This Self-Tanning Hack Will Help You Seal Your Pores For A Smooth Finish

If you like the look of sun-kissed skin without all the damaging effects of the sun's UV rays, then chances are you might have a good self-tanner you trust to give your skin a golden glow. The Fashionisto reported that self-tanning products are more popular than ever. You might enjoy using these types of products to help hide imperfections in your skin, and they're far less risky than sitting out in the sun or spending time in a tanning bed.

While self-tanners have plenty of benefits, they come with a few caveats. The earliest versions of these products tended to give an orange color, but thankfully most brands have figured out how to turn that weird shade into a gorgeous golden bronze. Getting the product on smoothly for a beautiful, even color can be tricky, though. 

In fact, here's what you need to know before applying a self-tanner — and Byrdie revealed a fantastic hack to help make your legs look even and smooth without noticeable pores. It even uses an affordable product that you might already have at home.

Here's how peas can give you a smooth self-tan

While you probably know that you should exfoliate before you apply self-tanner, you might not know this clever hack that helps keep the color from emphasizing the pores in your legs. Self-tanning master James Read at Violet Grey told Byrdie how a bag of frozen peas could help save your gorgeous glow. All you need is your favorite product or a DIY version, freshly exfoliated legs, and a frozen bag of the small green vegetable. 

Before applying the self-tanner, you run the bag of peas over your legs. "This will seal the pores in your legs, so you don't end up with those annoying dots after self-tanning," Read revealed. The cold temporarily causes your pores to shrink, which means the product won't pool in them, creating a darker color. 

In a pinch, you could use an ice cube to achieve similar results. However, you'll need to gently pat your legs dry before you apply the self-tanner. With the frozen peas, you likely won't get any additional moisture on your legs. This simple hack could change the way you get your glow for good.