10 Makeup Tips to Hide Stubborn Suntan & Stay Glowing
Got tanned even after lathering layers of sunscreen while relaxing at the poolside? Worry not, because these makeup tricks to hide face tan will resolve all your tanning problems in minutes!
Although it may not be everyone's favorite season of the year, summer is definitely the best time to take a holiday, relax, unwind, go to the beach, and soak up some rays by the pool. However, if you’ve been recently doing any of the above, you might have become familiar with the unavoidable problem of tanning.
Fortunately, your skin has natural healing properties, so the tan will eventually fade. But if you have an important date coming up or are in a hurry to hide those pesky tan lines, we understand. Since you cannot go back and undo the past, let's look at some makeup tips to hide sun tan quickly.
#1 Bring That Sunblock On—Avoid Further Tanning
Whether you're taking a stroll outside or going for a swim, wear sunscreen of at least SPF 30 to avoid your tan lines from getting darker.
Nowadays, sunscreen even comes in tinted, non-oily versions, so you really don't have an excuse not to apply it. Get yourself an iced coffee or a pia colada and let's toast to no more tan lines, okay?
#2 Reach for a Color Corrector—Neutralize the Redness
Take advantage of a color corrector if your last beach vacation left you with stubborn tan spots. Your saving grace here is a green corrector since it neutralizes red—green is the opposite of red on the color wheel. To get rid of redness, apply the product to the area and gently dab it into the skin. You can also use a more yellow toned concealer, which does the same job!
It is essential, however, to use just enough to neutralize red, not cover it. A common mistake we see is people thinking that a lot of color corrector is needed to cover up the red—when in reality that'll just turn you green.
#3 Cover Up with Concealer—Flawless, Tan-Free Skin
Even when you're covered in tan lines, concealer can give you flawless skin, making it the best makeup to cover up sun spots.
Make your tan lines look less harsh by using concealer. Choose a liquid concealer and apply it to the pigmented areas. Ensure that the concealer is blended well by dabbing it in with a damp beauty blender. It is important to remember that you should use a concealer a shade or two lighter than your skin tone. If it’s too dark, it will not have the desired effect in hiding your tanned lines.
Also, as someone with tanned skin, you will also want to look for concealers with warm undertones instead of pinks or blues.
#4 Use a Gentle Foundation—Go Darker
Your sunburned skin needs protection from anything that may irritate it. Hence, you should stay away from foundations that contain active ingredients. Keeping your skin hydrated is important, so use products that contain moisturizers and SPF to prevent further damage.
The foundation you choose should complement your skin tone and undertones. Getting too dark will make you look overdone. And you might look ashy if you go too light.
Pro tip: Your skin will already be darker from tanning, so you'll need a foundation that is slightly darker than what you normally wear. Summer makeup often requires a darker shade of foundation while winter makeup needs a lighter shade.
#5 Use a Translucent Powder—Set the Base In
To keep the foundation base in place all day, set it with a translucent powder.
Pick up some loose powder or translucent powder and sweep it all over your face and neck with a large, fluffy brush.
#6 Apply Bronzer—Camouflage Redness
When you're trying to downplay your tan, you might feel odd applying more color, but it works! You can use bronzer to tone down the redness on your nose, chin, forehead, and cheeks, and to balance out the tone of your skin.
If you want to completely eliminate the redness, choose a bronzer color without too much pink in it, and apply it gently with a brush.
#7 Put on Some Blush—Avoid Pink Hues
You need the right blush shade to flatter tan skin—just as you need the right concealer and foundation. You should avoid a true pink blush on tanned skin.
Try a rose-colored blush with a touch of red or orange. Additionally, stay away from blushes with taupe and other purple tones.
#8 Pick Warm Shades for the Eyes—or Go Bare with an Eyeliner
If you want to wear some color on your eyes, choose warm shades like golden or brown that blend well with your tanned skin. Be sure to blend your eyeshadow colors well if you are using multiple colors.
Alternatively, you can always just use brown kohl or liner. Use golden liquid eyeliner or golden eyeshadow to create an evening look, then add smoky kohl for the finish.
#9 Wear Lipstick in Neutral Tones—or Skip It Altogether
Finally, add a warm lip color to complete your look. A nude lip shade in pink or brown undertones is a good choice.
Go for lip balm or gloss if you want to keep it minimal.
#10 Keep Everything Else Simple
You might be able to blend your makeup with your tanned skin tone if you use a warm bronzer or blush, but beyond that, you should keep your makeup natural, fresh, and clean. Overcompensation may be tempting, but you will already be adding a lot of products (to cover up the redness), so going natural is better. We recommend skipping too much contour and highlighter.
Consider carrying a hydrating spritzer throughout the day to keep yourself feeling fresh. Your skin will stay moisturized and refreshed all day long. You can also avoid excessive tanning by keeping your skin hydrated. Remember, though: that SPF is still important!
The Bottom Line
There you have it—makeup hacks to hide tan skin in a jiffy. Now that you've learned how to use makeup to cover up sun spots, you can enjoy summer without a care in the world.
Have you ever tried to hide your tan with your makeup routine? Tell us how it turned out in the comment section below!
