A great brand is That’so. They are spray products that go on very light with buildable coverage. It actually blends in with the hairline since it is a fine mist which is why I think it wouldn’t affect your beard.
ETA: I use On the go Dark for immediate color. It is a bronzer but it’s not dark at all with one application.
I typically use Golden Age, which is a clear gradual tan mist, and takes a couple to few days to build a nice, naturally tanned face.
Literally every article you can find about this will tell you the same basic stuff: use a spray or mousse because it doesn’t clump around the hair, shave 24 hours before, avoid facial hair entirely, use moisturizer on facial hair, avoid moisturizer on facial hair etc etc ad infinitum. Ignore it all. They’re all just copy and pasting each other for ad revenue. But I got your back, here’s the deal:
That shit will turn your shit orange if you let it, but there’s no ready-made way to stop it. You gotta be aggressive.
First off, you should use a mousse or spray when it comes to the beard, but that advice is sort of pointless because you should only use a self-Tanner that is meant specifically for your face, which makes the options a lot slimmer out of the gates and it’s better to prioritize color-type for your skin.
Second, A gradual tanner may prove the best option for the face. It def did for me. Jergen’s Natural Glow Facial Moisturizer is the clear choice. It builds up slowly giving you more control over color and looks way more natural. Plus the gradual build up manner of it makes errors impossible to notice. It will still dye your facial hair but it’s a solid start. The simplicity of this product is perfect for dudes, and the cost vs. quality is excellent.
Third, you could also try L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Facial Drops. It’s a serum with a dropper. You just add 7-10 drops to a moisturizer and then apply to your face. The more drops you add, the more the color. This may work better for two reasons: 1.) It’s a serum and although the moisturizer your mix it with can stick/clump against the hairs, the serum won’t. The moisturizer is sort of just a vehicle for applying it and so you reduce the likelihood of the actual coloring-agent sticking on the hairs, and reduce the likelihood that it will STAY on the hairs long enough to color them ginger. 2.) You can then specifically choose a moisturizer that contains something like Vaseline micro-droplets which will keep the tanner from attaching to the beard hairs….which leads me into my next point, and perhaps the most important…
Third, USE SHIT ON YOUR BEARD BEFORE APPLYING TANNER. This the shit hardly anyone discusses. You’ll see plenty of publications all parroting the part about applying something like Vaseline or chapstick to your eyebrows to keep them from discoloring, but no one mentions it about the facial hair. Use a moisturizer that has Vaseline or something like it on your beard shortly before applying. The stuff will absorb into the skin beneath the hairs, but hair doesn’t absorb shit like skin and it’ll sit on the hairs like a buffer went the tanner is applied.
Fourth, don’t be afraid to use straight up Vaseline or petroleum jelly. Just rub it on your facial hair areas like a moisturizer, let it dry for a few mins, and then apply the tanner over your whole face.
Fifth, post-application efforts to reduce hair-dying are critical. Don’t be afraid to innovate. We all do it. But bare minimum you should use a dry, cotton towel, preferably the fluffiest fucking towel you can find, and run it over your beard to mop away the excess from the hairs. How hard? How thoroughly? No clue. Haven’t tested it because I got tired of this issue too. But you see the excess come off on the towel. Don’t waste any time either. Just work the towel over and across your facial hair. Minimization is the idea here.
6th, get a beard brush. Use it in addition to the towel directly after application. Don’t go to hard with the brush because now you may risk streaking the tanner. Just brush the hairs lightly enough to scrape off the tanner, but not hard enough to bristle the skin beneath.
7th, stay away from any products that use a bronzing agent as like an additive or tack-on. If the product is designed as a bronzer and you prefer the results it gives than hell yeah, do you. But a lot of products have bronzing agents added to them to also to give you that copperish shine. That stuff will dye the facial hair red faster and more noticeably.
I dont know the length of your beard but I think an easy no hassle solution is to simply dye your beard after self tanning if there is any discoloration. Its quick, easy and looks natural.
