Having a spray tan is a sure-fire way of making yourself feel like some sort of goddess. That bronzed glow gives you a healthier, smoother, and sleeker look that’ll boost your confidence level up to a hundred!
The only downside to spray tan is that it gets everywhere (When we say everywhere, we really mean everywhere). So you need to know how to get spray tan off hands and make them appear normal again!
Spray tan or fake tan can also highlight the skin, illuminating it and giving you a sun-kissed glow, but it can also contour the skin to make you seem more defined.
This post may have affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission on purchases through the links (at no extra cost to you). This does not change our opinion but does help support the site. Thank you!
It’s honestly a wonder product that everyone should have in their bathroom cabinet!
The day after a spray tan, when you wake up in the morning, you’ll often find an orange-tinged outline of your body stained into the sheets.
What is even worse is looking down to find that your hands are stained unnaturally orange-tinged, or there are lines and marks where there shouldn’t be! So much for your natural sun-kissed look!
The hands are a dead giveaway that you’ve had a spray tan or used a fake tan, so you need to know how to get spray tan off hands and make them appear normal again!
How To Get Spray Tan Off Hands
Spray tan and fake tans often are made with ingredients with dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, which works to darken the surface of your skin.
For the most part, the drier the skin is, the easier it absorbs DHA, which is often why areas such as the hands, around the knees, ankles, and feet can become the darkest, and start to look caked in fake tan.
Luckily for you, we have got five simple steps that you can follow to remove any spray tan or fake tan from your hands and feet, or any areas where it shouldn’t be!
Take A Bath
The first step is to have a warm bath and soak in the tub. This will help to soften up the skin so that you can exfoliate and get rid of any overly spray-tanned areas.
We also recommend that you apply some body oil before the bath, as this can help to start loosening the patches of spray tan so that you can scrub it off afterward.
Exfoliate The Skin
Once you’re out of the tub, and you’ve dried yourself off, you can exfoliate.
Exfoliation can be done in a variety of ways, as you may want to use a sugar scrub in the tub, or a washcloth to help get rid of any dry skin or excess dead skin cells.
There is a range of ways to do this. We love using exfoliating mitts to get rid of any dead skin such as the Dermasuri exfoliating mitt.
You’ll want to use this, scrubbing in circular motions to remove any overly spray-tanned areas and get rid of any orange or dark stains on your skin. Exfoliating mitts are also great for clearing out the pores and getting rid of ingrown hairs.
You can also reuse this mitt for the next time you’re planning on getting a spray tan, as exfoliation can help the tan go on much smoother.
Alternatively, use the mitt to apply fake tan so that you never get orange or discolored hands again!
Sugar scrubs are also great natural exfoliants that you can make yourself with a little water, coconut oil, and sugar. Alternatively, you can find exfoliating scrubs such as the Majestic pure Himalayan salt body scrub or a washcloth.
Lemon Juice Scrub
If you find that the color is still quite stubborn, and you cannot seem to get it off, then the next step is to use lemon juice.
Lemon juice is filled with Vitamin C and citric acid which can help remove excess pigment and lighten the skin.
You can squeeze a little lemon juice onto the hands directly, or mix it with a little bit of baking soda to create your own exfoliant to scrub away the patches.
Go For A Swim
Another tip for you is to go for a swim in the pool. The chlorine will work to gently bleach and lighten the skin to remove excess spray tan leftover on the hands, which can help remove any patches you have remaining.
After your swim hit the showers and use an exfoliating mitt to get at the patches around your hands and feet.
Hot & Steamy
Our final step for removing spray tan from the hands is to hit the steam room. The steam can effectively remove excess spray tan from your hands as the humidity will make you sweat, and soften up the skin.
Afterwards, use a warm washcloth to gently rub the skin and rinse with warm water to remove any patches and stubborn lines.
Our Top Tip
If you often apply fake tan yourself, then this is a sure-fire way of ending up with tan all over your hands. Trust us, we’ve all been there, it happens.
However, you can avoid this entirely by ensuring that you cleanse your hands after you’re done applying.
First, clean the palms deeply with soap and water, and remember to go in between the fingers as this is the driest area, where the tan will stick.
Wash in between those areas, and use a washcloth to gently scrub away any excess tan in there.
Always remember to clean the fingernails and cuticles as these can quickly darken and give away the fact that your tan is not real!
The best way to avoid fake-tanned hands is to prevent it in the first place and make sure you wash your hands properly after applying, and you should be fine!