What Are Tanning Stickers & Where Should I Buy Them?
What could possibly be more satisfying than achieving the perfect tan! But wait, how do you know you have a perfect tan? Tanning is a gradual process and the mirror can be deceiving. The best way to find out just how lavish your tan has become is with a tantoo! Have you heard of such a thing? Well, if you’ve been to a tanning salon or a spray tan artist before, then you probably already know. But for those that don’t, let me explain.
What are Tanning Stickers?
A tanning sticker is quite simply a sticker you wear when you tan, whether spray tan, tanning bed, or laying outside. They are typically designed to stick on skin, even with a little moisture. It’s an inexpensive way to create a “reverse tan” or tan line in the shape of anything you want. So they are exactly as they sound; stickers for tanning! It’s a cheap and effective way to not only get a cute temporary tattoo but also to see how much darker your skin is from its natural color!
How are Tanning Stickers Used?
Tanning stickers should be applied to as clean and dry skin as possible. Preferably exfoliated for best adhesion. You will want to avoid applying it over any kind of moisturizer, sunless tanners, or tanning lotion because, well, stickers don’t stick well to oils, so this makes it hard to stay on and can let the light in around the edges so your shape won’t look as defined.
Also, you will want to apply them to the same spot each time you tan for as long as you wish to keep the tantoo. It will become more defined with each tan. You can always decide to change and start a new one and let the old one fade.
Can’t I Just Use Any Sticker?
While it’s true that anything placed in the same spot that blocks UV light will create some kind of tantoo. If you happened to have a bunch of stickers in some kind of shape then you could use them but… Tanning stickers have distinct shapes, quality material, good non-irritating adhesive, and are very inexpensive! It’s easy to find 50 or 100 in a pack for just a few dollars.
Stickers marketed specifically for tanning generally are designed to be used specifically for tanning. Adhesives used on non-body stickers can be irritating to the skin! I’ve even seen other sites and pins boasting of making your own design with tape or lotion but I advise against it. For one it’s nearly impossible to replicate perfectly each time and you don’t know if the adhesive you are using will irritate your skin or not stick well enough and fall off and cause you to have to start over.
There are people who print stickers in shapes and call them tanning stickers on marketplaces like Etsy. These are generally just paper stickers designed for arts & crafts and not actually body stickers. I recommend using a real “tanning sticker” retailer.
Measuring Your Tan With Tanning Stickers
Some people like to keep their tantoo discreet and fun. They can be sexy and placed just about anywhere. Others like to display them on arms, cleavage, shoulders, etc so everyone can see their tan line. Either way, you see your progress and that is what counts!
Sometimes tanning establishments and spray tan artists will offer a complimentary tanning sticker for this purpose, while others might sell them. However, you will want your own stash to maintain a tantoo without interruption or the chance that they will be out of stock next time you tan. If you’re looking for something cute, fun, or sexy, your options will be somewhat limited at a salon, so it’s best to keep a stash in your tanning kit.
Where to Buy Tanning Stickers?
There are unlimited options to purchase tanning stickers. From Amazon, eBay, or even dedicated retailers such as TanningStickerz.com, It’s easy to find a good source and a great variety of stickers.
As stated earlier, there are people who use printed or homemade stickers as tanning stickers, but we don’t really recommend that. So, here we bring you the best tanning stickers for 2023!