Don’t freak over streaks or panic over patches – here’s how to use Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam for the best self-tanning results under the sun! Simple to follow but super important, these foolproof tips will level up your self-tanning game – whether you’re a fake tanning first-timer or committed to faux-glow.
Read on for the 7 steps to self-tanning success with Sunny Honey. Don’t DIY without it!
Step 1 - Exfoliate + Remove unwanted hair
For a perfect fake tan, good prep is essential. This means exfoliating at least 6 hours before and removing unwanted hair a full 12-24 hours before self-tanning.
Exfoliation is important to prevent tanning ingredients clinging to dry, scaly bits and creating a patchy, uneven tan. Therefore, we always recommend a full-body exfoliation (in any areas you’ll be applying tan) as part of your tanning prep.
Defuzzing by waxing or shaving is also a good idea, for two reasons. Firstly, by removing hair you are essentially exfoliating and creating a nice smooth base which helps ensure a streak-free tan. Secondly, to avoid removing your colour, you want to avoid having to shave or wax for at least a few days after tanning.
But a word of caution. Make sure you wait at least 12 hours after hair removal before applying tanner. This allows your follicles to close, preventing irritation and those tiny pigment dots you might have noticed after tanning freshly shaved legs.
Step 2 – Apply to clean, dry skin
You’ve probably heard the best way to make a tan last is to moisturise, as your tan fades as dry skin cells shed. However, you want to avoid lubing up your bod immediately before applying self-tanner, or you’ll dilute the colour.
Instead, apply your Sunny Honey to clean, dry skin (no fragrance, deodorant or moisturiser) – and keep any moisturising to super-dry areas like your knees and elbows. These areas tend to soak up extra product and the moisturiser acts as a barrier.
Step 3 – Use a self-tanning mitt & brush
For flawless results, we recommend applying your Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam with the applicator mitt and kabuki brush included in our Bali Bronzing Bundle.
Standing in front of a mirror, apply the self-tanner in long, sweeping movements, using our hypoallergenic mitt. With a soft, velvety texture, the mitt ensures a smooth, even application – and prevents your palms from going muddy! Bali Bronzing Foam also features colour guide technology, so you can easily see if you’ve missed a spot. Clever, huh?
For tricky-to-tan, extra-absorbent areas, like the hands, feet, elbows and knees, use the kabuki brush. Silky-soft and 100% vegan, it allows you easy access to any nooks and crannies.
Step 4 – Go easy on elbows, knees, wrists & hands
Some areas require a little extra care and a lighter touch, specifically dry and knobbly elbows and knees, and delicate wrists and hands. Approach tanning these areas with a small amount of self-tanner only, applied and blended in a circular motion, using the kabuki brush.
Check out the full tan tutorial here
Step 5 – Allow tan to develop
We know you’re all busy, so our fast-developing self-tanning formula delivers a gorgeous glow in just 2 hours! Make sure you allow the tan to develop for the full 2 hours, avoiding water and sweat-inducing activity during this time.
Once you’ve reached the 2-hour mark you’re free to shower. However, for a deeper colour you can safely leave on for up to 24 hours. Our tip? Apply Sunny Honey before bed and leave on overnight. Don’t worry – with our green-grey base and shades for each skintone, there’s no risk of your tan over developing. Or turning orange!
Step 6 – Shower
Once you’re ready to wash off the guide colour, take a warm (not hot) shower. Keep your shower as short as possible, and ideally use water only. No soap, body washes, shampoos etc. The purpose of this shower is just to get rid of any excess bronzer.
Don’t scrub too hard in the shower, and gently pat – don’t rub – skin dry with a soft towel.
Step 7 – Moisturise!
Once you’ve tanned it’s time to think about maintenance. Which means lathering on a body lotion every day to maintain hydration and prolong your glow. Be vigilant with your body moisturiser (we recommend our Glow Figure Body Moisture Whip!) and avoid shaving and exfoliation for a few days. It’s also best to avoid chlorinated pools and hot tubs – but don’t spoil your vacay over it!
Once your glow starts to go, at around day 5, it can be a good idea to exfoliate to ensure an even fade.
Tanned & Tested
Don’t just take our word for it, take a look at these real results from real people!
