Why is my "fake tan" flaking off???

[VictoriaL]

Help please! I'm not even halfway through my vacation and DH looked at my legs today and said "uck! what's on your legs?". I've been using the Jergens moisturizer that has self-tanner only on my legs for a few weeks now. For some reason, the tan around my ankles and on other patches of my legs is flaking off, making it look like I have large areas of tanned freckles! The new loofah that I brought along has been soaking for three days and won't soften, so I can't exfoliate the entire "tan" off, so I'll probably have to make my own salt or sugar scrub (any suggestions, by the way, would be helpful). What is causing this? Or is this a common problem with the self-tanning moisturizers? Should I switch to another brand, or get a real self-tanner rather than one which is also a moisturizer? Thankfully the beach in front of our house is practically deserted so I'll only be offending my husband for the next few days...

Any advice/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

ps- and does anyone have any dieas why that stupid loofah sponge is remaining hard as a rock and what I can do about it? Toss the thing?? Boil it???

[Robyn1007]

My guess is that the sand etc is exfoliating your skin unevenly and you need to moisturize more (with a regular moisturizer). When I use those products I alternate and use a regular moisturizer in the morning and the tanning moisturizer in the evening.

[Middydd]

I find a good scrub with a wet face cloth exfoliates enough to even it out a bit. I also find that you get a more even effect by alternating between a full strength self-tanner and a daily one. The full strength one seems to fill in the spotty patches.

After trying a lot of different self tanners, the one I like the best, oddly enough, is from the grocery store!! And cheap!!

President's Choice Sunless Tanning Lotion, Light to Medium, it gives a good even brown effect, it's tinted so you can see where you've applied it, it has a nice chocolatey-caramel scent that goes away quickly and has SPF sunscreen so you don't tan if you're out in the sun.

I shopped outdoors for 4 or so hours last Saturday in strong sun and showed no redness whatsoever. The sunscreens worked all day.

All that for $6.49 a big tube.

[funniegrrl]

I agree, the sand or something else in your environment is performing some uneven exfoliation. Also, if you didn't exfoliate before you applied the tanning moisturizer, that's exacerbating the problem.

One of the best GENTLE exfoliants is baking soda. Just mix in a paste with a few drops of water and a tiny bit of soap. I use this on my face every day and it's effective, yet more gentle than salt, sugar, or any commercial scrub.

[mbrogier]

I use Dove glow. I was using the light formula until I got a sample of the medium in the mail. Any time I use salt scrub on my legs my tan fades. I also didn't apply the dove glow for a few days and I got uneven fading. I think that's because parts of your legs rub on the sheets and your jeans more than other parts. (like that little hollow on the side of the top of my shin bone kept color more than the side of my leg)

The medium just leaves a bit more color so it doesn't look faded as quickly.

I just had a pedicure yesterday and a lot of my tan got scrubbed off.

I moisturize before I put on the tanner. It does help the tanner stay on better and last longer.

[sweetcook]

i agree.. dove is one great suggestion to use... :)

[Blissful_in_TX]

Ditto that it's probably the sand and ocean acting as an exfoliator....also the drier your skin, the more it's going to flake.

[juliew]

I had that happen to me last year, particularly if I wasn't consistent about applying the lotion. I found for me, Jergens just didn't moisturize that well (or maybe I have really dry skin). My only advice would be what has already been stated above.

[Jazzmatazz49]

Other than what has already been posted, I use a very good moisturizer after my shower/exfoliation and before putting on the self-tanner. I use Renew by Melaleuca which has changed my life, or at least the life of my normally rough feet! Then I use Renew nightly before going to bed or after showers. I think the nature of a self tanner is that it wears off as your skin naturally sloughs off, and that is not going to happen in a perfectly even manner.

[Middydd]

I think the nature of a self tanner is that it wears off as your skin naturally sloughs off, and that is not going to happen in a perfectly even manner.

That's for sure!! Sand and swimming seem to accelerate the process. An hour in a hot tub can make a fake tan almost disappear.

[Cafe Latte]

I don't have luck with self-tanners. Last year I tried some towelette type tanner and it was very uneven looking on my skin. I am fair skinned so I decided to try Dove. Well, it gave me a rash. :( I was not thrilled with it and have now realized that my white, pale complexion is what I will have to live with for the rest of my life. :rolleyes: :o

[luv2cook]

I just this week tried Coppertone. Aside from the smell, it went on easy enough. I have a problem with flaking skin and so far (just one coat) doesn't seem to be flaking off. Sand at the beach is evil for sunless tanner.

Anyone ever try the tanning salon spray-on tan? Just curious if it works.

[VictoriaL]

Thanks for all of your advice! :)

It's too hot to go on the beach today (even though we usually don't go until 3:30 or so), and tomorrow we're touring some nearby towns, so I will have the chance to stop off at a drugstore and buy some products.

Any ideas on how to soften a rock-hard loofah??? It's been soaking for close to 5 days now, so I'm thinking that it's just now gonna happen...

[LakeMartinGal]

I just googled every way I could to find out about the care of loofahs, but no luck! If it's that hard, why don't you try softening it by pressing or hitting it? If it's hard enough to break, it's too hard to use on your skin!

Not that I know anything about loofahs, but... :rolleyes:

[mbrogier]

I don't know anything about loofahs either. Can you ask whoever you bought it from when you get back?

I noticed Banana Boat has a self tanner moisturizer now, too.