The quest to find the perfect sunless tanner is often a never-ending, disappointing search. We’re out here trying to make our skin look like we just sailed in on a yacht from the Bahamas, but without the skin damage. All we want is the perfect tanner with no streaks, no smell, doesn’t strip our skin of hydration, has a color that develops quickly and is buildable so that we can customize the shade of our tan. We want sunless tanning hacks to look natural and flawless.

So we made a sunless tanner!

Say hello to stay golden, our new sunless tanning product. And in true kd fashion, this isn’t just your average sunless tanner. It’s sunless tanner WITH added skincare benefits, because who says you can’t have it all?

Stay golden is formulated with vitamin E and other soothing botanicals to provide an extra boost of hydration, which is key in ensuring your tan is long lasting and fades away evenly. It quickly develops in 4-6 hours meaning you can apply in the morning, let it sit, and rinse off all in one day before a big night out or event. It’s buildable, so you can add as many layers as needed to achieve your desired glow or use it a couple times a week as a gradual tanner or for upkeep.

To celebrate the launch of our stay golden sunless tanner, we are breaking down a few sunless tanning application hacks for a flawless, golden, long-lasting tan.

1. Exfoliate properly before applying. This is a very common tip, but a lot of people don’t exfoliate correctly, which leads to streaky, patchy tans due to product build up on dry, dead skin cells. The trick is to exfoliate your body when it is dry, prior to showering. Although the skin on your body isn’t as fragile as your face, it’s still important to exfoliate gently as scrubbing too hard can lead to irritation and damage. There are so many different exfoliation options from scrubs, brushes, and mitts, so pick whichever one is suitable for your skin type. 
2. Make sure you are rinsing off thoroughly. As you are showering after exfoliation, it’s critical to ensure you are rinsing off every product you use. Shave creams, body washes, etc. can also affect your sunless tanning results if they are still laying on top of the skin. Avoid anything with oils prior to applying sunless tanner on your body.
3. Ensure you are applying on dry skin! It’s super critical that you wait for your skin to fully dry before you apply sunless tanner. Applying sunless tanner to any part of your body that has a hint of dampness will put you on a first class plane to #StreakCity. After you shower, turn the fan on in the bathroom and let the humidity out as well!
   Pro tip: If you have dry, itchy or flaky skin, (or if you are sunless tanning in the winter months), use a non-scented moisturizer all over your body immediately after showering. Wait an hour or until the moisturizer has soaked in, and then apply your sunless tanner for a smooth, flawless look
   
4. Moisturize dry areas or areas that are difficult to tan. We’ve all seen it. The patchy knees, the tragic ankles, the leather-y elbows. It happens, but it can be avoided. Use a bit of vaseline, aquaphor, or thick moisturizer and apply to those key areas where self tanner struggles to blend. Let it soak in for a few minutes and then start applying self tanner. This will moisturize the area and almost dilute the product just enough for it to look fresh and even.
5. Apply in circular motions in sections of your body. Okay, that sentence was weird to type but hear us out-- Instead of pumping 8 pumps on your tanning mitt and trying to apply all over your leg evenly, apply half of the amount and only apply the tanner to your shins and calves, working in circular motions and blending really well. Then apply more to your mitt and work the tanner onto your thighs. Do the same for your arms! This ensures an even distribution of color instead of pumping one million pumps of foam, applying, and hoping for the best.
6. Apply sunless tanner to your hands and feet last, and use a brush. A brush? Yeah, we said what we said. Using a dense, kabuki makeup brush and buffing the sunless tanner using the same circular motions as you would the rest of your body, is key! Using a brush gives you a little more control on the more delicate, smaller parts of your body. This won’t break the bank either-- you can use a cheap one or any dense makeup brush that works for liquid foundation application.
7. Let your tan sit. The longer the better, honestly, but stay golden will develop in 4-6 hours! Rinsing off too fast can mean the product isn’t absorbing at all, or absorbing unevenly.
8. Gently rinse off. When it’s time to shower after your tan, avoid scrubbing with body wash, shaving, etc. Lightly pat your body with soap, rinse off thoroughly, and get out of the shower. Gently pat yourself dry!

How to upkeep your sunless tanner:

1. Avoid scented products. Any body washes or lotions that contain fragrance will also contain alcohol. Alcohol can lead to dryness and also make your tan fade quicker, and fade unevenly. Stick to unscented, alcohol free soaps and lotions to maintain your tan longer.
2. Moisturize often. Hydrated, happy skin will ensure a long-lasting glow. If you shower in the morning, still re-apply a bit of fragrance-free body lotion before bed to lock in hydration (and your tan)! 

Ready to stay golden all year long? We thought so. Shop our stay golden sunless tanner, and stay tuned for more sunless tanning tips.