How to Make Your Own Self Tanner: 13 Steps (with Pictures) (2025)

Table of Contents

Things You'll Need Eyeshadow Method Tea Bag Method Eyeshadow Method Tea Bag Method Community Q&A Tips You Might Also Like References About this article Did this article help you? References

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methods

1Eyeshadow Method

2Tea Bag Method

Other Sections

Things You'll Need

Tips and Warnings

References

Author Info

Last Updated: November 29, 2024

All out of self-tanner? Now you're thinking to yourself, "I don't have the money to spend on self tanner!" Well now you can make it at home! This self tanner lasts through 4 days, even after bathing! So keep reading if you want to learn how to make your own self-tanner!

Things You'll Need

Eyeshadow Method

Any plastic container with a lid (old makeup container, tupperware, etc.)
Eyeshadow or bronzer that is the color you want the tanner to be
White lotion
(optional) White sunscreen
A spoon

Tea Bag Method

Small spray bottle
Hot water
10 black tea bags

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Eyeshadow Method

1
Put the eyeshadow or bronzer into your container. You can use the end of the spoon if it needs to be scraped out.
2
Add the lotion. The more you add, the lighter the tanner will turn out.
- Optional: Add the sunscreen. If you want to put in sunscreen, then you should lessen the amount of lotion you use.
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3
Mix it all up. If you are not satisfied with the color, then add more eyeshadow or lotion, depending if it's too light or too dark.^[1]
4
Gather your supplies.
5
Heat up the water.
6
Put the tea bags in the water and wait for them to steep. Don't put anything else in it!
7
Pour the tea into the spray bottle.
- You'll notice that the tea is a dark brown color.
8
Go onto the grass and spray 5 to 10 inches (12.7 to 25.4cm) away depending on the strength of your sprayer in order to apply.
- It might be drippy, so you'll have to wait a couple minutes after you spray it, and lightly dab it.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Tea Bag Method

1
Gather your supplies.^[2]
2
Heat up the water.
3
Put the tea bags in the water and wait for them to steep. Don't put anything else in it!^[3]
4
Pour the tea into the spray bottle.
- You'll notice that the tea is a dark brown color.
5
Go onto the grass and spray 5 to 10 inches (12.7 to 25.4cm) away depending on the strength of your sprayer in order to apply.
- It might be drippy, so you'll have to wait a couple minutes after you spray it, and lightly dab it.
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Community Q&A

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Question
Can it be a face cream or does it have to be a lotion?
Community Answer
You can use face cream as well. It'll help if it's not an oily face cream.
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Question
Will the tan just be temporary and will it go away after you rinse it off?
Community Answer
A self-tanner washes away gradually, usually after 4-5 days depending on how vigorously you scrub in the shower. It should fade completely after a week, at most.
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Question
Do I have to wash it off after applying it?
Community Answer
No, you don't need to wash it off, although you should dab off any drips.
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Thank you for your feedback.
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Tips

Cocoa powder and coffee beans are other ingredients that can be substituted for eyeshadow or tea bags.
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Try sitting out in the sun in your bathing suit but be sure to put on sunscreen and maybe some sun tanning oil.
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References

About this article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 57,764 times.

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Co-authors: 12

Updated: November 29, 2024

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 57,764 times.

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How to Make Your Own Self Tanner: 13 Steps (with Pictures) (2025)

References

https://www.wikihow.life/Make-Your-Own-Self-Tanner