A woman who humorously refers to herself as the ''best aunt ever'' unintentionally became the catalyst for a viral sensation after inadvertently giving her niece, Ella, an unexpected makeover during a leisurely autumn stroll. Caroline Zig, a first-time aunt, shared the amusing mishap on TikTok, recounting how Ella returned home with a distinctly bronzed, round mark on her face.

Prior to their walk, Caroline had applied fake tan to achieve a bronzed glow. As her niece Ella was too young to walk, Caroline placed her in a baby carrier against her chest. What Caroline had not anticipated was the transfer of the still-wet bronze mousse onto Ella's delicate skin as the baby slept soundly, nestled against her aunt. Fake tan, while effective for achieving a sun-kissed look, is notoriously prone to staining, especially before it has fully dried. This unfortunate characteristic led to Ella sporting a prominent circular fake tan mark on her face, precisely where she had rested her head.

Caroline, sharing the humorous transformation on her social media, remarked, ''When you think you're being the best aunt ever and then realise you have fake tan on.'' She captured footage of Ella both during and after the walk, showcasing the adorable niece's unawareness of her temporary cosmetic enhancement. Fortunately for Caroline, she managed to remove the majority of the stain using wipes before her sister returned home, simply captioning the post with ''oopsies.''

This incident also served as a reminder of important safety precautions concerning fake tan use, particularly around infants. Experts emphasize that fake tan mousses, while a safer alternative to sunbeds for adults, should never be applied to babies or young children. Babies possess very delicate skin, which is significantly more prone to irritation and sensitivity than adult skin, and certain chemicals found in self-tanning products can trigger allergic reactions. Furthermore, for breastfeeding mothers, specific precautions are advised. Rose and Caramel, a brand in the self-tanning industry, recommends refraining from applying self-tanning products to the breast and chest areas to prevent any contact with or ingestion by the baby. If self-tan has been applied, it is suggested to thoroughly rinse off the guide color before breastfeeding.

The hilarious blunder quickly gained traction online, with many social media users comparing Ella's temporary tan mark to ''a temporary birthmark.'' The TikTok video garnered a staggering 3.7 million views within just three days, prompting hundreds of comments. One person jokingly commented, ''Simply just teaching her about girlhood.'' The viral moment also inspired many TikTokers to share their own epic parenting and aunt/uncle fails, including stories of tie-dye disasters and accidental spray tan transfers onto babies, highlighting the universal nature of such amusing mishaps.