What if I hate my spray tan?

Nobody likes talking about this bit, which is exactly why it should be on here. After sixteen years we have had the phone call, and almost every time it has a straightforward answer.

First: is it the guide colour?

Nine times out of ten, yes.

Most tanning solutions include a temporary guide colour so we can see where we have been. It is much darker than your actual result, it sits on the surface, and it washes off completely in your first shower.

If you have just been tanned and you are looking in the mirror thinking it is far too dark, wait. Rinse at the time we told you, then look again. It is a different thing entirely.

Do not shower early to “fix” it. That is the one thing that genuinely does cause a problem, because you cut the development short and end up with a patchy, half-finished colour.

If it is genuinely too dark after developing

Fixable, and fairly easily.

• A long warm shower and a gentle rub with a flannel will take the top off it
• Exfoliate lightly and evenly, all over, not just the bits you dislike. Patchy exfoliating creates patchy tan
• A bath with a good scoop of bicarbonate of soda lifts colour noticeably and is gentler than scrubbing
• Swimming if you have access to a pool. Chlorine will take it down quickly

Go gradually. It is much easier to take a bit more off tomorrow than to put it back on.

If it is patchy

Patchiness is nearly always prep rather than application, and knowing which bit helps.

Dry areas grip more colour. Elbows, knees, ankles, hands and feet are the usual suspects. Exfoliating on the day rather than the day before, or moisturising just before the appointment, are the two most common causes.

Quick fix: a light buff on the dark patches with a damp flannel, then moisturise. For a small area, a smudge of gradual tanner on the pale bits evens it up.

If it is patchy all over rather than in specific spots, that is a different problem and we want to hear about it.

If it has gone orange

Genuine orange is usually one of three things: too dark a shade for your skin tone, a product that did not suit you, or an old tan underneath that was not removed properly.

Get it off, then start again lighter and with a clean base. Our guide on removing fake tan covers the proper way to do it without scrubbing yourself raw.

Then tell us what happened, because it tells us which product not to use on you next time. That is genuinely useful and it is not a complaint, it is information.

If you need it gone completely

A dedicated tan remover is the quickest route and worth keeping in the house. Failing that, a long soak, bicarbonate of soda, an exfoliating mitt, and patience.

Lemon juice, baby oil and toothpaste all get suggested online. They are all harsher on your skin than they are effective on the tan.

Please just tell us

This is the actual point of the page.

If you are not happy, message us. We are not going to be offended and we are not going to argue with you. We would far rather know, because then we can help you fix it and get it right next time.

Most of the time a quick conversation sorts it, and often it turns out to be something in the prep or aftercare that nobody had explained properly. That is on us to explain better.

How to avoid it in the first place

• Start lighter than you think. Easier to go darker next time than to strip a tan you hate
• Exfoliate the day before, not the day of
• No moisturiser, deodorant or perfume on the day
• Get any old tan off properly first
• Tell us where you are going and what you are wearing. It genuinely changes what we recommend
• If it is a big event, do a trial first. Non-negotiable for a wedding. More on the bridal page

There is more in our prep guide and our piece on choosing between Bondi Sands and St Tropez.