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When To Avoid Applying Self-Tanner, From A Hair Removal Expert
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
If you shave your legs but they never look that smooth, you could be dealing with what many people call strawberry legs. This is caused by a number of factors, from keratosis pilaris (KP) to a dull razor and beyond—so no, it’s not necessarily something you’re doing wrong.
That being said, there is one habit that might be making your strawberry legs even more pronounced. To come, what you need to know and what to do.
What happens if you apply self-tanner after shaving?
Most of the time, self-tanner will only make your skin look more glowy and even-toned—but if you apply it right after shaving, it may provide the opposite effect.
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According to laser hair removal expert and founder of Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal, Christian Karavolas, you should actually wait a full 48 hours post-shave to apply your self-tanner.
“This would allow the pores to close and the skin irritation to subside,” Karavolas explains. “Otherwise, tiny dots may appear, as the cream would seep through the pores.”
The end result: Legs specked with tiny dots, looking like hair even if there’s no actual hair to be found.
Instead, apply a soothing, fragrance-free body lotion right after you shave to hydrate the freshly-exfoliated skin without causing irritation. Here, our favorite soothing body lotions on the market.
PSA: You shouldn’t tan before laser hair removal either
And if you have a laser hair removal appointment booked, just know this: “You should stop applying a self-tanner for at least two weeks prior to having laser hair removal performed for best results,” Karavolas notes. “If you apply a self-tanner prior to treatment, since the laser is attracted to pigment and melanin, it will pick up whatever is on the surface of the skin (epidermis) and cause mild pigmentation and/or blotchiness."
So while self-tanner may normally make your skin look more even-toned, that’s not the case when applied before laser hair removal or right after shaving. Keep this in mind the next time you pick up the tanning mitt.
The takeaway
Applying self-tanner right after you shave could make your skin look blotchy and your strawberry legs more pronounced. Be sure to wait 48 hours after shaving to be safe, and stop self-tanning two weeks before laser hair removal for the best results. From there, feel free to self-tan as you please—here are 11 of our favorite clean self-tanners if you’re on the hunt for a new favorite.
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