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Chloe, Shade: Dark Sunny Honey is literally heaven in a bottle. My skin felt so moisturized it was unreal! |
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Alexa, Shade: Medium Sunny Honey gave me the most beautiful tan and perfected imperfections & cellulite on my legs! I loved using the kabuki brush on my feet and hands to ensure an even application. Zero complaints from me! |
Take our Tan Quiz here today to find your perfect shade!
Toned and radiant, with brighter eyes, whiter teeth and sculpted cheekbones – there’s no denying the confidence-boosting power of a good self-tan! But, whether you’re pale, olive or dark-skinned, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, our ultimate Sunny Honey tan colour guide promises unBALIevable transformations – for all skin tones. To learn all you need to know about choosing the right self-tan for your skin tone, read on!
If you’re pale or light-skinned…
Think you’re too pale to pull off fake tan? You’re not! Not only can a wash of colour be incredibly flattering, it can also help cancel out any redness. However, extra care does need to be taken when self-tanning pale skin. Not only can a too-dark hue look unnatural, application mistakes are also more obvious.
The first thing to do to avoid a tanning to-do is selecting a self-tanner that’s specially formulated for pale-medium skins. It might seem tempting to go for broke with a ‘Dark’ or ‘Ultra Dark’ formula, but you’ll regret it – trust us! Tans designed for darker skin tones contain more of the tanning agent DHA, and using too much DHA will result in an unnatural orange or muddy-looking tan. Not a good look!
Make sure you mitt-up (there’s a handy applicator mitt in our Bali Bronzing Bundle) to avoid those tell-tale palms. And, if you’re a goldilocks? Clip back your hair and protect your hairline and brows with a touch of moisturiser.
Go for: A tanner designed for fairer skins. In Sunny Honey, this means choosing ‘Medium’ – our lightest option. To avoid missing any spots, a self-tanner with a guide colour is a game-changer –, especially for light skins! Formulated with colour guide technology, Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam’s visible bronzers ensure a flawless, even application. Every time.
Avoid: Choosing a formula for darker skin, applying too much product, or leaving your self-tanner on longer than recommended. If using Sunny Honey, we suggest rinsing off after two hours on the first application. While true pale skin (of the red hair and freckles variety) typically has pink undertones, those with light skin but yellowy tones should also steer clear of red-based tanners which can end up slightly orange.
If you’re olive or medium-skinned…
Self-tanning olive and medium-hued skin is less tricky, and you can pretty much opt for anything from a ‘Medium-Dark’ to ‘Ultra Dark’ formula. However, you should make sure you’re happy with the colour by doing a patch test first. And this actually applies to all skin tones.
We know, we know. Patch testing can be a pain when you want instant results – but it’s always a good idea! Not only will it ensure you’re happy with your colour before self-tanning from head to toe, it’ll indicate if you have an allergy or intolerance to any of the ingredients.
To bring out the natural beauty of olive skin, think green. Or specifically, green-grey. While green-based self-tanner suits most skin tones, colour-correcting pinkness (especially great for pale skins) and preventing an orange tint, Sunny Honey goes one step further. The unique green-grey base not only cancels out unwanted pink and prevents orange, it gives a richer brown finish to medium and dark skins.
Go for: Use a formula with a guide colour for foolproof application, try a ‘Medium-Dark’ to ‘Dark’ formula (in Sunny Honey that means ‘Dark’ or ‘Ultra Dark’), and go for a self-tanner with a green-grey base to flatter your natural tones and amplify your glow.
Avoid: Cheap self-tanners with artificial ingredients and poor-quality DHA that will dry out the skin. There’s no need to sacrifice your natural hydration and radiance for a faux glow!
If you’re dark…
Even if your skin’s already naturally dark, a fake tanner with antioxidants and firming ingredients – like Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam – can help blur imperfections, even out pigmentation and improve the appearance of cellulite. So, don’t think self-tan’s just for your fairer-skinned friends!
While there’s a bit more room for error when using fake tan on darker skin, you should still follow some universal fake-tanning tips. Including prepping the skin by exfoliating! Self-tanner clings to dry skin, which can lead to a patchy result and uneven fade. So, not matter your skin type or skin tone, make sure you give your skin a thorough sloughing prior to tanning.
Go for: A formula packed with booty firming, anti-ageing and imperfection-blurring ingredients!
