Alongside is fake tan bad for your skin, one of the most commonly asked faux glow questions is whether or not it will give you spots. This won’t be the case for everyone, but some people find that applying self tan leaves them with breakouts. “It shouldn’t cause spots, but be careful on your face if you have clogged pores,” says Lambert. “Make sure you’re also looking after your skin with face washes and regular exfoliation.”
There are a few potential reasons behind these blemishes. The first is that fake tan can dehydrate the skin, which then triggers our complexions to make more oil to compensate. This excess oil can then combine with dead skin cells to block pores. Certain tan formulas can clog pores too. Another factor is that in order to use tan you often have to adapt or skip parts of your normal skincare routine, which might mean you’re using fewer blemish-busting ingredients like salicylic acid and retinol. If this is the case, you might want to lay off the fake stuff until your skin is in a more balanced place.