How To Avoid A Patchy Tan & Back To Back Show Advice
Back to back shows sound great in theory. More stage time, more experience, more chances to nail your package. And then you start thinking about the tanning side of things and suddenly it gets a lot more complicated.
The advice here depends entirely on your situation — so before anything else, work out which one applies to you.
Situation A — Show Saturday, Show Sunday
Situation B — Show this weekend, show next weekend
They need completely different approaches. Let's go through both.
Situation A — Show Saturday, Show Sunday
This is the simplest scenario, because the answer is also the simplest.
Saturday night after your show — shower with water only. No products, no scrubbing. Just let the water run over your skin until it starts running clear. That's it.
Sunday you have two options. Either apply a top coat yourself before you head to the venue, or go straight to your tanner and let them know you're coming from a show the day before. A good tanner will know exactly how to work with what's already on your skin. Don't be embarrassed to flag it — they've seen it all.
Situation B — Show this weekend, show next weekend
This one depends on whether you're using the 60 Second Tan Remover or not.
If you're using the 60 Second Tan Remover
Apply the product and follow the same approach as post-show tan removal — gentle, same pressure all over, let the product do the work rather than scrubbing aggressively. Your skin will be more sensitive than usual during prep so going too hard will only make things worse and leave you patchier, not cleaner.
If you compete regularly, you need this in your kit.
Whether you're removing tan before your first coat goes on, stripping everything back after a show before you head back to work, or getting rid of a layer from a photoshoot that happened a little too close to show day — this is the product that actually does it. Apply, wait 60 seconds, jump in the shower with an exfoliating glove, and it's gone.
It's also genuinely useful beyond the bathroom. Spilled DIY tan on a hotel room desk the night before a show? Apply directly to the surface and it lifts straight off. Ask us how we know.
How to use:
Apply generously over all areas where you need tan removed.
Leave to soak into the skin for 60 seconds — no scrubbing needed at this stage.
Jump in the bath or shower and use an exfoliating mitt to gently buff away the old tan — leaving skin soft, smooth, and ready for your next application.
Also need an exfoliating product? Our Get Buffed is what we recommend for day-to-day exfoliation during prep — used regularly in the weeks before your show, it keeps skin smooth and helps your competition tan apply evenly.
Which size is right for you?
100ml — ideal for travel or if you're trying it for the first time.
200ml — a solid mid-season choice if you compete a few times a year.
440ml — the best value if you're competing regularly or using it throughout prep.
Important — please read before use
This is a strong formula designed to remove competition-grade tan. Always patch test on a small area before first use, particularly if you have sensitive skin or are mid-prep. Avoid using on the face, and take care around delicate areas such as the collarbone. Read the full instructions before applying.
Ingredients: Aqua, Urea, Perlite, Cocamide DEA, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, C9-11 Pareth-6, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, DMDM Hydantoin, Parfum, Limonene.
Made in the UK. Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
If you're not using the 60 Second Tan Remover
This is trickier, but not impossible. The goal is the same — an even base — but you're relying on your skin naturally fading rather than a dedicated removal product helping it along.
The most important thing here is moisturising. Heavily and consistently, every day between shows. Dry skin clings onto tan unevenly and creates that tiger bread effect — well-moisturised skin fades much more evenly and gives your tanner something much better to work with.
Use a basic, unfragranced body cream — nothing with heavy perfumes, oils, or active ingredients that could react with your next tan application. Keep it simple.
And again — tell your tanner. Let them know you're coming from a show and what your skin is looking like. They can apply additional prep around any areas that need it and adjust their approach accordingly.
The thing most people get wrong
Trying to strip everything completely before the next show. Especially when shows are close together, aggressively trying to get back to completely bare skin often does more damage than leaving a base and working over it. An even base — even if it's not the same skin tone you started the season with — is always better than patchy skin.
Quick summary
Situation A — back to back same weekend:
Saturday night — water only shower until water runs clear
Sunday — top coat yourself or go to your tanner and let them know
Situation B — one week between shows:
With 60 Second Tan Remover — apply gently, same pressure all over, let the product work
Without — moisturise heavily every day, keep it unfragranced and basic, tell your tanner what your skin is like
Either way — the goal is an even base, not completely bare skin