Avoid: Self-tanners that just tan, without taking care of your skin. And, to avoid that awful biscuity fake tan smell, try Sunny Honey. Formulated with 100% natural DHA, the tropical mango and guava scent will have you craving your next self-tanning sesh!
Tanned & Tested
Don’t just take our word for it, check out these real reviews from real people! Head over to our reviews page for more!
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Yes, our Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam has a guide colour that rinses off with water to show your glowing tan. The guide colour is useful as it shows you where you have applied the product and areas that require more blending.
Once you apply the foam, your skin will instantly be bronzed. After 2 hours, the tan will start developing after which you can shower to remove the guide colour. For a longer-lasting tan, you can wait up to 8 hours or even sleep in the product overnight before rinsing.
It's completely up to you! When you have decided to re-tan, we recommend removing all of the previous tans and thoroughly exfoliating to get the best results. Tanning at least once a week will ensure you are bronzed beautifully all year round!
Ingredients:
MEDIUM: Aqua (Water), Dihydroxyacetone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Coconut Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum (Fragrance), Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Erythrulose, Benzyl Alcohol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lotus Maritimus Flower/Leaf Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Oil Green) Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Coumarin, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 14700 (Red 4), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1).
DARK: Aqua (Water), Dihydroxyacetone, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Parfum (Fragrance), Coconut Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Erythrulose, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lotus Maritimus Flower/Leaf Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Oil Green) Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Coumarin, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 14700 (Red 4), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1).
ULTRA DARK: Aqua (Water), Dihydroxyacetone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum (Fragrance), Coconut Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Sodium Benzoate, Erythrulose, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lotus Maritimus Flower/Leaf Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Oil Green) Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Coumarin, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 14700 (Red 4), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1).
Yes, our formula is perfect for all skin types. It is nourishing, hydrating and contains ingredients that will not clog pores and cause breakouts.
We do advise doing a skin patch test before applying a full body tan. If the skin patch test shows no negative signs, it is safe to use a full-body tan.
Avoid applying the tan to areas with broken skin or skin, which is showing signs of aggravation.
Each bottle has roughly 260 pumps and can last approx 10-20 full body tanning sessions.
It is not necessary to use soap to remove the tan guideline colour; water is perfectly enough. If you do use soap, it is best to use sulphate free to avoid any aggressive chemicals which may strip your tan. Be sure to not excessively rub at your skin while showering or drying off as this can exfoliate the skin, increasing the fade of your new gorgeous glow!
Nobody likes a self-tan that’s here today, gone tomorrow. It’s right up there with orange tones in our tanning bugbears, and it’s the reason we made Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam to go the distance and fade super naturally. But what if we told you things could get even better?
From how to prep to how to shower and deal with hair removal, here’s everything you need to know to prolong your fake tan. Read on, take notes, and start enjoying an extra day or two of Sunny Honey magic!
Perfect your prep
We’ve said this till we’re blue in the face – good prep is totally non-negotiable for a flawless fake tan and a slow, even fade! And this involves two simple steps.
Step 1: Complete any hair removal 12-24 hours before self-tanning. This will provide a silky-smooth canvas, reduce your chance of irritation and prevent colour soaking into open pores and giving you those funky little dots marks. It also means you can go a few days before you have to shave again – and wash away half your tan! (Pro-tip: For self-tanning, waxing is an even better option if it suits your skin, lifestyle and budget.)
Step 2: Exfoliate. As fake tan LOVES dry, rough skin, you want to give yourself a thorough sloughing with an exfoliating mitt. Removing dead skin cells and stimulating blood flow, exfoliating is the best thing you can do to ensure an even, streak-free tan and gradual, patch-free fade. So, make sure you get busy at least six hours before tanning, paying extra attention to knees, elbows and any other danger zones.
It’s also a good idea to pre-hydrate, slathering on a body lotion – like our Glow Figure Body Moisture Whip – once or twice daily in the week before tanning.
Apply only to clean skin
When applying your Sunny Honey, you don’t want anything on the skin that will interfere with how it develops. This means no perfume, deodorant and, especially, no body oils. Have a shower first and, if you plan on tanning immediately afterwards, blast your skin with cold water at the end to shrink your pores.
Skip the moisturiser, unless applying to very dry, tan-guzzling areas like knees, knuckles and ankles. This will help keep these areas from becoming too dark.
