The Fourth of July weekend is coming up! And for some, that means soaking up the sun, spending as much time as possible in their bathing suits before heading back to work Monday morning. 

IDK about you, but sometimes swimsuits stress me out—especially if I’m still missing my summer tan. That’s why I’m always sure to add a bit of self-tanning to my bikini preparation routine. It just makes me feel more confident and like myself! 

Here’s exactly what I do to achieve the perfect self-tan for those long bikini weekends. 

The Night Before… 

Be sure to plan ahead and prepare for your self-tan the night beforehand. Jump in the shower and exfoliate your skin (with our scrub!) for your smoothest possible application. Do all your shaving or hair-removal then, too. 

Once you’re out of the shower, be sure to follow up with extra moisture where you shaved—especially on your elbows and knees. (And even the bottom of your feet!) You can use whatever moisturizer you like, but might we suggest our Body & Intimacy Serum to start?

The Day Of!

Finally ready to self-tan? Great. If you’re at all sweaty or dirty, cleanse your body with our Refresh Wipes before you whip out the tanner. (Sweat dilutes the tan, afterall!) Then, use your tanning mitt to apply the self-tanner wherever you see fit, being sure to blend it all in.

While the self-tan sits, wear loose clothes so as not to rub the product off. Leave it on for around eight hours, then rinse it all off in the shower—but wait another 24 hours before you use soap or other products again to best preserve the self-tan!

Okay, I can’t wait to see how great you all look in your fresh self-tans over this long weekend. You’ve got this!