Bedtime tanning checklist

Tips for tanning before bed.

Your tan will develop as you sleep and be ready to wash off in the morning.

You’ve prepped your skin, popped on a tanning mitt and picked up your tanner – you’re ready to create a show-stopping gorgeous glow at home just before hitting the sack.

But hang on! There’s more to tanning before bed than prepping your skin and finding the perfect product. Here are some of the smaller things that you might have forgotten to do before applying your sunless tanner close to bedtime:

Brush your teeth!

There’s nothing more annoying than applying tanner in the evening and realising that you’ve forgotten to brush your teeth. Clean your gnashers before you make a start because toothpaste and water will remove the tanner from the top and sides of your mouth, leaving behind a pale border. And nobody wants that.

Tie up your hair firmly

Strands of loose hair can soak up tanner and create unsightly marks so tie up your locks well to prevent the occurrence of fine tan lines. Make sure your barnet doesn’t come undone when you’re asleep and remove the tanner from your face, shoulders and back. Although your skin will be touch-dry before you take a snooze it still makes good sense to do everything you can to encourage a balanced colour result with zero streaks.

Complete all your jobs

Got to fill the dishwasher before bed, bring the laundry in or write a report for work? Do it early so there’s no chance of transferring your tanner onto anything important. Your tanning lotion will need about 15 minutes to dry fully before you can put your clothes on. Our advice is that you relax afterwards to make sure that all of the hard work you’ve put into creating a golden tan is worth it.

Ditch your pretty pyjamas

Opt for old pyjamas that you don’t mind getting dirty because some colour transfer could occur. Wearing dark clothes is the best option as it can be tricky to remove stains from lighter-coloured garments.