How to tan your hands and feet

There is nothing worse than finding your flawless, bronzed tan has been ruined by incorrectly tanning your hands and feet. It's okay, we've all been there. Over the years, our team has worked out the best routine for tanning these tricky spots so you'll never have to know the pain of having patchy or uneven hands or feet.

STEP ONE: Prep is key

You know the drill. Make sure you've properly prepared your skin before tanning by exfoliating thoroughly 24 hours beforehand. We also recommend applying a clear coat of nail polish to natural nails as it will prevent the tan from any discolouration.

If you've had a fresh manicure and you just don't want to take any chances, you can also use masking tape to cover the tip of your fingers and nails. 

STEP TWO: Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise 

As your hands and feet are typically a drier skin area, it is so important to show them a little bit of extra love before you start tanning. Always remember to apply moisturiser or lotion liberally to your hands, wrists, ankles and feet minutes before tanning. 

STEP THREE: Switch it up 

Once you've finished applying the tan to your body and face with your Deluxe Applicator Mitt, swap your mitt out for a fluffy or flat-head buffing makeup brush. Although the mitt is ideal for your body, a makeup brush will make it easier to get into the tricky areas of your hands and feet and give you a flawless finish. We recommend using a very small amount of product on your hands and feet - remember you can always add more later if you need to! 

For your hands, stretch out your fingers, into a claw shape. Using a sweeping motion, apply the mousse to your hands (don't forget the inside of your fingers or indents of the knuckles) and blend over your wrists.

For your feet, in the same sweeping motion, apply the tan to your feet and toes with the leftover tan. Take care around your toes and ankles, ensuring all areas are covered evenly.

STEP FOUR: Perfect it 

Using a wet wipe, remove any unwanted tan from your palms, soles of feet, nails and cuticles. This will ensure that your tan is looking natural and flawless.

STEP FIVE: Rinse and moisturise

To soften your results and stop the tan from over-developing on your hands and feet, you can rinse the tan off a bit earlier than the rest of your body. Alternatively, we've found that applying moisturiser to your hands and feet after letting the tan develop for 30 minutes to an hour will also leave you with gorgeous results. As moisturiser prevents the tan from developing, you will be left with soft and flawless results on your hands and feet.

Follow these 5 simple steps for a flawless and natural-looking tan on your hands and feet. If you’re looking for more self-tanning tips, check out our guide on how to self-tan and getting professional-looking results.