Today I
come to you with one of my favourite beauty tricks- sunless tanning. Living in
the UK,
there is never a chance to maintain a beautiful sun kissed glow, so instead I
need to get a little help from fake tan. When I first started
experimenting with tan over 3 years ago, I had no idea how to apply or remove
it properly to give me the best looking tan. In addition to that, I hadn't a
clue how to maintain a sunless tan once applied, and only recently have found
the perfect routine.
There are so many great fake tanners out there and one that is suitable
for everyone. For myself, I like a deep tan and one that is going to last,
instead of washing off in the shower. Some tanners allow yourself to build
colour, this is great for beginners as you can gradually tan and achieve
the desired colour of tan you would like to be. Other tanners are wash off and
are great for an immediate bronze. My favourite is long lasting tanners, where
I only need to re-do every 5-7 days. It must also be remembered that fake tanners
come in a variety of forms; mousses, lotions, creams and sprays. For me I
achieve the best faux glow using mousses as they are easier to blend, which
avoids those pesky streaky lines.
Below are my favourite products to use, however feel free to use lighter shades
or different formulas to suit your preference.
Instant Tanning Formulas
Splash
the Cash:
Stash
the Cash:
Preparation
1. Once having picked a tanning product that works for you, next comes the
preparation. To achieve the best tan, you need to create a smooth canvas.
Removing hair from legs, underarms and any other areas you wish, should be done
the night before you wish to tan. However, if tanning at night, removing hair
in the morning should give the pores enough time to close before applying the
tan.
2. Exfoliate!! By far this is one of the most important tips. No matter what
your skin type is, it is key to exfoliate. By exfoliating you are removing the
dead layer of skin, which will avoid your tan from looking patchy.
Using a wash cloth and/or a scrub will help thoroughly exfoliate the skin. Pay
particular attention to drier areas, such as elbows, knees and ankles as tan
sticks to drier areas easier.
My favourite products to exfoliate are;
Application
1. Moisturise your dry areas. By applying a thin layer of moisturiser to those
pesky dry parts of our body (ankles, knees, elbows, etc) will allow a
more natural, flawless tan. Also applying a little moisturiser to your hands
will allow the tan to blend more naturally and won't be a dead giveaway that
you are fake tanning.
2. Put on latex gloves. A pair of these will stop your hands from turning
brown, even if using a tanning mitt. By using gloves and a tanning mitt this
will achieve a flawless faux glow with no harsh lines. Recently, women have
being using a mini paint roller to apply there fake tan.
3. Start from the bottom up, apply the tan to the feet, legs and torso, working
in small circular motions. Standing next to a full body length mirror will help
ensure you don't miss any areas. Remember to read the instructions on the box
before beginning, as some self tanners come with guides on how much to apply to
the body.
4. When reaching the chest and face, looking in a mirror can
be beneficial. I tend to use the excess left on my mitt for my face,
however if you want a product that is specifically for your face there is loads
to choose from on the market.
5. The back can be the hardest part, however if you do not have someone to help
you, spinning the mitt round so the tanning part is on the back of your hand
and applying the tan this way can help.
6. After finishing off your arms, I like to take my gloves off and lightly
sweep the excess that is left over on the tanning mitt over my hands, spreading
my fingers wide apart.
7. Wait! After applying give yourself at least 10-15 minutes for the tan to
dry. I like to do my fake tan at night so I can get dressed and jump into bed
and rinse the tan off in the morning. Remember to wear dark clothes as fake tan
will stain, however usually always comes out in the wash. I would recommend
waiting at least 8 hours before rinsing the tan off.
Maintaining
A crucial part I used to forget to add into my fake tanning routine is the
maintenance. For myself, I will have to exfoliate my tan off on the 6th or 7th
day after applying it. In between then I will moisturise myself. Just like
regular tanning from the sun, fake tan dries out the skin. By adding moisture
back into the skin this will help the tan from becoming patchy and appearing
scale like. My favourite moisturisers can vary massively, however this does not
need to be an expensive product. One specifically tailored for dry skin will
give your skin the best benefits if you are an avid fake tanner.
Removing
Whether you are starting the process again or just need rid of the faux glow,
there is easy ways for removing fake tan. Steeping in a hot bath and using
exfoliating products can help with the removal. Adding oils to the bath will
help with the breakdown of the chemicals in the fake tan and will although the
tan to come off easier. Going for a swim can also help with the removal of fake
tan: the chlorine in the water will break down the tan and once again soften
the tan making an easier removal. Lemon and sugar will also help when used with
a exfoliating glove, however do not panic scrub if all goes wrong, it is better
to use these tricks above so the tan can come off evenly with no harm done to
your skin.
