What Is Tantouring?

“This is my favorite beauty hack right hare,” says TikToker The Nude Lip in her viral video. “We’re going to take some self-tanner and we’re going to contour and bronze the face.” TikTok creators are showing how they save time by applying self-tanner to their face in the areas they would usually apply bronzer. The results? A glowy, contoured makeup look that literally only takes five minutes and lasts 3-4 days

Of course, if it’s your first time tantouring, you’re going to need a little help. Below is how to contour with self-tanner even if you’re a beginner.

How to Contour With Self-Tanner

1. Choose Your Self-Tanner 

TikTokers like The Nude Lip favor ST.TROPEZ Self Tan Luxe Whipped Crème Mousse for its quick-drying formula and natural-looking color. “This is the best self-tanner for your face and your body,” she says. Others, like creator Kara Del Toro, swear by BALIBODY Self Tanning Mousse. Whichever you choose, both swear by the importance of a makeup brush for the application, specially a contour brush. There are tons of affordable options on the market, such as the SHAINA B MIAMI Contour Brush.

2. Cleanse and Exfoliate

“Start with clean and dry skin,” says Brittney Bennett, founder of Be Bronze studio. And, just like if you were self-tanning your body, you should always make sure to exfoliate. “Use an exfoliating scrub to remove any dead skin cells, especially in areas where you plan to apply the self-tanner. This helps create an even canvas for the tanner to develop,” she adds.

3. Map Out Your Face 

Before applying the self-tanner, you’ll want to “identify the areas you want to contour, such as the hollows of your cheeks, along your jawline, the sides of your nose, your collarbones, and the sides of your arms and legs,” explains Bennett. “These are the areas where you'll apply the self-tanner to create shadows and look flawless with no make up.”Where do you usually apply bronzer? Where does the sun naturally hit your face? The most popular places to create shadows are around the hairline, cheekbones, and jawline. You can take it a step further and apply the fake tan to your eyelids, lip line, and sides of your nose like Kara Del Toro does in her tutorial.

4. Apply the First Layer of Contour

Here’s where personal preference comes in. The Nude Lip goes right in and places the self-tanner where she would place her contour. “We’re going to bronze the face and create some natural shadows,” she says. “Just keep tapping this into place and it doesn’t have to be perfect because you’re going to wash it off in the morning.”

She’s talking about the bronzer many self-tanners have in their formula so you know exactly where you’ve applied the product. “It’s the simplest, easiest hack to give you a nice little bronze, you’re not damaging your skin from the sun, and you’re just going to have those nice, natural shadows,” she adds.

However, Bennett says you want to make sure you’re still blending out the product as you apply it. “Quickly blend the self-tanner into your skin using your fingers or a makeup brush/blending sponge. Be sure to blend the edges well to avoid harsh lines and to achieve a seamless look,” shes says. 

5. Contour Small Areas of the Face 

After she’s applied her base, Del Toro takes her contour brush and applies the fake tan to her forehead (around the hairline), tops of her cheekbones, and under her jaw. She blends in any hash edges with the clean side of her mitt. But she doesn’t stop there.

Del Toro takes a smaller makeup brush meant for the eyes, such as RUBY Eyeshadow Blending Brush, and applies a second, more detailed layer. She takes just a small amount of the tanning mousse and applies it like makeup, under her eyebrows (keeping away from her actual eyes), around her lips, and the tip of her nose. “It’s going to give your whole lips a contour and they’re going to look bigger in the morning,” she says.

6. Wait 4-6 Hours for Full Color

This beauty hack is one that screams “trust the process.” The fake tan might look a bit dark at first, but give the formula time to develop. Wash off any leftover bronzer in the morning and voilà! You’re a tantouring pro. To ensure the bronze color lasts as long as possible, skip any exfoliating skincare products for a few days, such as retinols, AHAs, and BHAs. On the flip side, applying moisturizer every day will help keep the color even and pretty for days.

7. Lightly Layer

“If you want a more intense contour, you can layer the self-tanner after the first application has dried,” says Bennett. “However, it's essential to build up gradually to avoid overdoing it. Remember, less is more as you want this to look natural to create the illusion of contouring without makeup.”

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