If you love having a year-round tan, you’re going to LOVE these DIY self-tanner recipes! Unlike store-bought self-tanners, these DIY self-tanner recipes are much healthier for your skin as they contain 100% natural ingredients and won’t leave your skin orange. Many commercial tanning products also contain alcohol which can dry out the skin as well as irritate sensitive skin.
Using a DIY tanning lotion also reduces your risk of skin cancer as you’re not spending as much time in the sun (or at least we hope you wouldn’t be!). For sun-kissed skin, we always advise sunless tanning over actual tanning! A fake tan can be JUST as great as a real tan, especially if you use any of these DIY self-tanner recipes!
DIY Self Tanner Recipes
Benefits:
- No orange spots or weird streaks.
- You can customize the color just by changing the recipe up a little!
- Super cheap to make and will save you hundreds of dollars a year.
- No harsh chemicals or alcohols.
#1. Cocoa Powder Sunless Tanning Lotion
You’ll Need:
- Unscented white lotion
- 100% pure cocoa powder
Directions:
- Start out by mixing 1/2 cup of the unscented white lotion with about 1/3 cup of pure cocoa powder.
- Mix well with a fork until all lumps are gone.
- Keep in mind that the lotion will appear darker in the bowl than on your skin.
- If you’d like a darker color, add a little bit more cocoa powder.
- For a lighter color, add a little bit more lotion.
- Store in a clean jar or container.
Using the DIY Self Tanner:
- Exfoliate face and body 2-3 times a week for the best results. Removing the dead skin cells that chill on the top layer of your skin will ensure a more even tan.
- Rub the self-tanner on dry skin, making sure to cover all areas. You will be able to see the tanner as you’re applying it.
- Wait 3-5 minutes for it to dry.
- Apply as often as needed.
The self-tanner will leave your skin silky smooth and 2-3 shades darker than before. Be careful though! Since this does not contain any alcohol or preservatives, it won’t last as long as store-bought self-tanners, so you may need to reapply more often depending on how often you shower!
#2. DIY Carrot Sunless Tanning Oil
This carrot tanning oil is easy to make, but the best part of it is that it’ll leave less streaks because it’s an oil. This recipe makes about one gallon of carrot tanning oil.
You’ll Need:
- 3/4 gallon of water
- 1 pound carrot – unpeeled
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
Directions:
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Rinse the carrots really well and then cut them into thin slices.
- To the water, add the sliced carrots, brown sugar and coconut oil.
- Reduce heat, and simmer on low for about 3 hours.
- Remove from heat, and let the oil cool.
- Pour the oil through a strainer to remove any clumps.
- Pour the oil into a spray bottle.
- Spray onto freshly cleansed skin once a week.
- For best results, apply a little pressure to the carrots when straying to get the most oil out. Read more
