Self tanners work when the DHA, the main tanning ingredient in these products, interacts with your upper layer of dead skin cells. Unfortunately, this reaction takes time. And that time is typically 6-10 hours, depending on the person.

Will fake tan develop in 2 hours?

DHA is what makes your skin go dark in the hours after applying a fake tanning product. ... Some sunless tanning products recommend leaving it on for 6 hours, others for 4 hours and yes, some products claim you can have a tan in 2 hours.

Does self tanner take time to develop?

Generally, normal self-tanners take around 4-8 hours to develop, but dry after a minute or two. This means you can wear clothing on top a few minutes after you have applied the tan, but it develops over the course of the day, so you'll have to wash it off a few hours later.