Use the right tools
Our anti-aging, anti-cellulite self-tanner might do most of the hard work, but our self-tanning accessories also deserve a shout out. Using a self-tanning mitt to apply in sweeping motions on your body – and a kabuki brush for trickier, more intricate areas like the hands and face – is the easiest way to ace your application.
Meaning? You’ll achieve a streak-free, even result from the start. And it will fade a heck of a lot better than a patchy rush job!
Have short showers and use soft towels
What you do immediately after you tan matters too. And that starts with your first shower, which should be tepid – not hot – and as short and sweet as possible. This is important because showering with hot water while your tan is still developing will stop it in its tracks. During the life of your tan, hot showers are still best avoided as they can be very drying, and also remove some of the colour.
So, think short and warm – not hot – showers. Bear in mind as well that the more you bathe or swim, the faster your tan will fade. And always pat gently dry with a soft towel, rather than vigorously rubbing!
Keep your skin hydrated
If you want to lock in that glow, you need to hydrate! That means moisturising your bod, at least once a day. Immediately after you shower, apply our Body Moisture Whip to slightly damp skin. The virgin coconut and cacao oils will lock in moisture for smooth, supple skin – and a longer lasting tan.
Keep exfoliating
It might seem counterintuitive to exfoliate once you’ve self-tanned, but it will help your faux glow fade more evenly and naturally. Wait for a few days after tanning, then exfoliate gently approximately every three days.
Avoid shaving – or do it this way
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise shaving immediately after tanning is probably not the best way to stay beautifully bronzed. But what are you meant to do a few days in when the stubble is bursting from your previously smooth pins? It’s a predicament for many of the non-waxers amongst us, and unfortunately, you just have to weigh up your options.
Yes, shaving will remove some of the superficial pigment from your pins. But, unless your hair grows very slowly (lucky you!), you’ll probably want to shave during the life of your tan. To minimise the fade out, make sure you wait for at least 24 hours after self-tanning, use a sharp, fresh razor, apply a gentle moisturiser and apply only light pressure while defuzzing.
Skip the hot tub, ditch the pool
You already know that showering will reduce the life of your tan, but obviously you’re not going to skip it. You might, however, want to keep your aquatic activities to a minimum. Particularly the time you spend swimming and chilling in chlorinated (read: tan-stripping) pools and spas. Sorry, honeys!
If after the first application and shower you feel that you would like your tan to be darker, we suggest you repeat application the following day, don't forget to re-apply moisturiser in drier areas again such as elbows, knees, feet and hands!
Our Sunny Honey formula is perfect for all skin types! It contains ingredients that have a low comedogenic rating meaning it will not clog pores and cause breakouts.
However, if your skin is sensitive, we do advise doing a patch test before applying tan on your skin.
Take a bit of massage oil or baby oil, and apply it to all tanned areas on your body. Get in your comfiest threads, and wait at least half an hour for the oil to set into your skin. Once your timer hits 30 minutes, get in the bath, and scrub away your old tan with your Exfoliating Mitt!
Exfoliating removal creams or wipes may also remove your tan as it will cause dead skin cells on the surface layer to be removed.
In case you need to remove stains on toes and fingernails, try using warm water and soap along with an exfoliating mitt.
Sunny Honey does need time to set, so ensure that you wait until the tan is completely dry before putting on clothes or going to bed. Wait about 30 minutes to reduce the risk of staining your garments.
Our DHA is 100% natural!! DHA will have no adverse effects on your health and when applied topically. DHA is FDA approved for use.
We've all been there with a disaster self-tan moment and typically it’s the application method which will cause this. We do suggest following these simple steps to avoid any fake tan disasters - as nobody wants streaky legs or stained palms.
Step 1: Make sure that you are feeling squeaky clean, and get rid of all that dead skin by exfoliating head to toe. Hop out of the shower or bath and let yourself dry fully, resist the urge to use any moisturisers or perfumes.
Top tip: apply a tiny bit of moisturiser to your hands, feet and elbows. These are naturally drier areas and the tan likes to cling here which causes them to become darker than other areas of your body.
Step 2: Once the skin is fully dry, find somewhere with good lighting and a mirror so that you can see your application as clearly as possible to get a perfect, natural-looking glow. To help ensure a perfect streak-free tan, try our Coco & Eve Soft Velvet Self Tan Mitt and Deluxe Vegan Kabuki Brush. The mitt will ensure that your application is consistent and free of patches and our kabuki brush is perfect for tackling difficult areas such as hands, wrists, feet, ears and your face.
