Most people get fake tan wrong in the first hour, not the last. The mitt isn’t the problem — the prep is. Below is the seven-step method we use every week at our Sydney studio. It works on three skin tones, takes fifteen minutes, and stops the streaks before they start. You don’t need a primer. You don’t need a setting spray. You need a mitt, a mousse you trust, and a coin-sized blob.
- Step 1
Exfoliate the day before, not the day of
Use a buffing mitt or a gentle body scrub. Pay attention to elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, the tops of your feet. Do not exfoliate the day of — your skin is freshly raw, and tan grips raw skin unevenly.
- Step 2
Shower and dry. Fully
Damp skin gives you streaks. Towel off, then wait ten minutes before applying. That catches the rest of the dampness without you having to think about it.
- Step 3
Moisturise the dry zones only
Knees, elbows, ankles, wrists, the backs of your hands, the bridges of your feet. Don’t moisturise the rest of your body — that dilutes the tan. A pea-sized amount per zone, blended in fully.
- Step 4
Apply the mousse onto the mitt, not the skin
A coin-sized blob. Start at your ankles and work upward in long, even strokes — like you’re putting on stockings.
- Step 5
Work in sections
Lower legs, upper legs, stomach, chest, arms. Save your back, hands and feet for last. Two minutes per zone, no rushing.
- Step 6
Hands and feet are the giveaway zone
When you’ve finished your body, the leftover product on the mitt is exactly enough for your hands and feet. Glide it on. Do not add more product. Then wash your palms with a wet flannel.
- Step 7
Air-dry, then dress in loose dark clothing
Don’t sit on white sheets. Don’t sleep in tight pyjamas. Let the tan develop for 4 hours (Light), 6 hours (Medium), 8 hours (Dark or Ultra Dark), then rinse off the cosmetic guide colour in a cool shower.
Real results · from the library
Real Australian Glow studio results. Unretouched, dated, with shade + develop time.
frequently asked.
Four hours minimum for Light, six for Medium, eight for Dark or Ultra Dark. You can sleep in Dark and Ultra Dark; rinse Light and Medium before bed if you want a more subtle finish.
Next in the Glow Guide
Which Australian Glow Shade Is Right For Me? An Honest Comparison
Light, Medium, Dark or Ultra Dark — with develop time, finish, fade and real before-and-afters across skin tones.
How To Fix Streaky, Patchy Or Orange Fake Tan (Tested Methods)
Don’t panic. Whatever the disaster looks like at 7am, there’s a tested fix that takes under ten minutes.
How To Prep Your Skin Before Self Tanning (The 72-Hour Plan)
Exfoliate, shave, moisturise — but when? The 72-hour prep beauty editors use before a self tan that lasts.
