A Just A Little Bit Orange Feature. By Vicki Mayhew. Copyright © 03/15/2003. All Rights Reserved.

The Dark Sunless Tan: Getting It And Keeping It

How Often?

For a dark tan, you may need to layer products.

What is layering? Applying two or more coats of tanner on the same day, or a day apart. You don't need to shower, exfoliate, or moisturize between layers. Generally you want to wait at least 30 minutes to an hour before applying a second coat of ST. You can wait longer, but do not apply more frequently than every 30 minutes. You want the first coat to have absorbed into the skin before applying a second.

If you apply a second coat of tanner the next day, feel free to shower, but don't moisturize all over before you apply your coat of sunless tanning product — unless that is what works better for you.

If you are using a new product for the first time, or have never layered two products together, it is strongly recommended that you try it on a hidden test area first, and also wait 24 hours between layers. Many dark products can take as long as 24 hours to develop, and two layers too close together could turn out orange.

On my face I usually use a color guide free product, applying one more coat than I use for my body.

What's a color guide? A tint or bronzer added to a sunless tanning product that lets you see where you have applied it.

A product with a color guide will work well on my face, but the tint is more visible in my pores, which looks bad. However, any tint that pools in pores, or builds up on facial hair, can be removed with a washcloth, or a BHA based toner product, such as Neutrogena Clean and Clear Pore Refining Toner.

For hands and feet use a lighter, moisturizing sunless tanning product. No-Ad Sunless Tanning Lotion and Coppertone Oil Free Effortless Color work well on hands and feet. You can also dilute your dark sunless tanning product with a lightweight moisturizer to lighten the color for hand and foot use.

Maintenance: Moisturizing, Fading, Etc.

If a product causes lizard-like skin or poor fading with just one coat, don't try to layer it for a dark sunless tan.

Everyone has certain areas of the body where they notice fading first (inner crook of arm, behind knees, lower forearms, etc.) Wherever that is, as soon as you see fading there, it is time to apply a maintenance coat of sunless tanning product. If you wait another day or two, your entire tan may start to look lizard-like or "cracked." With a dark tan, you don't have a long grace period.

What's cracked? A term used to describe a fading dark tan with lighter lines between dark areas.

You should exfoliate lightly in the shower, then apply your sunless tanning product. If you are using a very dark ST, the maintenance coat product should be a medium product, or the dark product diluted slightly with moisturizer to lighten it to a medium shade.

If you apply a dark sunless tanning product over a dark tan that has started to fade or look a bit "cracked," it may not blend the light and dark areas together as well as a lighter toned product.

If you are using many coats of a light to medium product to get dark, then you can use the same product to maintain your color.

When looking for products to use with a dark tan, keep these things in mind: You generally want a product that will last longer on you, fades slowly and evenly, and leaves your skin moisturized.

Sunless tanning lotions tend to be more moisturizing than sunless mousses and gels, so if you are having trouble keeping your skin moisturized, consider switching to a lotion. A sunless tan from a lotion often fades slower, and is darker, then one from a mousse or gel.

Some people find leaving a ST on longer gives more depth. I find many dark products give me a darker color if I leave them on for at least 24 hours before showering. If you can't wait that long, try rinsing lightly in the shower, without scrubbing.

If your product looks yellow or orange after two coats, a third coat of that product will not help.

Try a different product as a third coat; sometimes it will help. Wait 24 hours before applying a third coat in this situation.