Stage tan: a simple guide for women
Stage tan is a small detail only as long as it doesn’t turn out patchy, too light or smeared all over your clothes. Here is a simple, practical guide for women who want an even skin tone on stage instead of last-night panic.
Why does stage tan matter so much?
Competition lighting washes out the shadows on your physique. If your skin tone is too light, muscle lines disappear and your body looks flatter on stage. That is why applying tan is not just a beauty matter, but part of your whole preparation.
This guide has been shared with several athletes who wanted an even tone for competitions and to look good on stage. Over-applying tan won’t make up for poor groundwork. If your skin is dry, hairy or uneven, it will show on stage.
One good reminder comes from 1990. When NPC international judge Sandy Ranelli was asked how to improve your scores at championships, the answer was simple: don’t change your look. The skin tone was already perfect. That is exactly the goal: the base tan should support your physique, not hide the person.
Tan and prep: what do you need?
A helper for applying your tan can be useful, but it isn’t a must. Many people get it done faster on their own, because they can feel better where more color is still needed. If your back or the backs of your thighs are hard to reach, though, do ask for help.
- Stock up on 1-2 jars of tan. Often 1 jar is enough, but with a larger body or several coats it makes sense to have a spare.
- Don’t mix different tans together. The result can turn out patchy.
- Get a good moisturizing cream, a body scrub, a brush or an exfoliating sponge. Soap can also help with exfoliating.
- Find 2-3 older sauna towels: one for drying off, the other to stand on while you apply the tan.
- At a competition abroad, be sure to bring all your towels with you.
- Use a plastic cup, especially for bottled tan. That way you can see the amount better.
- Buy a small sponge paint roller.
- Get 3-4 pairs of rubber gloves.
- Wear dark clothes, because stage tan doesn’t come off 100% and will keep staining for a while after the competition.
- Keep a trash bag close by.
- Also lay out dark, smart clothes for registration and for the banquet after the competition.
A simple truth: the more calmly you think everything through beforehand, the less you’ll have to improvise in the bathroom right before the competition.
Tanning timeline before the competition
Base tan is usually first applied 3 days before the show. That gives the tone enough time to darken and lets you make small corrections without rushing.
If you use waxing, hair removal should take place at least 10 days before the competition. Instead of waxing, depilating also works. 10-14 days before the competition, write down a plan: when to depilate, when to start the base tan and when to go to the tanning bed.
Don’t apply base tan on the day of waxing or epilation. Your skin needs time for recovery. If the base tan is already on and some spot needs redoing, fix only that area so the tone stays even.
You can start using the tanning bed to even out your skin tone 2-3 weeks before the competition. 10-12 sessions is perfectly enough if you start carefully and with short sessions. Don’t burn. Don’t smoke during this period. Don’t tan your face if you care about your skin; use self-tanner on your face instead.
Exfoliate your body over the 4-5 days before you start the tanning timeline, i.e. about 2.5-3 weeks before the competition. Take a bath, exfoliate your body thoroughly, take a massaging shower and apply a rich moisturizer. Do this every day until you apply the base tan.
14-day plan
- 14 days before the competition: let your body hair grow so it is long enough for waxing. Moisturize your skin.
- 14 days before: keep the same rhythm and don’t make any sudden experiments with your skin.
- 10 days before: keep growing your body hair and moisturize your skin.
- 8 days before: start exfoliating your body, including your face.
- 4 days before: wax or depilate. Exfoliate the waxed areas lightly.
- 3 days before: shave only if you didn’t wax or depilate. Rinse with cool water. Start the base tan.
- 2 days before: don’t shave anymore. Take a cool shower, use soap if needed, dry off, apply the base tan, put self-tanner on your face and moisturize drying areas such as your elbows and knees.
- 1 day before: shave lightly only if needed. Take a cool shower, dry off, moisturize your body and apply self-tanner to your face.
If you shave, do it before the base coat, and only in an emergency before the final base coat layer. Shave gently. Afterward, rinse your skin with cold water, as it helps close the pores. Don’t shave every day.
Practical tips for an even tan
When there are a couple of days left until the show, take an honest look at your skin tone. Darken only the areas that are uneven. Don’t rub over a fresh coat in a panic, as you’re more likely to smear it around.
Tan from every angle. Use a full-length mirror and remember that the judges sit below the stage. Seen from below, your legs, glutes and sides need to look just as even as they do when you look straight into the mirror.
- Always wear rubber gloves, but use the mitt on one hand at a time, not both.
- Don’t tan your palms.
- Tan one half of your body first, then switch mitts and do the other half.
- Don’t use competition tan on your face. Use a self-tanner there.
- If your knees, elbows and ankles are already dark enough, don’t add several layers there.
- Don’t use hair removal creams on damaged skin.
- Don’t apply a base coat on the morning of the competition. You’ll have plenty of other things to do by then.
- Buy an extra-dark tan and make sure it’s dark enough for stage lighting.
Do a full run-through of your stage makeup as well. Don’t assume that your everyday makeup will work on stage. Pack your kit ahead of time so you don’t have to figure out on competition day whether you left something at home.
Your posing bikinis will last longer if you wash the tan off as soon as you get home after the competition. If the color dries into the fabric, it may no longer come out. If the bikinis are light-colored and get stained, a color remover can help, but note: it may remove all the color, including the fabric’s own.
After the competition, wear dark, older clothes for about another week. Tan that rubs off can otherwise ruin new clothes.
Competitors’ favorite products and experience
In the original guide, the competitors named their favorites at the time. For photo shoots, Brenda Kelly used extra-dark tans such as Sun Ultra, Jana Tana Show Tan for a darker look, and LANCASTER Infinite Bronze Face Bronzer for her face.
Elaine Goodlad preferred a Pro Tan product for competitions and Sun Laboratories Strictly Faces Dark for her face. Lena Johannesen named Ban de Soleil, Andreas Cahling spray and Clarins Face Bronzer. Cynthia Bridges used a Pro Tan product and the Dermablend Face Bronzer for her face.
The idea is the same even though the products have changed over time: choose your shade, test it early and don’t leave the final result to chance. Think of yourself as a luxury car getting a paint job. Poor preparation gives a poor result, while proper groundwork brings a cleaner, more eye-catching look on stage.
FAQ: tan before a competition
Should you apply tan on the morning of the competition?
It’s best not to apply a base coat on the morning of the competition. It’s better to finish the main layers earlier and spend the morning on only the small touch-ups that are needed.
Should you tan your face too?
A self-tanner and stage makeup suit the face better. Body tan can end up looking too heavy, patchy or unnatural on the face.
What should you do if the base coat looks uneven at first?
Don’t panic and don’t rub over it. Let the layer dry, moisturize dry areas if needed, and fix the uneven spots only once you can see the actual result.
Author: Brenda Kelly, translated by Aktivist
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