do use an exfoliant that dissolves to prevent irritation and protect our oceans. Our Enzyme Sugar Body Scrub uses raw sugar instead of harsh microbeads that can sensitize skin and pollute the sea.
3. Don’t forget to exfoliate your face, even if you aren’t applying self tanner. Exfoliating regularly will help your makeup go on smoothly to help you avoid patchy-looking bronzer and flaky foundation. Try our Glycolic Renewal Mask for gentle, effective facial exfoliation.
4. Do attack dry skin two ways: by physically scrubbing it and chemically sloughing off dead cells. Our raw sugar body scrub is multi-exfoliating, which is the fancy way to say it does both.
5. Don’t skip the sunscreen. Sun exposure can make skin dry and flaky, and sunburn results in damage and peeling. Our Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen provides a Pa++++ SPF 30 block to help prevent sun damage and dry skin while blending seamlessly with every skin tone. It’s also a reef safe sunscreen, so you’re protecting sea creatures and your skin.

The Best Way To Exfoliate Before Self Tanner

Our team has exfoliation down to a science, especially when it comes to learning how to exfoliate before self tanner. Here’s the step-by-step process we follow to get a safe, streak-free self tan every time:

1. Assess the situation. Which parts of your body are driest? Do you see any flaky skin? Mentally flag those areas for deeper exfoliation. This is especially important as you think about how to exfoliate your legs, which often have the most variation in hydration level and texture.
2. Customize your scrub. Our Enzyme Sugar Body Scrub adapts to your individual needs depending on how much water you incorporate into the product. Use less water when attacking drier areas such as your knees and elbows, and more on sensitive spots such as your chest.
3. Scrub in circles. Apply exfoliant using a gentle, circular motion to prevent over-exfoliation and promote circulation.
4. Seal it in with moisture. The exfoliation process doesn’t end in the shower. Well-hydrated skin renews itself more evenly, helping to ensure that your faux glow lasts longer and fades evenly. Our Squalane + Caffeine Body Cream not only hydrates on contact, it also improves skin texture and supports its moisture barrier to create a smoother appearance.
5. Protect with SPF. Exfoliation exposes a fresh layer of skin which can burn easily. Protect that baby skin with reef safe sunscreen to help prevent sunburn and peeling.