Summers coming and in preparation for the bikini days it time to start thinking about tanning, gone are the days where you can sit out in the sun all oiled up, soaking up the damaging rays that the sun produces. The only safe way is to fake it, this can be tricky so we’re here to show you the steps to making sure your fake tan looks great on the beach this summer.
Step 1: Winters over! Time for a wax.
Self tanners can stain hair which can make your tan look darker. Its best to shave or wax however this needs to be done at least 24 hours before hand otherwise you can have the tan sit into the hair follicles which gives a spotty appearance. Removing hair the day before also lets the skin calm down and prevents irritation from the self-tan product.
Step 2: Exfoliate.
Dead skin cells sit on the surface of the skin. If you don’t remove these within a few days they will shed and you will be left with a patchy tan. For the longevity of your tan it is essential to remove these dead skin cells before you tan.
Waxed the day before? Don’t exfoliate these areas. Waxing takes off the dead skin cells so exfoliating again may irritate the skin. We still recommend exfoliating the other areas that we’re not waxed for an even tan.
To exfoliate you can use a body scrub (or a facial scrub if your tanning your face), or a loofah glove with shower gel. Just gentle no need to rip your skin off!! Don’t forget spots like your knees, elbows and around your underarm area.
Step 3: Moisturise.
This is particularly important for dry areas such as elbows knees and ankles. Dry areas naturally try to soak up whatever is applied to it, if the area is not moisturized and you put the tan straight on it will soak up more of the tan in these areas then other areas making it look dark and un-even.
Tanning your face? Put a bit of moisturiser over your hair line and eyebrows. ( Don’t forget step one.. if you need that lip or chin done, you definitely don’t want that accentuated with a tanning product).
Step 4: Apply the Self-Tan.
Wear gloves, its a simply way to make sure you don’t get the tan in between your fingers and under your nails.
Apply the tanner lightly in sections making sure you evenly distribute on both sides of your body. Start at your lower legs and work your way up to you face. Let dry for 5-10mins and then apply another light coat. Its always better to do 2 light coats then to do one heavy one. This will make sure that your tan is flawless.
Wait until the end to do your knees, elbows, ankles hands and feet, just use the excess on your gloves to brush over these areas.
You can dilute the self tan to do your face or just use the excess when your done.
Step 5: Drying time.
Allow a good twenty minutes before putting on any clothing. Most tanning products wash out of clothing however just in case try to avoid wearing light clothing. Most tans can take 4-6 hours to develop. The main difference is that some are clear with no instant effect. Others are tinted and will show up almost instantly even though developing time takes a few hours. Wait about 4-5 hours before showering or as per instructions on your self tanning product. An easy tip : Try to get a self tanner with a tinted age nt so that you can see missed spots and get an even tan – Do just before going to bed. When you wake up, tan will have developed and you can shower of excess.
Step 6: Maintenance.
If your tan isn’t as dark as you had hoped for, you can reapply the next day. Otherwise you will only need to re-apply once or twice a week making sure you exfoliate lightly before every application. Simply Moisturise daily to keep skin from drying and flaking off. You can use a product with a light tanning agent for upkeep. Avoid chlorine as this can strip the tan off.
DON’T FORGET to use an SPF+30 when going out in the sun. Your tan will not protect your skin from burning and damaging skin.
Enjoy your summer tan by faking it!
