Blog

Mar 25, 2024

How to fake tan your hands and feet

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. These body parts can be pretty tricky – here’s how to tan them When summer rolls around, we love having a gorgeous tan,

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

These body parts can be pretty tricky – here’s how to tan them

When summer rolls around, we love having a gorgeous tan, but the easiest and safest way to achieve that sought-after glow is with self-tanning products.

Forget exposing your skin to the sun’s harmful rays, picking up a bottle of fake tan and applying it yourself at home will give you that same look without the risk of damaging your skin.

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

But, we know it's easier said than done. Tanning certain parts of your body can be a tricky task, with orange hands and patchy feet among the most common mishaps. We spoke to St Tropez Skin Finishing Expert Michaella Bolder to find out her top tips for tanning those awkward areas.

From preparing your skin to the tanning process, here are Michaella’s secrets for achieving a streak-free, natural-looking tan at home.

“Preparation is key when tanning anywhere, make sure you’ve exfoliated 24 hours before you apply self-tan,” Michaella said.

She explained that if you don’t do this, your dead skin cells will lift naturally and you’ll end up having an uneven tan.

Michaella's top tip: Always use a clean mitt for both the tan removing and applying process.

If you’re struggling to get rid of any remaining tan on your hands, arms or feet from your last tanning session, Michaella suggested using a tan removing mousse which works to break down the old product, giving you a fresh base to tan on.

Shop our favourite tan removers

According to Michaella, it’s best to always tan your hands and feet last, using the leftover product on your mitt.

“Put your hand in a claw-like position to stretch out the fingers and sweep the mitt from the top of the wrist over the hand and fingers to your nails. From here, gently press the mitt using a tapping motion all over your knuckles, fingers and hand to add any extra coverage missed on the first sweep,” Michaella said.

Shop our favourite tanning mitts

She added: “For your feet, stretch the foot pointing the toes down and sweep the mitt over the foot and toes, using the pressing motion again to ensure you have covered the foot evenly.”

Shop our favourite self-tanners

If you find it difficult to tan your hands with a mitt, Michaella suggested using a tanning face mist to spritz a little on your hands at the end of your tanning session.

Now time to get your tan on! You can thank us later...

Is Charlotte Tilbury's new cream her best yet?

This Clarins product leaves skin seriously glowy

Our favourite hand creams to rescue dry hands

The best tinted lip balms for serious hydration

7 best collagen supplements to buy now

The fake tan removers our beauty team swear by

The best face SPFs for every skin type

The best body suncreams for summer 2023

Everything you need to know about niacinamide

These are the ultimate No7 skincare products

This is the best SPF face mist we've found

Everything you need to know about summer shaving