How To Prepare Your Skin For Fake Tan
SKINCAREJuly 2026
When it comes to fake tan, the formula and application are important, but the results really hinge on one key element: the prep work.
Applying fake tan or getting a spray tan while having dry, dehydrated skin can lead to a patchy, uneven and potentially disastrous tanning job. But, put the effort in ahead of time, and you’ll be rewarded with a smooth, glowing, even tan that looks more like you’ve spent two weeks in the Mediterranean than the work of any bottle.
So, how do you prep for fake tan? In this guide, we’ll go over some of our favourite spray tan prep tips, and give you the ultimate spray tan preparation breakdown for your face and body.
Fake Tan Prep: Key takeaways
- Spray tan preparation is arguably as important as the tan itself.
- Proper spray tan preparation will allow your tan to adhere properly and not become patchy, blotchy, or fade quickly.
- To prepare your face for a fake tan, we recommend exfoliating, cleansing, moisturising and using an SPF before and after to keep your skin (and tan) safe.
- For body fake tan preparation, we recommend a full body exfoliation, moisturising, and regular SPF use.
- To keep your skin, and tan, safe from UV exposure and damage, discover Kiehl’s Better Screen™ UV Serum Sunscreen.
Why Do You Need to Prep Before Spray Tans?
There’s nothing worse than watching a patchy, uneven tan form on your legs or arms as your tanning lotion sinks in. Given that fake tan feels like a product that should conceal imperfections, it’s pretty natural to overlook spray tan preparation and think more about aftercare, but this is a big mistake.
Shaving, moisturising, and exfoliating before spray tans prepare the skin for product application, clearing the surface and pores to allow maximum absorption, crucially in an even way. Failing to do this, or failing to do it properly, can lead to patchy tans with some areas darker than others and an unnatural final look.
Keep reading to see our top tips on how to properly prep before spray tans.
How to Prep Skin for Spray Tan on Face
Whether you’re tanning your face or body, you’ll need to prepare your skin, but this preparation takes slightly different forms. Here’s our top spray tan prep tips for your face.
Step 1: Exfoliate
We all want our fake tan to look believable, but the most tell-tale sign of an at-home job is patchiness. The cause? Dry, rough skin. That’s why a sturdy exfoliator is the cornerstone of every tanning routine.
Exfoliate before spray tans roughly 48 hours in advance to give yourself the best chance of absorbing the spray properly. Gently massage Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser into the skin on your face in circular motions, allowing it to exfoliate and soften skin in preparation for tanning.
Step 2: Cleanse
The next step in spray tan preparation is cleansing. As with exfoliating, cleansing removes impurities and dirt from the face and prepares it for proper absorption of fake tan.
To cleanse your face, massage Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser into your face in upward circular motions before rinsing thoroughly with warm water.
Step 3: Moisturise
You need to moisturise before a spray tan to ensure that the tan adheres and absorbs into your face as well as possible. The moisturiser you choose for your face should be light, hydrating and quick to absorb.
If you have dry skin, try Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, which provides up to 72 hours of hydration. If you have oily skin, try Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Lotion for Oily Skin Types, a lightweight and non-greasy moisturiser that’s ideal for oily skin.
Step 4: SPF
In the days leading up to your spray tan, and after it’s been applied, a good SPF is vital. Use Kiehl’s Better Screen™ UV Serum Sunscreen to protect the skin on your face, and keep it in the healthiest shape in preparation for your spray tan.
How to Prep Skin for Spray Tan On the Body
Now, let’s look at how to prepare skin for a spray tan on your body.
Step 1: Full Body Exfoliation
Removing all the dead skin from your body through exfoliation before spray tans is important because the tanner will act like a magnet to the dry skin and dry patches, sticking to them and leaving you with a blotchy, uneven result. Use an exfoliating body scrub or body cleanser like Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Smoothing Oil-to-Foam Body Cleanser to help cleanse your skin of impurities and hydrate it.
When to Shave Before a Spray Tan
Wondering when to shave before a spray tan? We’d recommend shaving before you exfoliate to ensure any debris or dirt accumulated while shaving can be removed by your exfoliant.
When it comes to how long before a spray tan you should shave, we recommend 48 hours - the same as when you should exfoliate.
Step 2: Moisturise
Think of moisturiser as a primer for your self-tanner. If you skip on it, your skin will feel dry, and the self-tan won’t adhere as well. When looking for a body moisturiser for spray tan prep, look for one that is hydrating but lightweight, as you want the tanner to evenly absorb into the skin, and a heavy, emollient formula can inhibit that.
On the body, we suggest the Creme de Corps Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter and squalene, a rich, fast-absorbing moisturiser with a non-greasy finish.
Step 3: SPF
Once again, SPF is a vital step in spray tan before or after care for your body. In the days leading up to your spray tan, use Kiehl’s Better Screen™ UV Serum Sunscreen to keep your skin healthy, and in the days after it, continue to use our broad-spectrum SPF to protect your skin and the quality of your fake tan.
Keep Your Skin Healthy and Perfectly Tanned with Kiehl’s
If you’ve got a spray tan in the calendar, then you’ll need skincare that you can rely on. For spray tan preparation, Kiehl’s range of face and body exfoliants, cleansers, and moisturisers are ideal. But most important of all is a good SPF to keep your skin safe and your finished tan in tip-top shape. Pre and post tan, use Kiehl’s Better Screen™ UV Serum Sunscreen to keep your skin protected.
