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6 Tips to Fix Annoying Tan Lines Instantly By Katharine McEntee Katharine McEntee Katharine has covered celebrity beauty secrets, insider tips from hairstylists and makeup artists, beauty news, and product reviews for Byrdie. Byrdie's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 31, 2023 06:13PM

Tan lines can be quite polarizing. Some love the remnants of a faint bikini outline while others will do everything in their power to avoid them. But sometimes, no matter how much SPF we slather on or how dedicated we are to buffing in that fake tan, we're left with streaks and dramatically contrasting tan lines in all the wrong places. It's in these drastic situations where we're left with a farmer's tan or zebra-like stripes courtesy of that strappy, new bathing suit that we're left frantically searching the internet for a quick fix to diminish the appearance.

For cases exactly like this, we reached out to a couple of skin and tanning experts to learn how to minimize tan lines. From traditional methods like applying body makeup with a kabuki brush to less conventional practices like rubbing potato slices on your skin, here are some tan line–earasing hacks that'll make those stripes disappear in no time.

Meet the Experts

• Joanna Vargas is a celebrity esthetician and founder of Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care. She is also the author of Glow From Within.
• Sophie Evans is a self-tan expert and St. Tropez skin-finishing brand ambassador.
• Graceanne Svendsen is a licensed esthetician and health coach.

01 of 06

Exfoliate to Fade

The first step to fading a tan line (whether sun-kissed or the result of self-tanner) is exfoliation, says celeb facialist Joanna Vargas. To do this, she recommends using a clean washcloth and body scrub.

Byrdie Tip

If you don't have time to run out and get a scrub, you can quickly make one at home with equal parts brown sugar and olive oil, plus a bit of raw honey.

02 of 06

Lighten With Baking Soda

Is there anything baking soda can't do? Apparently not, as the kitchen staple is also a well-known tool for toning down a tanning mishap. A thick paste of baking soda and water is great for spot-treating singular problem areas, but for a full-body fade head to the tub. Just like those dreamy foot baths at your local nail salon, dropping into a steamy baking soda-infused bath will soften even the deepest of tans.

Byrdie Tip

Hot water will also open up pores to release any leftover self-tanning agents.

03 of 06

Balance Out With Self-Tanner

To fix traditional tan lines, St. Tropez's skin-finishing expert Sophie Evans says to "paint [self-tanning] lotion heavily onto your tan lines, being as meticulous as possible. Leave on for eight hours (or overnight), and then shower it off." Once dry, look to see if your lines are even. If so, leave them be. If not, she says to use a gentle exfoliator to soften the lines' appearance. When filling in your tan lines, she recommends using a kabuki brush for large lines and a concealer brush for smaller areas and edges.

04 of 06

Fade With Potato Slices

Vitamin C has been proven to lighten skin. Vargas claims potatoes, which are rich in vitamin C, are great for fading a tan. In order to do this, she recommends blending potatoes into a mask and applying it to the outer edges of your line that tend to be darker. Let the mask sit for 20 to 30 minutes before wiping it off. Don't have a blender? Vargas says you can also apply slices of potatoes to your skin for similar results.

Not into DIY treatments? Look to body and skincare products that don't skimp on vitamin C for similar results.

05 of 06

Conceal With Body Makeup

When all else fails, reach for foundation, says esthetician Graceanne Svendsen. Simply fill in the tan line with a camouflaging foundation like Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation, which is gentle enough to use on irritated, sun-tanned skin. Set the makeup with powder to avoid smears and smudges, and you're good to go.

06 of 06

Break Down With Oil

If you're a true self-tan devotee, you may already know one of the basic principles of the practice: Oil breaks down DHA (the main ingredient that causes the skin-darkening effects we're after). So if you're trying to clean up a self-tan mistake, we suggest you start breaking the rules and slathering on all of the oils. Once the skin is slippery and supple, buff away the tan with an exfoliating mitt for extra power. We like Loving Tan Tan Removing Glove. But time is of the essence, Evans explains that leaving oil on for longer than 10 minutes can actually help the tan settle in more.

How to Avoid Self-Tanner Stains on Your Sheets and Clothes Article Sources Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

1. Sanadi RM, Deshmukh RS. The effect of Vitamin C on melanin pigmentation - a systematic review. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2020;24(2):374-382. doi:10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_207_20

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