Why Does All My Fake Tan Wash Off? (Spoiler: It Doesn’t)

You’ve just tanned. You’re bronzed, flawless, feeling like you could headline a beach club in Ibiza.
Then… shower time comes. You rinse, you watch the water turn brown, and your heart sinks.
“Did my whole tan just go down the drain?”

Here’s the truth — your glow hasn’t ghosted you.

Meet the Bronzer: Your Instant Gratification Glow

When you apply fake tan, you see colour straight away thanks to something called a bronzer. This is a cosmetic pigment that gives you that instant “I just spent a week in the Maldives” look.

It’s like makeup for your body — gorgeous, but temporary. The bronzer helps you see where you’ve applied the tan so you don’t miss spots or streak.

When you take that first rinse, the bronzer washes away. That’s the brown water you see swirling down the drain.

Where the Real Magic Happens

Underneath the bronzer is where the actual fake tan lives.
Your mousse, mist, or lotion contains DHA (dihydroxyacetone) — a colourless ingredient that reacts with the amino acids in your skin to develop a natural-looking tan over several hours.

That developed colour isn’t washing off in the shower — it’s bonded with the outer layer of your skin.

Why Your Tan Might Look Lighter After Rinsing

• You left it on for less time than recommended — lighter colour development

• You used soap during the first rinse — which can interrupt the developing stage

• Your skin was dry or unprepped — the colour may not grab evenly

• You’ve applied a super light shade — the change can be subtle until it deepens

How to Keep the Deep Glow

1. Follow the rinse instructions — no soaps or scrubbing on the first rinse

2. Hydrate your skin daily to slow fading

3. Avoid long hot showers that can dry and strip your skin

4. Lock it in with Ohh My Glo’s Self-Tan Setting Spray — the Aussie-first formula that keeps your developed tan in place, stops transfer, and helps it last longer

The Bottom Line

When you see all that colour washing off in the shower, you’re only saying goodbye to the bronzer — not your real fake tan.
The magic’s still happening underneath, and by the time you towel off, your developed colour will be ready to glow for days.