For hands - pump a pea-sized amount of Sunny Honey onto the kabuki brush for the top of each hand. For the feet - use the residue of Sunny Honey from your legs and sweep over the feet with the kabuki brush. Use a wipe to gently dab the edges and soles of the feet.
For the face - pump 2 pea-sized amounts onto the kabuki brush to sweep evenly over your face.
Step 3: Once you have applied the tanner, you can shower after 2 hours. For a deeper colour and longer-lasting tan, leave on for 8 hours or sleep in it overnight (our tan doesn't transfer!). It’s personal preference how long you want to leave it on for, we recommend trying different timings to see what works best for you!
Step 4: Once you are ready to wash it off, hop back into the shower and rinse off but be sure to avoid rubbing! Pat yourself dry and get ready to enjoy the compliments!
For the best application tips check out our tutorial video
Yes, but please note our tan doesn't protect from the sun's harmful UV rays. Please make sure to apply sun protection prior to any sun exposure and reapply as necessary.
Repeated and daily exposure to pollutants and UV radiation can cause significant stress to our skin causing the production of free radicals which can disturb normal cell function and accelerate ageing.
After several years of research on the action of free radicals, Cellushape™️ was created using powerful active ingredients to help delay ageing, restore cell activity and boosts caffeine’s lipolytic effects helping to remove cellulite.
A clinical test was carried out to measure the slimming effect of CellushapeTM on 15 volunteers between 30- 50 years old. Volunteers applied the treatment twice daily for a duration of 28 days on thighs, hips, and buttocks.
They noticed the below:
- A significant decrease in the volume of the buttocks was observed by 73% of volunteers: -0.6% on average (p<0.01) and up to -2.65%.
- A significant decrease in the perimeter of the thighs was observed by 73% of volunteers: -0.5% on average (p<0.01) and up to -1.8%.
- A significant decrease in the volume of the buttocks was observed by up to -4.4% (-0,9% on average).
We have spent over a year perfecting our self-tanning formula and have managed to create a beautiful tan which develops into a natural glow. Our formula has colour correcting activities and a green-grey base for a natural golden glow. Our natural and nourishing ingredients work with your skin tone to give you a gorgeous, natural finish.
Have no fear of an orange tan disaster!
Not at all! We have developed our formula so that it has a lovely smell on the skin, no biscuit smell here, even after application! Expect a glorious tropical Balinese mango and guava scent.
YES! The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) have confirmed that it is safe to use self-tanning products during your pregnancy.
However, we highly recommend you do a skin patch test before applying a tan (even if you have previously done one). Hormone levels can be higher during pregnancy, which causes an increase in skin sensitivity.
If you are at all concerned or you are suffering from a pre-existing condition, please consult a medical professional.
For more details, check out our blog about using tanners while pregnant.
The Deluxe Vegan Kabuki Brush is made of nylon bristle, an aluminum collar, and a plastic handle.
Instruction for use: Pump a pea size of Sunny Honey onto the brush. Apply in a circular motion and gradually apply more product until the area is sufficiently covered.
Care Instruction: After use, rinse until water runs clear. Dry with bristle facing downwards.
Size: 25mm x 25mm x 113mm
Weight: 47g
We find that a tan is a great way to reduce the appearance of scars or stretch marks.
Our suggestions are to apply a small amount of our tan to these areas and allow the colour to develop for 8 hours. Once you have washed off the colour guide you can then go ahead and do a full-body tan. If you find that you want a deeper colour, repeat the process again after 8 hours.
Yes, Sunny Honey is completely recyclable. The bags the tan comes in are completely bio-degradable! We love the environment we do!!!
We love to be inclusive, so our products are suitable for all ages and skin tones. We do not actively promote our self-tan to children, and we always suggest doing a skin patch test before full-body application, especially if you are under 16 years old.
We've developed our formula with a green-grey base for a natural-looking, golden glow with no orangey tones. Sunny Honey needs to be kept in a cool, dark place, below 30°C and should be used within six months of opening.
Products like perfumes, deodorants, and makeups might react with our product, and that could lead to the green pigmentation. These sections might turn green when tanned. It is advisable to rinse your body thoroughly before starting a spray tanning process to prevent such a reaction.