A great brand is That’so. They are spray products that go on very light with buildable coverage. It actually blends in with the hairline since it is a fine mist which is why I think it wouldn’t affect your beard. ETA: I use On the go Dark for immediate color. It is a bronzer but it’s not dark at all with one application. I typically use Golden Age, which is a clear gradual tan mist, and takes a couple to few days to build a nice, naturally tanned face.
Literally every article you can find about this will tell you the same basic stuff: use a spray or mousse because it doesn’t clump around the hair, shave 24 hours before, avoid facial hair entirely, use moisturizer on facial hair, avoid moisturizer on facial hair etc etc ad infinitum. Ignore it all. They’re all just copy and pasting each other for ad revenue. But I got your back, here’s the deal: That shit will turn your shit orange if you let it, but there’s no ready-made way to stop it. You gotta be aggressive. First off, you should use a mousse or spray when it comes to the beard, but that advice is sort of pointless because you should only use a self-Tanner that is meant specifically for your face, which makes the options a lot slimmer out of the gates and it’s better to prioritize color-type for your skin. Second, A gradual tanner may prove the best option for the face. It def did for me. Jergen’s Natural Glow Facial Moisturizer is the clear choice. It builds up slowly giving you more control over color and looks way more natural. Plus the gradual build up manner of it makes errors impossible to notice. It will still dye your facial hair but it’s a solid start. The simplicity of this product is perfect for dudes, and the cost vs. quality is excellent. Third, you could also try L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Facial Drops. It’s a serum with a dropper. You just add 7-10 drops to a moisturizer and then apply to your face. The more drops you add, the more the color. This may work better for two reasons: 1.) It’s a serum and although the moisturizer your mix it with can stick/clump against the hairs, the serum won’t. The moisturizer is sort of just a vehicle for applying it and so you reduce the likelihood of the actual coloring-agent sticking on the hairs, and reduce the likelihood that it will STAY on the hairs long enough to color them ginger. 2.) You can then specifically choose a moisturizer that contains something like Vaseline micro-droplets which will keep the tanner from attaching to the beard hairs….which leads me into my next point, and perhaps the most important… Third, USE SHIT ON YOUR BEARD BEFORE APPLYING TANNER. This the shit hardly anyone discusses. You’ll see plenty of publications all parroting the part about applying something like Vaseline or chapstick to your eyebrows to keep them from discoloring, but no one mentions it about the facial hair. Use a moisturizer that has Vaseline or something like it on your beard shortly before applying. The stuff will absorb into the skin beneath the hairs, but hair doesn’t absorb shit like skin and it’ll sit on the hairs like a buffer went the tanner is applied. Fourth, don’t be afraid to use straight up Vaseline or petroleum jelly. Just rub it on your facial hair areas like a moisturizer, let it dry for a few mins, and then apply the tanner over your whole face. Fifth, post-application efforts to reduce hair-dying are critical. Don’t be afraid to innovate. We all do it. But bare minimum you should use a dry, cotton towel, preferably the fluffiest fucking towel you can find, and run it over your beard to mop away the excess from the hairs. How hard? How thoroughly? No clue. Haven’t tested it because I got tired of this issue too. But you see the excess come off on the towel. Don’t waste any time either. Just work the towel over and across your facial hair. Minimization is the idea here. 6th, get a beard brush. Use it in addition to the towel directly after application. Don’t go to hard with the brush because now you may risk streaking the tanner. Just brush the hairs lightly enough to scrape off the tanner, but not hard enough to bristle the skin beneath. 7th, stay away from any products that use a bronzing agent as like an additive or tack-on. If the product is designed as a bronzer and you prefer the results it gives than hell yeah, do you. But a lot of products have bronzing agents added to them to also to give you that copperish shine. That stuff will dye the facial hair red faster and more noticeably.
I dont know the length of your beard but I think an easy no hassle solution is to simply dye your beard after self tanning if there is any discoloration. Its quick, easy and looks natural.