Body · Self-Tan · Sub-chapter 06
Self-tan fades as surface skin sheds. The goal of maintenance is not to slow shedding — it's to keep the surface smooth and hydrated so colour fades evenly and looks good until it's gone.
63 how-to's · Updated 3 May 2026 · Avg. 4 min per piece · Edited by Nelly · Beauty & Style Director
Why tans fade — and how maintenance affects it
DHA colour sits in the uppermost dead skin cells. Those cells shed at a rate influenced by your skin's own turnover cycle, shower habits, the temperature of water, and any physical or chemical exfoliation you do. Maintenance does not slow the fundamental shedding process — it keeps it even. Daily moisturiser keeps surface cells plump and adherent so they shed more uniformly.
Maintenance timeline
- Day 1–2: avoid water, friction, exercise during development
- Day 3–5: daily fragrance-free moisturiser, cool showers, no exfoliating
- Day 6–8: light exfoliation if patchy, assess for top-up
- Top-up: after light exfoliation on uneven zones, re-apply with lighter hand
- Between sessions: gradual tan lotion as daily bridge option